H6616 H6616
A twisted cord or thread — used for binding, fastening priestly garments, measuring, and as a figure for fragile constraint.
From the root p-t-l ('to twist'), this noun denotes a length of twisted fiber. Its most prominent use is in the tabernacle regulations, where a petil tekhelet ('cord of blue') fastens the priestly breastpiece to the ephod (Ex 28:28, 37; 39:21, 31) and is attached to the tassels of every Israelite's garment (Num 15:38). Judah gives his petil — apparently a distinctive personal cord, perhaps one from which his seal hung — as a pledge to Tamar (Gen 38:18, 25). Ezekiel 40:3 describes a measuring line of linen thread (petil pishtim), while Judges 16:9 uses it as a simile for effortless breakability: Samson snaps his bonds 'like a thread of tow.'
Senses
1. cord, string — A cord or string — a twisted rope or binding used for fastening, tying, or suspending objects. Nine of eleven occurrences fall here, spanning the priestly blue cord (petil tekhelet) that secures the breastpiece (Ex 28:28, 37; 39:21, 31), Judah's personal cord or seal-string given as surety (Gen 38:18, 25), the measuring line of linen cord in Ezekiel 40:3, and the tow-cord of Judges 16:9. Spanish 'cordón/cordel' and French 'cordon' consistently reflect a functional binding or fastening cord of some thickness. 9×
AR["بِ-خَيطٍ", "بِ-خَيْطٍ", "خَيطٍ", "خَيْطَ", "خُيُوطًا", "غِطَاءٍ", "وَ-الْ-خُيُوطُ", "وَ-خَيْطُكَ", "وَخَيْطُ-"]·ben["আর-ডোরিগুলি", "আর-তোমার-ডোরি", "এবং-সুতো-", "ডোর", "ঢাকনার", "সুতা", "সুতা-দিয়ে", "সেই-ডোরে"]·DE["Faeden", "Schnur-von", "[ופתיל]", "cord", "mit-Schnur-von", "und-deine-Schnur", "und-die-Schnüre"]·EN["and-cord-of-", "and-cord-your", "and-the-cords", "cord", "cord-of", "threads", "with-cord-of"]·FR["avec-cordon-de", "cord", "cordon-de", "et-cordon", "et-cordon-ton", "et-le-cordons", "threads"]·heb["ב-פתיל", "ו-ה-פתילים", "ו-פתיל-", "ו-פתילך-ך", "פתיל", "פתילים"]·HI["और-डोरियाँ", "और-डोरी-", "और-तेरी-डोरी", "डोरी", "डोरी-का", "डोरी-से", "तारें"]·ID["benang-benang", "dan-tali-", "dan-tali-mu", "dan-tali-tali", "dengan-tali", "tali"]·IT["[ופתיל]", "con-cordone-di", "cord", "cordone-di", "e-cordone-tuo", "e-il-cordoni", "threads"]·jav["benang", "lan-tali", "lan-tali-tali-punika", "lan-taliipun", "nganggo-tali", "tali"]·KO["그리고-끈-", "그리고-끈과", "그리고-당신의-끈과", "끈-의", "끈을", "끈의", "실들을", "에-끈"]·PT["com-cordão", "cordão", "de-cordão", "e-cordão-de-", "e-cordão-teu", "e-os-cordões", "fios"]·RU["и-шнур-", "и-шнур-твой", "и-шнуры", "крышки", "нити", "шнур", "шнуром"]·ES["con-cordón-de", "cordel", "cordón-de", "hilos", "y-cordón-de", "y-cordón-de-ti", "y-los-cordones"]·SW["kwa-kamba", "kwa-uzi", "na-kamba", "na-kamba-ya", "na-kamba-yako", "nyuzi", "uzi"]·TR["ile-ip", "ip", "iple", "iplikler", "ve-ipi-", "ve-kordonlar", "ve-kordonun", "örtüyle"]·urd["اور-ڈوری", "اور-ڈوری-تیری", "اور-ڈوری-یہ", "تاروں-میں", "رسّی-سے-بندھا", "فیتے", "فیتے-سے", "ڈوری", "ڈوری-سے"]
2. thread (fine strand) — A thread — a fine, thin strand or filament, distinguished from the thicker cord by context emphasizing delicacy or slenderness. Numbers 15:38 prescribes a petil tekhelet ('thread of blue') to be placed on the tassel fringe of garments, where the image is of a single visible strand woven into the tsitsit. Judges 16:9 compares Samson's bonds snapping 'like a thread of tow' (petil ne'oret), where the simile depends on the thread's fragility. Spanish 'hilo de' ('thread of') and French 'un fil de' capture the fineness that 'cord' cannot. 2×
AR["خَيْطَ", "خَيْطُ-"]·ben["সুতা"]·DE["ein-thread-von", "thread-von"]·EN["a-thread-of", "thread-of"]·FR["thread-de", "un-fil-de"]·heb["פתיל"]·HI["धागा", "रेशा"]·ID["benang", "benang-"]·IT["thread-di", "un-thread-di"]·jav["bénang", "tali-"]·KO["끈", "실이"]·PT["cordão-de", "fio-de-"]·RU["нить", "нить-"]·ES["cordón-de", "hilo-de"]·SW["uzi"]·TR["ip", "iplik-"]·urd["دھاگا"]
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
† פָּתִיל n.m.Ju 16:9 cord, thread (twisted);—abs. פ׳ Nu 19:15; cstr. פְּתִיל Ju 16:9 +; sf. פְּתִילֶךָ֑ Gn 38:18; pl. פְּתִילִים v 25, פְּתִילִם Ex 39:3;—cord (from which seal was hung) Gn 38:18, 25 (J), פ׳ נְעֹרֶת Ju 16:9 (sim.), פ׳ פִּשְׁתִּים Ez 40:3 (as measuring line); פ׳ תְּכֵלֶת, for fastening, Ex 28:28, 37; 39:21, 31; Nu 15:38, cf. פָּתִיל alone 19:15 (perhaps gloss, v. Di); threads (of gold) in ephold Ex 39:3 (all P).