Lexical Summary sadin: Linen garment, fine linen, sheet Original Word: סָדִין Strong's Exhaustive Concordance fine linen, sheet From an unused root meaning to envelop; a wrapper, i.e. Shirt -- fine linen, sheet. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originperhaps of foreign origin Definition linen garment NASB Translation linen garments (1), linen wraps (2), undergarments (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs סָדִין noun [masculine] linen wrapper (perhaps foreign word; compare Assyrian sudinnu DlHWB 490, a garment; Late Hebrew סָדִין, ᵑ7 סְדִינָא, Syriac  ,  (rare) Mark 15:46; > compare Arabic  ,  veil, saddle-cover (see Lane1335), or  , Greek [and ᵐ5] σινδών, compare Frä48 LewyFremdw. 85); — absolute ׳ס Proverbs 31:24; plural סְדִינִים Judges 14:12; Judges 14:13; Isaiah 3:28; — wrapper or rectangular piece of fine linen, worn as outer, or (at night) as sole garment (compare GFMJudg 14, 12), + חֲלִמֹּת בְּגָדִים Judges 14:12,13, in list of women's finery Isaiah 3:23, made and sold by the capable woman Proverbs 31:24. סדר (√ of following; compare Assyrian sadâru, arrange in order, sidru, sidirtu, row, battle-line; Late Hebrew סָדַר arrange, order, Aramaic סְדַר, Topical Lexicon Scope of Usage in Scripture The noun designates a light linen sheet or tunic that could serve either as personal clothing or household bedding. It appears only four times, each reference adding a distinct layer of meaning—from festive wager (Judges 14), to commercial enterprise (Proverbs 31), to an emblem of luxury under divine judgment (Isaiah 3). In every case the item is woven of flax, a material valued for coolness, purity, and cost. Domestic and Festive Garment (Judges 14:12-13) Samson’s riddle is staked upon “thirty linen garments,” showing that such cloth was prized enough to function as high-value currency. The wager also illustrates intercultural trade; Philistines could readily procure or pay out Israelite linen. The Spirit-empowered deliverer exposes the emptiness of Philistine wisdom, and the surrender of their costly sheets underscores the LORD’s supremacy over pagan opulence. Industry and Enterprise (Proverbs 31:24) The wife of noble character “makes linen garments and sells them,” revealing a cottage industry that connects field, spindle, loom, and marketplace. Her work portrays sanctified entrepreneurship: diligent labor, honest profit, and provision for others. The verse affirms that profitable commerce and godliness are harmonious when stewardship serves family and community under the fear of the LORD. Luxury Under Judgment (Isaiah 3:23) Among the fineries stripped from Zion’s proud women are “the linen garments.” Their confiscation forecasts national humiliation. What once signified refinement now becomes evidence that Judah’s heart is clothed in pride rather than righteousness. The loss of such linens is not merely economic but spiritual—an outward sign of inward nakedness before the Holy One of Israel. Material and Craftsmanship Flax was cultivated in the Jordan Valley and along the coastal plain, ret-soaked, spun, and woven on upright looms. The product was lightweight, breathable, and easily bleached, making it a favored textile for summer wear and bedding. Unlike wool, it resisted ritual impurity from corpse contact (Numbers 19) and was the mandated fiber for priestly undergarments (Exodus 28:42), underscoring associations with purity—even though this specific word never describes priestly attire. Symbolic Resonances 1. Purity: Linen’s whiteness echoes holiness; yet in Isaiah the same fabric is linked to vanity when severed from devotion to God. Theological Threads for Ministry • Stewardship: God supplies resources (flax, skill, market) to be managed for kingdom purposes, not self-indulgence. Pastoral Applications Encourage industrious believers to honor God through ethical commerce, like the woman of Proverbs 31. Warn against the idolatry of appearance highlighted in Isaiah’s oracle. Affirm that, in Christ, the church is clothed with a garment of salvation far superior to the finest סָדִין, motivating both modesty and mission. Forms and Transliterations וְהַסְּדִינִ֔ים והסדינים סְדִינִ֔ים סָדִ֣ין סדין סדינים sā·ḏîn saDin sāḏîn sə·ḏî·nîm sediNim səḏînîm vehassediNim wə·has·sə·ḏî·nîm wəhassəḏînîmLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Judges 14:12 HEB: לָכֶם֙ שְׁלֹשִׁ֣ים סְדִינִ֔ים וּשְׁלֹשִׁ֖ים חֲלִפֹ֥ת NAS: you thirty linen wraps and thirty KJV: you thirty sheets and thirty INT: will give thirty linen and thirty changes Judges 14:13 Proverbs 31:24 Isaiah 3:23 4 Occurrences |
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