H2796 H2796
Craftsman, artisan; a skilled worker in wood, metal, stone, or engraving — from temple builders to idol makers
Denotes any skilled manual worker, from the carpenters David hired to build his palace (2 Sam 5:11) to the smiths Nebuchadnezzar deported from Jerusalem (2 Kgs 24:14). The word carries no inherent moral valence — the same term covers artisans who built the tabernacle's sacred furnishings (Exod 35:35) and those who fashioned idols condemned by the prophets (Hos 13:2, Isa 44:12-13). Multilingual evidence helps parse the specializations: Arabic 'najjar' (carpenter) and Hindi 'baṛhai' appear for woodworking contexts, while 'haddad' (smith) and 'lohar' surface for metalworking passages, confirming that the Hebrew term is a broad umbrella requiring context for precise rendering.
Senses
1. craftsman, artisan (general) — The general sense of a skilled worker or artisan, used when the specific trade is not in focus or when craftsmen as a class are mentioned collectively. Nebuchadnezzar deports all the 'craftsmen' from Jerusalem (2 Kgs 24:14, 16), and 1 Chronicles 4:14 names a Valley of Craftsmen (ge harashim). The broad translations — English 'craftsman,' Spanish 'artesano,' German 'Handwerker' — reflect the unspecified, umbrella character of this sense across all major versions. 26×
AR["الحَدَّادُ", "الصُّنَّاعِ", "حَدَّادًا", "حَدَّادُ", "حَدَّادِي", "حَدَّادِينَ", "حَراشيّون", "حَرَفِيٍّ", "صانِعٌ", "صَانِعُو", "وَ-بَنَّائِي", "وَ-صُنَّاعُ", "وَ-نَجَّارِي", "وَالحَدَّادُونَ", "وَصَنَاعًا", "وَنَجَّارِي"]·ben["-তার-জন্য", "আর-কারিগর", "আর-কারিগরদের", "আর-শিল্পীদের", "এবং-কারিগরেরা", "ও-কাঠমিস্ত্রীদের", "কারিগর", "কারিগরদের", "কারিগরের", "কারিগরেরা", "লৌহকার"]·DE["Handwerker", "[חרש]", "[חרשים]", "und-Handwerker", "und-craftsmen-von"]·EN["A-craftsman-of", "a-craftsman", "and-craftsmen", "and-craftsmen-of", "and-the-craftsmen", "casts", "craftsman", "craftsmen", "craftsmen-of", "the-craftsman"]·FR["artisan", "et-artisan", "et-craftsmen-de", "tesson"]·heb["ו-חרשי", "ו-חרשים", "חרש", "חרשי", "חרשים"]·HI["और-कारीगर", "और-बढ़ई", "कारीगर", "कारीगर-का", "कारीगर-के", "कारीगर-ने", "कारीगरों", "कारीगर।", "बनाने-वाले", "शिल्पी"]·ID["Tukang-besi", "dan-tukang-tukang", "dan-tukang-tukang-batu", "dan-tukang-tukang-kayu", "oleh-tukang", "tukang", "tukang-tukang", "yang-ahli-dalam"]·IT["artigiano", "e-artigiani-di", "e-artigiano"]·jav["Pandhé", "lan-para-tukang", "lan-para-tukang-kayu", "lan-tukang-batu", "lan-tukang-kayu", "lan-tukang-kerajinan-", "para-tukang-nggawé", "tukang", "tukang-kayu", "tukang-tukang"]·KO["그-와-장인들-의", "그리고-장인들-의", "그리고-장인들은", "그리고-장인들을", "장인", "장인들", "장인들의", "장인들이", "장인을", "장인의", "장인이", "장인이-작업하느니라"]·PT["artesaos", "artesão", "artesão-de", "artesãos", "artífices-de", "e-artesãos", "e-artesãos-de"]·RU["и-мастера", "и-мастеров", "и-плотников", "изготовители", "кузнец", "мастер", "мастера", "мастеров", "ремесленники"]·ES["artesano", "artesanos", "artesanos-de", "el-artesano", "herrero", "y-artesanos", "y-artesanos-de"]·SW["Fundi-wa", "fundi", "mafundi", "na-mafundi", "na-mafundi-wa", "wafanyaji-wa", "wanaofanya", "ya-fundi"]·TR["Usta", "demirci", "usta", "ustalar", "ustaların", "ustalarının", "ustanin", "ve-marangozlar", "ve-ustalar", "ve-ustaları", "ve-ustaları-", "zanaatkarlar"]·urd["اور-کاریگر", "اور-کاریگروں-کو", "بنانے-والے", "لوہار", "کاریگر", "کاریگر-نے", "کاریگر-کا", "کاریگر-کے", "کاریگروں", "کاریگروں-کے"]
2 Sam 5:11, 2 Sam 5:11, 2 Kgs 24:14, 2 Kgs 24:16, 1 Chr 4:14, 1 Chr 14:1, 1 Chr 14:1, 1 Chr 22:15, 1 Chr 29:5, 2 Chr 24:12, 2 Chr 24:12, Isa 40:19 (+14 more)
2. engraver, sculptor — An engraver or sculptor, specializing in carving inscriptions, seal engravings, or decorative work. At Exodus 28:11 the 'engraver of a seal' (harash hotam) cuts the names of Israel's tribes into the ephod stones. Exodus 35:35 and 38:23 list this skill alongside weaving and embroidery for tabernacle construction. Deuteronomy 27:15 condemns anyone who makes a carved idol — 'the work of the hands of a craftsman.' Arabic translations use 'naqqash' (engraver) and 'nahhat' (sculptor) here, sharpening the specialization. 4×
AR["النَّقّاشِ", "صَانِعٍ", "نَحَّاتٌ", "نَقّاشِ"]·ben["কারিগর", "কারিগরের", "শিল্পীর"]·DE["craftsman", "craftsman-von"]·EN["craftsman", "craftsman-of"]·FR["artisan", "artisan-de", "craftsman"]·heb["חרש"]·HI["कारीगर", "कारीगर-की", "शिल्पकार", "शिल्पी"]·ID["tukang", "tukang-ukir"]·IT["craftsman", "craftsman-di"]·jav["tiyang-ingkang-ngukir", "tukang", "tukang-kajeng", "tukang-ukir"]·KO["장인", "장인의"]·PT["artesão", "artesão-de", "artífice"]·RU["резчик", "резчика", "ремесленника"]·ES["artesano", "artesano-de"]·SW["fundi", "ya-fundi"]·TR["usta", "ustanın", "ustasının", "zanaatkarın"]·urd["سنار-کا", "کاریگر", "کاریگر-کا"]
3. carpenter, woodworker — A carpenter or woodworker — the craftsman whose material is timber. The construction of harash ets (craftsman of wood) appears explicitly in 2 Samuel 5:11 and 2 Kings 22:6 for temple and palace repairs. Ezra 3:7 records payment to carpenters for the Second Temple. Hindi 'baṛhai,' Arabic 'najjar,' Korean '목수' (moksu), and Spanish 'carpintero' all converge on woodworking, distinguishing this from the general artisan sense. 4×
AR["لِلنَّجَّارِينَ", "لِنَجَّارِي", "وَ-لِلنَّجَّارِينَ"]·ben["-ছুতোরদের", "আর-কাঠমিস্ত্রীদেরকে", "কাঠ-মিস্ত্রিদের", "সুতারদের-জন্য"]·DE["Handwerker", "[ולחרשים]", "zu-carpenters-von", "zu-der-craftsmen"]·EN["and-to-the-craftsmen", "to-carpenters-of", "to-the-craftsmen"]·FR["artisan", "et-artisan", "à-carpenters-de", "à-le-craftsmen"]·heb["ו-ל-ה-חרשים", "ל-ה-חרשים", "ל-חרשי", "ל-חרשים"]·HI["और-बढ़ई-को", "बढ़ईयों-को", "लखरराशे", "ले-ह-बढ़ईयों-को"]·ID["dan-kepada-para-tukang-kayu", "kepada-tukang-tukang", "kepada-tukang-tukang-kayu"]·IT["a-carpenters-di", "a-il-artigiani", "artigiano", "e-artigiano"]·jav["Dhateng-para-tukang", "dhateng-para-tukang-kayu", "dhateng-tukang-kayu", "lan-dhateng-para-tukang-kayu"]·KO["그리고-에게-그-목수들", "목수들에게", "에게-그-장인들", "에게-목수들"]·PT["Aos-carpinteiros", "aos-carpinteiros", "e-aos-artesãos", "para-artesãos-de"]·RU["и-плотникам", "плотникам"]·ES["A-los-carpinteros", "a-carpinteros-de", "a-los-carpinteros", "y-a-los-artesanos"]·SW["kwa-maseremala", "kwa-maseremala-wa", "lecharashiym", "na-kwa-mafundi"]·TR["-marangozlara", "marangozlara", "ve-marangozlara"]·urd["اور-لے-ال-کاریگروں", "بڑھئیوں-کو", "کو-بڑھئیوں"]
4. metalworker, smith — A metalworker or smith, specifically someone who forges iron or other metals. First Samuel 13:19 notes there was no smith (harash) in all Israel — a Philistine monopoly on metalworking. Isaiah 54:16 declares that God created the smith who fans the coals. Hindi 'lohar,' Arabic 'haddad,' Korean '대장장이' (daejangjangi), and Spanish 'herrero' all point unambiguously to blacksmithing, confirming this as a distinct occupational sense. 2×
AR["حَدَّادًا", "وَ-حَدَّادٌ"]·ben["আর-কামার", "কারিগরকে"]·DE["Handwerker", "und-smith"]·EN["and-smith", "craftsman"]·FR["et-smith", "tesson"]·heb["ו-חרש", "חרש"]·HI["और-लोहार", "लोहार"]·ID["Dan-pandai-besi", "tukang-besi"]·IT["artigiano", "e-fabbro"]·jav["Lan-tukang-besi", "juru-pandhé"]·KO["그리고-대장장이가", "대장장이를"]·PT["E-ferreiro", "ferreiro"]·RU["и-кузнеца", "кузнеца"]·ES["Y-herrero", "artesano"]·SW["mhunzi", "na-mhunzi"]·TR["Ve-demirci", "demirciyi"]·urd["اور-لوہار", "لوہار"]
Related Senses
H3808 1. simple negation (not) (4839×)G1722 1. locative: in, within (2442×)H1004b 1. house, dwelling, building (2015×)G3756 1. not (negation particle) (1635×)H4480a 1. source or separation (1198×)H5892b 1. city, town (1093×)G1519 1. direction: into, to, toward (1061×)H3427 1. Qal: to dwell, inhabit (937×)G1537 1. from, out of (source/origin) (886×)H8034 1. Name (designation / identifier) (856×)G3361 1. subjective negation (not) (834×)G1909 1. on, upon (spatial surface) (757×)H0369 1. existential negation: there is not (738×)H5869a 1. in the eyes/sight of (evaluative) (734×)H5650 1. Servant, attendant, subject (723×)H0408 1. prohibitive negation do-not (712×)G2443 1. so that, in order that (purpose/result) (665×)G0575 1. from (649×)G1223 1. through, by means of (582×)H3541 1. thus, so, in this manner (569×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† חָרָשׁ n.m. Ex 38:23 graver, artificer (Ph. חרש)—abs. ח׳ (= חַרָּשׁ) Ex 35:35 + 14 times; cstr. חָרַשׁ Ex 28:11 + 2 times; pl. חָֽרָשִׁים Ho 13:2 + 7 times; חֲרָשִׁים 1 Ch 4:14(×2) Ne 11:35 (v. infr.); cstr. חָֽרָשֵׁי 2 S 5:11 + 6 times;— 1. graver, artificer: a. worker in metal 1 S 13:19 Ho 8:6; 13:2 Dt 27:15 Je 10:9 (‖ צֹרֵף), Is 40:19 (‖ id.), 54:16 1 Ch 29:5; ח׳ בַּרְזֶל Is 44:12 2 Ch…