H5154 H5154
Copper or bronze; a poetic term for the metal used figuratively for strength, hardness, or unyielding obstinacy.
A poetic synonym for the more common necosheth, referring to copper or its alloy bronze. Job 28:2 describes copper being smelted from ore, while in martial imagery a warrior bends a 'bow of bronze' (2 Sam 22:35; Ps 18:35). The word carries rich figurative force: behemoth's bones are like 'tubes of bronze' (Job 40:18), Zion's hoofs become bronze to crush oppressors (Mic 4:13), and an obstinate forehead is called bronze (Isa 48:4). The curse of Leviticus 26:19 threatens that the sky will become like bronze—unyielding and rainless. Spanish 'bronce' and English 'bronze/copper' consistently reflect the metallic referent.
Senses
1. bronze, copper (metal) — Copper or bronze as a metal, used exclusively in poetic and elevated language. Literally it denotes copper smelted from rock (Job 28:2) and bronze as a material for weapons like bows (2 Sam 22:35 = Ps 18:35) and gates (Isa 45:2). Figuratively, it connotes immense strength (Job 40:18, behemoth's bones), invincible aggression (Mic 4:13, Zion's hoofs), stubborn obstinacy (Isa 48:4, a brow of bronze), and divine curse rendering the earth barren (Lev 26:19). Both Spanish 'bronce' and German 'Bronze' preserve the straightforward metallic sense, while the figurative extensions are carried by context. 10×
AR["النُّحَاسَ.", "كَ-النُّحَاسِ", "نُحاساً", "نُحَاسًا", "نُحَاسٌ", "نُحَاسٍ"]·ben["-পিতলের", "তামা", "তামার-মতো।", "পিতল", "পিতলের", "ব্রোঞ্জ", "ব্রোঞ্জের"]·DE["Bronze", "[נחושה]", "bronze", "wie-Bronze"]·EN["bronze", "copper", "like-bronze"]·FR["[נחושה]", "airain", "bronze", "comme-bronze"]·heb["כ-ה-כנחשה", "נחושה", "נחושת"]·HI["काँसा", "काँसे-की", "कांसे-के", "कैसे-तांबे", "पीतल", "पीतल-का", "पीतल-की", "पीतल-के", "पीतल-को"]·ID["perunggu", "seperti-tembaga", "tembaga"]·IT["[נחושה]", "bronze", "bronzo", "come-bronzo", "copper"]·jav["kados-tembaga.", "perunggu", "tembaga", "tembaga.", "tembaga;"]·KO["놈의", "놋", "놋이라", "농쇠의", "놓쇠를", "놓쇠의", "뇋같이", "당동의", "동을", "롭-의"]·PT["bronze", "bronze.", "como-bronze"]·RU["бронзовый", "как-медь", "медные", "медный", "медными", "медь"]·ES["bronce", "bronce.", "como-bronce"]·SW["kama-shaba", "shaba", "ya-shaba"]·TR["-gibi-tunç", "bakır", "bakırın", "bron", "tunca-o", "tunctur", "tuncu", "tuncun", "tununç", "tunç"]·urd["پیتل-میں", "پیتل-کو", "پیتل-کی", "پیتل-کی-طرح", "پیتل-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
† נְחוּשָׁה and (Lv 26:19 Jb 40:18) נְחֻשָׁה n.f. copper, bronze (only poet.; cf. i. נְחשֶׁת);—נ׳ always abs.;— 1. copper, produced from ore by melting Jb 28:2. 2. copper, doubtless hardened with alloy, = bronze, as material of bow 2 S 22:35 = ψ 18:35, Jb 20:24; gates Is 45:2; fig. of strength Jb 40:18 (bones of hippopotamus), cf. 41:19, Mi 4:13 (hoofs of Zion); of obstinate brow Is 48:4 (‖ גִּיד בַּרְזֶל עָרְפֶּ֑ךָ); unproductive earth Lv 26:19.