H5777 H5777
Lead, the heavy bluish-gray metal, mentioned in contexts of metallurgy, permanent inscription, and trade goods.
Denotes the heavy metal lead (עֹפֶרֶת), probably a loanword of uncertain origin. It appears in inventories of metals alongside tin, iron, and bronze (Num 31:22; Ezek 22:18, 20), and as a trade commodity from Tarshish (Ezek 27:12). Perhaps its most memorable occurrence is Job 19:24, where Job wishes his words were inscribed with an iron stylus and filled with lead for permanence. The Song of the Sea uses it in a striking simile: the Egyptians 'sank like lead in the mighty waters' (Exod 15:10). Spanish 'plomo' and French 'plomb' both descend from Latin plumbum, yet the Hebrew term may trace to Aramaic roots entirely distinct from the Indo-European family.
Senses
1. lead (metal) — The metal lead, valued in antiquity for its weight, malleability, and low melting point. Used literally in lists of smelted metals (Num 31:22; Ezek 22:18, 20), as a Tarshish trade good (Ezek 27:12), and as material for filling engraved inscriptions (Job 19:24). Zechariah's vision employs a lead disc as a cover for the ephah basket (Zech 5:7-8). The most vivid figurative use is in Exodus 15:10, where Pharaoh's forces sink 'like lead' in the sea. Jeremiah 6:29 may reference lead as a flux in the refining process. 9×
AR["الرَّصَاصَ", "الرَّصَاصِ", "رَصَاصٌ", "رَصَاصٍ", "كَ-الرَّصَاصِ", "وَ-رَصَاصٍ", "وَرَصَاصٌ", "وَرَصَاصٍ"]·ben["আর-সীসায়", "এবং-সীসা", "এবং-সীসায়", "এবং-সীসার", "সীসা", "সীসাকে", "সীসার", "সীসার-মতো"]·DE["[העפרת]", "[ועופרת]", "[ועפרת]", "[עפרת]", "der-fuehren", "wie-der-fuehren"]·EN["and-lead", "lead", "like-the-lead", "the-lead"]·FR["[עפרת]", "comme-le-conduire", "et-plomb", "et-ועפרת", "le-lead", "plomb"]·heb["ה-עופרת", "ה-עפרת", "ו-עופרת", "כ-עופרת", "עופרת"]·HI["और-सीसा", "और-सीसे", "और-सीसे-से", "सीसा", "सीसे-का", "सीसे-की-तरह"]·ID["dan-timah", "dan-timah-hitam", "dan-timbal", "seperti-timah", "timah", "timbal"]·IT["[העפרת]", "[ועופרת]", "[עפרת]", "come-il-lead", "e-e-lead", "il-guidare"]·jav["kados-timbal", "lan-timah", "lan-timbèl", "timah", "timah-ireng"]·KO["그-납을", "그-납의", "그리고-납", "그리고-납과", "그리고-납으로", "납-같이", "납의", "납이"]·PT["chumbo", "como-o-chumbo", "e-chumbo", "o-chumbo"]·RU["-свинцовый", "и-свинец", "и-свинца", "и-свинцом", "как-свинец", "свинец", "свинца", "свинцу"]·ES["como-plomo", "plomo", "y-plomo", "y-plomo,"]·SW["kama-risasi", "la-risasi", "na-risasi", "risasi", "risasi-hiyo"]·TR["-kurşunu", "kurşun", "kurşun-gibi", "kurşunun-", "ve-kurşun", "ve-kurşunla", "ve-kurşunun"]·urd["اور-سیسا", "اور-سیسے", "سیسہ", "سیسے-کا", "سیسے-کی-طرح"]
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
† עֹפֶרֶת n.m. Je 6:29(si vera l. Qr) lead (√ dub.; prob. foreign word; cf. 𝔗 אֲבָרָא lead, Syriac ܐܰܒܳܪܳܐ, and (as Aramaic loan-word) Arabic أَبَار [v. Dozy], Frä152; perhaps also Assyrian abaru, a metal, magnesite according to HilprAssyriaca i (1894), 80 ff. Hpt1b. 83);—כִּכַּר ע׳ Zc 5:7 a round weight (disc) of lead, אֶבֶן־הָעו׳ v 5; with other metals (v. בְּדִיל): עוֹ׳ Ez 22:18, 20; 27:12,…