H2635 H2635
Clay, potsherd; Aramaic noun for ceramic material, used exclusively in Nebuchadnezzar's statue vision (Dan 2).
This Aramaic noun denotes clay or ceramic material and appears exclusively in Daniel chapter 2, where it describes the feet and toes of Nebuchadnezzar's great statue -- partly iron, partly clay. The mixture of strong iron with brittle clay becomes the prophet's key image for a divided kingdom that cannot hold together (Dan 2:41-43). The word has cognates across the Semitic languages: Syriac for 'potsherd,' Assyrian for 'clay vessel,' and even Arabic for 'pottery,' showing how fundamental this material was to ancient Near Eastern life.
Senses
1. clay, potsherd clay — Clay or ceramic material, referring specifically to the earthenware substance that forms part of the composite feet in Nebuchadnezzar's dream-statue. Spanish translates consistently as 'barro' (clay), French as 'argile,' and German as 'Ton,' all capturing the basic material sense. All nine occurrences cluster in Daniel 2:33-45, where the clay is contrasted with iron to symbolize a kingdom that is partly strong and partly fragile. The phrase 'clay of potter' (hasap di pehar, Dan 2:41) specifies fired ceramic, while 'clay of mud' (hasap tina, Dan 2:41, 43) emphasizes its earthy, breakable nature. 9×
AR["الـ-خَزَفَ", "الـ-خَزَفُ", "الـ-خَزَفِ", "بِ-خَزَفِ", "خَزَفٌ", "خَزَفُ", "مِنْ-خَزَفٍ", "وَ-الـ-خَزَفِ"]·ben["-মাটির-সঙ্গে", "এবং-মাটির", "মাটি", "মাটির"]·DE["Ton", "der-Ton", "in-Ton", "und-der-Ton"]·EN["and-clay", "clay", "the-clay", "with-clay-of"]·FR["argile", "et-l'argile", "l'argile"]·heb["ב-חרס", "ו-חרס", "חרס"]·HI["और-मिट्टी", "मिट्टी", "में-मिट्टी"]·ID["dan-tanah-liat", "dengan-tanah-liat", "tanah-liat"]·IT["argilla", "e-l'argilla", "in-argilla", "l'argilla"]·jav["kaliyan-lempung", "lan-lempung", "lempung"]·KO["그리고-진흙의", "에-진흙", "진흙", "진흙과", "진흙이", "진흙이다", "진흙이었다"]·PT["barro", "barro-de", "com-barro-de", "e-barro"]·RU["-глиной", "-глины", "глина", "глину", "и-глины", "с-глиной"]·ES["barro", "con-barro", "el-barro", "y-barro"]·SW["na-udongo", "udongo"]·TR["kil", "kilden", "kili", "kille", "ve-kilden"]·urd["اور-مٹی-کے", "ساتھ-مٹی-کے", "مٹی", "مٹی-کے"]
Related Senses
H4325 1. water, waters (582×)H6965b 1. Qal: to rise, arise, get up (432×)H2091 1. gold (the metal) (389×)H0068 1. stone, rock (material/object) (267×)H5178a 1. bronze/copper as metal (131×)H6083 1. dust, dry earth, soil (108×)H8313 1. burn, set fire to (94×)H2734 1. anger was kindled (82×)G5204 1. water (80×)H2822 1. darkness, absence of light (80×)G5457 1. light (illumination) (71×)G0450 1. rise, stand up (physical) (69×)H6965b 2. Qal: to stand firm, endure, be valid (50×)H6999a 2. burn sacrifice on altar (Hifil) (45×)H5553 1. rock, cliff (physical feature) (43×)H6965b 4. Hifil: to establish, confirm (covenant/kingdom/word) (40×)H1197a 1. burn, be on fire (39×)H4306 1. rain, showers (38×)H1653 1. rain, precipitation (34×)G4655 1. darkness (30×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† חֲסַף n.[m.] clay, potsherd (𝔗 id.; Chr-Pal. ܚܣܦܐ clay vessel, ܚܨܒܢܐ pl. potsherds Schulth 68, Syriac ܚܶܨܦܳܐ potsherd; 𝔗 חַצְבָא, NH חָצָב clay vessel; Assyrian ḫaṣbu, id.; ܚܨܰܦ jar (PS 1238), whence Arabic خَزَفٌ pottery Frä 169, but Sab. חסף jar, according to HomZMG xlvi (1892), 532; cf. Ethiopic ܚܶܙܒܳܐ: jar (transp.; Di 1265); v. BH [חַסְפַּם]);—ח׳ abs. Dn 2:41 (ח׳ דִּי פֶּחָר), חֲסַ֑ף v 33, 42; cstr. ח׳ טִינָא v 41, 43; emph. חַסְפָּא v 34, 35, 43, 45.