Lexical Summary tiach: Plaster, coating Original Word: טִיחַ Strong's Exhaustive Concordance daubing From (the equiv. Of) tuwach; mortar or plaster -- daubing. see HEBREW tuwach NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom tuach Definition a coating NASB Translation plaster (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs טִיחַ noun [masculine] a coating, only אַיֵּה הַטִּיחַ אֲשֶׁר טַחְתֶּם Ezekiel 13:12. Topical Lexicon Imagery and historical backdrop Ancient Near Eastern builders often shaped walls from sun-dried mud-brick, then smeared them with a lime-based plaster that hardened, protected against rain, and produced an attractive white surface. When the mix was weak or too thin, the coating hid—rather than solved—the structural fragility. Such cosmetic “whitewash” supplied Ezekiel with a vivid metaphor during the Babylonian exile (sixth century B.C.), a period when Judah’s political hopes looked solid yet were in fact crumbling. The single Old Testament occurrence Ezekiel denounces prophets who promise safety while ignoring sin: “…they lead My people astray by saying, ‘Peace,’ when there is no peace. And when a flimsy wall is built, they plaster it with whitewash… Surely when the wall has fallen, will it not be asked, ‘Where is the whitewash with which you covered it?’ ” The term designates the deceptive plaster itself, not the wall. The image exposes two parties: builders who erect an unstable structure and prophets who conceal the danger beneath a gleaming surface. Theological significance 1. Exposure of false assurance. The whitewash symbolizes messages that soothe consciences without addressing covenant disobedience. Divine judgment is pictured as storm, hail, and wind (Ezekiel 13:11), forces that strip away the coating and leave collapse inevitable. Canonical parallels • Jeremiah 6:14; 8:11 – similar condemnation of leaders who cry “Peace, peace” with no peace. These texts form a consistent biblical motif: superficial righteousness is intolerable before a holy God. Ministry applications • Preaching and teaching must present both grace and repentance, refusing to “whitewash” sin for approval or applause. Summary The lone biblical use of this plaster term serves as a lasting warning: any ministry, message, or life built on half-truths will eventually crumble when God’s searching storm arrives. Only the unvarnished gospel, applied to repentant hearts, provides a wall that stands forever. Forms and Transliterations הַטִּ֖יחַ הטיח haṭ·ṭî·aḥ hatTiach haṭṭîaḥLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Ezekiel 13:12 HEB: אֲלֵיכֶ֔ם אַיֵּ֥ה הַטִּ֖יחַ אֲשֶׁ֥ר טַחְתֶּֽם׃ NAS: Where is the plaster with which KJV: shall it not be said unto you, Where [is] the daubing wherewith ye have daubed INT: about Where is the plaster which plastered 1 Occurrence |
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