2789. cheres

Lexicon

cheres: Earthenware, potsherd, clay, pottery

Original Word: חֶרֶשׂ
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: cheres
Pronunciation: kheh'-res
Phonetic Spelling: (kheh'-res)
Definition: Earthenware, potsherd, clay, pottery
Meaning: a piece of pottery

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

earthen, potsherd, stone

A collateral form mediating between cherec and cheresh; a piece of pottery -- earth(-en), (pot-)sherd, + stone.

see HEBREW cherec

see HEBREW cheresh

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
from an unused word
Definition
earthenware, earthen vessel, sherd, potsherd
NASB Translation
earthen (1), earthen vessel (1), earthenware (8), earthenware vessel (1), earthenware vessel the vessels (1), fragments (1), potsherd (2), potsherds (1), sherd (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs

חֶ֫רֶשׂ noun [masculine] earthenware, earthen vessel, sherd, potsherd, P and late (Late Hebrew חֶרֶס, Aramaic חֲרַס) — absolute ׳ח Leviticus 6:21 9t., חָ֑רֶשׂ Numbers 5:17 4t.; plural construct חַרְשֵׂי Isaiah 45:9; suffix חֲרָשֶׂיהָ Ezekiel 23:34. —

1 earthenware: ׳כְּלִיאח earthen vessel Jeremiah 32:14; especially P Leviticus 6:21; Leviticus 11:33; Leviticus 14:5,50; Leviticus 15:12; Numbers 5:17; without כְּלִי Proverbs 26:23; compare ׳בַּקְבֻּק יוֺצֵר ח Jeremiah 19:1; ׳לְנִבְלֵי ח Lamentations 4:2 they are reckoned as earthen vessels, simile of sons of Zion; חֶרֶשׂ אֶתחַֿרְשֵׂי אֲדָמָה Isaiah 45:9 a potsherd (perhaps = earthen vessel, see Proverbs 26:23 above) among earthen potsherds (of men, over against ׳י their potter); simile of dryness Psalm 22:16.

2 a fragment of earthenware, sherd Isaiah 30:14; Ezekiel 23:34; לְהִתְגָּרֵד ׳ח Job 2:8 a sherd to scrape himself; ׳חַדּוּדֵי ח Job 41:22 sharpest potsherds, figurative of sharp scales on belly of crocodile.

חֲרֶשֶׂת see קִירחֲֿרֶשֶׂת.

Topical Lexicon

Word Origin: Derived from an unused root meaning to scrape.

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: • G2246: ἥλιος (hēlios) • While not directly related in meaning, this Greek word for "sun" shares a thematic connection in terms of light and revelation, contrasting the brokenness symbolized by חֶרֶשׂ.
• G3691: ὄστρακον (ostrakon) • This Greek term directly corresponds to חֶרֶשׂ, as it also means "potsherd" or "piece of pottery."
• G3749: κεράμιον (keramion) • Refers to an earthen vessel or jar, related to the concept of pottery and its uses in daily life.

These Greek terms provide additional context for understanding the symbolic and practical uses of pottery in biblical times, further illustrating the themes of fragility and the need for divine restoration.

Usage: The term חֶרֶשׂ (cheres) is used in the Hebrew Bible to refer to a fragment or shard of pottery. It often symbolizes brokenness or destruction, as pottery shards are remnants of what was once whole.

Context: חֶרֶשׂ (cheres) appears in various contexts within the Hebrew Bible, often illustrating themes of fragility and ruin. In the ancient Near East, pottery was a common household item, and its fragments, or potsherds, were frequently encountered. The term is used metaphorically in several passages to convey messages of judgment or the transient nature of human endeavors.

For example, in Isaiah 30:14, the imagery of a shattered pot is used to describe the complete and irreparable destruction that will come upon those who rely on human strength rather than divine guidance: "It will break in pieces like pottery, shattered so that not a fragment will be found among its pieces to take coals from a hearth or scoop water from a cistern."

In Job 2:8, Job uses a potsherd to scrape his sores, highlighting his profound suffering and the depth of his affliction: "And Job took a piece of broken pottery to scrape himself as he sat among the ashes."

The use of חֶרֶשׂ (cheres) in these contexts underscores the themes of human frailty and the consequences of turning away from God. The imagery of broken pottery serves as a powerful reminder of the need for divine intervention and the futility of relying solely on human strength.

Forms and Transliterations

חֲרָשֶׂ֛יהָ חֶ֔רֶשׂ חֶ֖רֶשׂ חֶ֛רֶשׂ חַרְשֵׂ֣י חָ֑רֶשׂ חרש חרשי חרשיה כַּחֶ֨רֶשׂ ׀ כחרש charaSeiha Chares charSei Cheres ḥă·rā·śe·hā ḥā·reś ḥar·śê ḥărāśehā ḥāreś ḥarśê ḥe·reś ḥereś ka·ḥe·reś kaCheres kaḥereś

Englishman's Concordance

Leviticus 6:28
HEB: וּכְלִי־ חֶ֛רֶשׂ אֲשֶׁ֥ר תְּבֻשַּׁל־
NAS: Also the earthenware vessel in which
KJV: But the earthen vessel
INT: vessel the earthenware which boiled

Leviticus 11:33
HEB: וְכָל־ כְּלִי־ חֶ֔רֶשׂ אֲשֶׁר־ יִפֹּ֥ל
NAS: As for any earthenware vessel
KJV: And every earthen vessel,
INT: any vessel earthenware which may fall

Leviticus 14:5
HEB: אֶל־ כְּלִי־ חֶ֖רֶשׂ עַל־ מַ֥יִם
NAS: bird in an earthenware vessel
KJV: be killed in an earthen vessel
INT: about vessel an earthenware over water

Leviticus 14:50
HEB: אֶל־ כְּלִי־ חֶ֖רֶשׂ עַל־ מַ֥יִם
NAS: bird in an earthenware vessel
KJV: of the birds in an earthen vessel
INT: about vessel an earthenware over water

Leviticus 15:12
HEB: וּכְלִי־ חֶ֛רֶשׂ אֲשֶׁר־ יִגַּע־
NAS: However, an earthenware vessel which
KJV: And the vessel of earth, that he toucheth
INT: vessel an earthenware which touches

Numbers 5:17
HEB: קְדֹשִׁ֖ים בִּכְלִי־ חָ֑רֶשׂ וּמִן־ הֶֽעָפָ֗ר
NAS: water in an earthenware vessel;
KJV: water in an earthen vessel;
INT: holy vessel an earthenware some of the dust

Job 2:8
HEB: וַיִּֽקַּֽח־ ל֣וֹ חֶ֔רֶשׂ לְהִתְגָּרֵ֖ד בּ֑וֹ
NAS: And he took a potsherd to scrape
KJV: And he took him a potsherd to scrape
INT: took A potsherd to scrape he

Job 41:30
HEB: תַּ֭חְתָּיו חַדּ֣וּדֵי חָ֑רֶשׂ יִרְפַּ֖ד חָר֣וּץ
NAS: are [like] sharp potsherds; He spreads
KJV: Sharp stones [are] under him: he spreadeth
INT: his underparts are sharp potsherds spreads out a threshing

Psalm 22:15
HEB: יָ֘בֵ֤שׁ כַּחֶ֨רֶשׂ ׀ כֹּחִ֗י וּ֭לְשׁוֹנִי
NAS: is dried up like a potsherd, And my tongue
KJV: is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue
INT: is dried A potsherd my strength and my tongue

Proverbs 26:23
HEB: מְצֻפֶּ֣ה עַל־ חָ֑רֶשׂ שְׂפָתַ֖יִם דֹּלְקִ֣ים
NAS: [Like] an earthen vessel overlaid
KJV: heart [are like] a potsherd covered
INT: overlaid and an earthen lips are burning

Isaiah 30:14
HEB: יִמָּצֵ֤א בִמְכִתָּתוֹ֙ חֶ֔רֶשׂ לַחְתּ֥וֹת אֵשׁ֙
NAS: shattered That a sherd will not be found
KJV: in the bursting of it a sherd to take
INT: will not be found pieces A sherd to take fire

Isaiah 45:9
HEB: אֶת־ יֹ֣צְר֔וֹ חֶ֖רֶשׂ אֶת־ חַרְשֵׂ֣י
NAS: with his Maker-- An earthenware vessel
KJV: with his Maker! [Let] the potsherd [strive] with the potsherds
INT: quarrels his Maker vessel vessel of earth

Isaiah 45:9
HEB: חֶ֖רֶשׂ אֶת־ חַרְשֵׂ֣י אֲדָמָ֑ה הֲיֹאמַ֨ר
NAS: An earthenware vessel among
KJV: [Let] the potsherd [strive] with the potsherds of the earth.
INT: his Maker vessel vessel of earth say

Jeremiah 19:1
HEB: בַקְבֻּ֖ק יוֹצֵ֣ר חָ֑רֶשׂ וּמִזִּקְנֵ֣י הָעָ֔ם
NAS: a potter's earthenware jar,
KJV: a potter's earthen bottle,
INT: jar A potter's earthenware of the elders of the people

Jeremiah 32:14
HEB: וּנְתַתָּ֖ם בִּכְלִי־ חָ֑רֶשׂ לְמַ֥עַן יַעַמְד֖וּ
NAS: and put them in an earthenware jar,
KJV: and put them in an earthen vessel,
INT: and put jar an earthenware because of may last

Lamentations 4:2
HEB: נֶחְשְׁבוּ֙ לְנִבְלֵי־ חֶ֔רֶשׂ מַעֲשֵׂ֖ה יְדֵ֥י
NAS: they are regarded as earthen jars,
KJV: how are they esteemed as earthen pitchers,
INT: are regarded jars earthen the work hands

Ezekiel 23:34
HEB: וּמָצִ֗ית וְאֶת־ חֲרָשֶׂ֛יהָ תְּגָרֵ֖מִי וְשָׁדַ֣יִךְ
NAS: it. Then you will gnaw its fragments And tear
KJV: and thou shalt break the sherds thereof, and pluck off
INT: will drink and drain fragments will gnaw your breasts

17 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 2789
17 Occurrences

ḥă·rā·śe·hā — 1 Occ.
ḥā·reś — 5 Occ.
ḥar·śê — 1 Occ.
ḥe·reś — 9 Occ.
ka·ḥe·reś — 1 Occ.