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
H5921a 1. upon, on, over (spatial) (5443×)H0413 1. directional: to, toward (5366×)H1121a 1. son, male offspring, descendant (4914×)H3808 1. simple negation (not) (4839×)H4428 1. king, human ruler (2518×)G1722 1. locative: in, within (2442×)H1004b 1. house, dwelling, building (2015×)H6440 1. before, in front of (spatial) (1870×)G3756 1. not (negation particle) (1635×)H3027 1. physical hand (body part) (1596×)H1697 1. word, speech, utterance (1235×)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×)
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…