8162. shaatnez
Lexical Summary
shaatnez: Mixed fabric, mixed cloth

Original Word: שַׁעַטְנֵז
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: sha`atnez
Pronunciation: shah-at-NEZ
Phonetic Spelling: (shah-at-naze')
KJV: garment of divers sorts, linen and wollen
NASB: material mixed, material mixed together
Word Origin: [probably of foreign derivation]

1. linsey- woolsey, i.e. cloth of linen and wool carded and spun together

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
garment of divers sorts, linen and wollen

Probably of foreign derivation; linsey- woolsey, i.e. Cloth of linen and wool carded and spun together -- garment of divers sorts, linen and wollen.

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
perhaps of foreign origin
Definition
mixed stuff
NASB Translation
material mixed (1), material mixed together (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs
שַׁעַטְנֵז noun masculine mixed stuff (perhaps of Egyptian origin; Kn derives from Coptic saht, woven, + nudj, false (PeyronLex 224. 133), and thinks originally שַׁעַטְנֹז; ᵐ5 has κίβδηλος spurious); — a kind of cloth forbidden for garments; defined Deuteronomy 22:11 by צֶמֶר וּפִשְׁתִּים יַחְדָּו, and Leviticus 19:19 (H) by כִּלְאַיִם.

שֵׁעִיר see שֵׂעִיר.

I. שׁעל (√of following; Late Hebrew שַׁעַל, deep, depth, of sea; Aramaic שְׁעוֺלָא, שָׁעֳלָא, = Biblical Hebrew [שֹׁעַל]).

Topical Lexicon
Meaning within Israel’s Covenant Life

The term שַׁעַטְנֵז (shaʿatnez) denotes a specific kind of mixed-fabric cloth—principally wool and linen woven together—that the Torah forbids for personal garments. Although apparently technical, the word stands in a wider framework of laws that distinguish Israel from surrounding nations by marking everyday life with reminders of covenant holiness (Leviticus 11:44).

Biblical Occurrences

Leviticus 19:19 sets the principle: “Do not wear a garment of mixed linen and wool.”
Deuteronomy 22:11 repeats the prohibition: “Do not wear clothes of wool and linen woven together”.

Both contexts cluster שַׁעַטְנֵז with statutes concerning mixtures—crossbreeding cattle, sowing fields with mixed seed, and combining materials in clothing. Together they form a pattern: God’s covenant people are to reject confusions that obscure the created order.

Historical and Cultural Background

Archaeology confirms that Canaanite and Egyptian textiles sometimes blended plant and animal fibers for luxury or cultic use. Royal and priestly garments in many ancient religions employed mixed materials to symbolize cosmic powers. In Israel, however, such mixtures were carefully confined to the sanctuary. The ephod, breastpiece, curtain, and veil of the tabernacle employed “blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and fine linen” interwoven with dyed wool (Exodus 26:31; 28:6). By restricting שַׁעַטְנֵז to sacred space, God highlighted the separation between priestly mediators and the lay populace.

Theological Significance

1. Holiness through Separation: The prohibition embodies the call to be “holy to the LORD” by refusing practices that blur God-ordained distinctions (Leviticus 20:26).
2. Creation Order: Genesis 1 presents ordered realms—land, sea, sky—each producing “according to its kind.” Shatnez reminds Israel to respect those boundaries.
3. Typology of Purity: As sacrifices required unmixed blood (Leviticus 17:11), clothing free from shatnez illustrated moral and spiritual integrity (Psalm 24:3-4).

Christological Perspective

Jesus Christ, the perfect High Priest, wore a seamless tunic (John 19:23), underscoring an undivided righteousness that fulfills the symbolism behind shatnez. In Him the ceremonial wall dividing Jew and Gentile is demolished (Ephesians 2:14), yet His church still reflects holiness through ethical purity rather than fabric codes (Hebrews 9:9-10).

Practical Ministry Applications

• Teaching Holiness: Shatnez laws provide a tangible entry point for explaining how God cares about the details of daily life.
• Guarding Distinctiveness: Believers are called to avoid moral syncretism—blending incompatible worldviews—just as ancient Israel avoided mixed fabrics (2 Corinthians 6:14-17).
• Appreciating Fulfillment: While the new covenant releases Christians from ceremonial clothing regulations (Acts 15:10-11; Colossians 2:16-17), the principle of integrity remains. Ministries can use shatnez to illustrate the danger of compromise in doctrine and conduct.

Related Passages for Study

Exodus 26:31; 28:6, 36-38 – sacred mixed fabrics allowed only for priestly service

Ezekiel 44:17-18 – linen garments for restored-temple priests

Matthew 5:17-19 – Christ’s fulfillment of the Law

James 1:27 – pure and undefiled religion

Summary

Shatnez is more than an ancient dress code; it is a symbol woven into Israel’s collective memory, reminding God’s people that holiness requires discernment, separation from corruption, and wholehearted devotion to the Creator.

Forms and Transliterations
שַֽׁעַטְנֵ֔ז שעטנז ša‘aṭnêz ša·‘aṭ·nêz shaatNez
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Interlinear GreekInterlinear HebrewStrong's NumbersEnglishman's Greek ConcordanceEnglishman's Hebrew ConcordanceParallel Texts
Englishman's Concordance
Leviticus 19:19
HEB: וּבֶ֤גֶד כִּלְאַ֙יִם֙ שַֽׁעַטְנֵ֔ז לֹ֥א יַעֲלֶ֖ה
NAS: upon you of two kinds of material mixed together.
KJV: mingled of linen and woollen come
INT: A garment two of material nor wear

Deuteronomy 22:11
HEB: לֹ֤א תִלְבַּשׁ֙ שַֽׁעַטְנֵ֔ז צֶ֥מֶר וּפִשְׁתִּ֖ים
NAS: You shall not wear a material mixed of wool
KJV: Thou shalt not wear a garment of divers sorts, [as] of woollen
INT: shall not wear A material of wool and linen

2 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 8162
2 Occurrences


ša·‘aṭ·nêz — 2 Occ.

8161
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