H8609 H8609
to sew, stitch together
This verb appears in contexts both literal and figurative. Genesis 3:7 describes humanity's first garment-making—Adam and Eve sewing fig leaves after the fall. Job uses it metaphorically, having 'sewn sackcloth upon his skin' (16:15), a poetic image of grief inseparable from his being. Ecclesiastes places it in the rhythms of life: 'a time to tear and a time to sew' (3:7). Ezekiel condemns women who 'sew magic bands' on wrists (13:18), a prohibited cultic practice.
Senses
1. sense 1 — Covers both the practical craft of stitching fabric and metaphorical applications. The Genesis account marks the origin of human clothing-making as a response to shame. Job's image intensifies his suffering—not merely wearing sackcloth but having it sewn into his very flesh. The Ezekiel passage suggests ritual sewing of amulets or magical objects. Multilingual glosses consistently use basic sewing vocabulary (Spanish 'coser,' French 'coudre,' German forms of 'nähen'). 4×
AR["خَيَّطْتُ", "لِلْخَايِطَاتِ", "لِلْخِيَاطَةِ", "وَ-خَاطَا"]·ben["-সেলাইকারীনীদের-জন্য", "আমি-সেলাই-করেছি", "আর-সেলাই-করল", "সেলাই-করতে"]·DE["[למתפרות]", "[לתפור]", "[תפרתי]", "und-nähten"]·EN["I-have-sewn", "and-sewed", "to-sew", "to-sewers-of"]·FR["coudre", "et-cousit", "à-לתפור", "תפרתי"]·heb["ו-יתפרו", "ל-מתפרות", "ל-תפור", "תפרתי"]·HI["और-सीए", "को-सीनेवालियों", "मैंने-सीया", "सीने-का"]·ID["aku-jahitkan", "bagi-yang-menjahit", "dan-mereka-menjahit", "untuk-menjahit"]·IT["Io-have-sewn", "[למתפרות]", "e-cucì", "per-a-sew"]·jav["dhateng-tiyang-tiyang-ingkang-njaiti", "kangge-njahit", "kawula-ndondom", "lan-sami-njait"]·KO["그리고-꾰매었다", "꾰매였나니", "꿈매기-위한", "꿰매는-자들에게-"]·PT["cosi", "das-que-costuram", "e-coseram", "para-coser"]·RU["и-сшили", "сшивать;", "сшил", "шьющим"]·ES["a-las-que-cosen", "he-cosido", "para-coser", "y-cosieron"]·SW["kwa-wanaoshona", "na-wakashona", "nimeshona", "wa-kushona"]·TR["dikenlere", "dikmek-icin", "diktim", "ve-diktiler"]·urd["اور-سیے", "سیا-ہے-میں-نے", "سینے-والیوں-پر", "سینے-کا"]
Related Senses
G0846 1. third-person pronoun reference (5552×)H???? 1. (4670×)H6213a 1. do, perform, act (2383×)G4160 1. do, act, perform (473×)H5221 1. Hifil: to strike in battle, smite enemies (362×)H0899b 1. garment, article of clothing (216×)H6213a 2. make, construct, fabricate (148×)H3772 1. cut a covenant / make a pact (97×)H5060 1. touch physically (Qal) (96×)H3615 1. complete a task (Piel) (85×)H3772 2. cut off / destroy (Hifil causative) (81×)H3920 1. capture, seize (Qal) (76×)H???? 12. (76×)H3772 3. be cut off / be eliminated (Niphal) (74×)H6213a 3. be done, be made (Niphal) (73×)G4160 2. make, construct, create (62×)H3847 1. Qal: put on, wear (60×)H8210 1. pour out (liquid/libation) (59×)G2440 1. garment or clothing (general) (54×)H4191 4. kill / put to death (Hifil causative) (50×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† [תָּפַר] vb. sew together (NH id.; Aramaic תְּפַר);— Qal Impf. 3 mpl. וַיִּתְפְּרוּ Gn 3:7 (J) they sewed together fig-leaves (acc.); Pf. 1 s. תָּפַ֫רְתִּי Jb 16:15, c. acc. + עֲלֵי, sackcloth I have sewed upon my skin; Inf. cstr. עֵת לִתְפּוֹר Ec 3:7 a time to sew together (opp. קָרַע). Pi. Pt. as subst.f.pl. מְתַפְּרוֹת Ez 13:18 those who keep sewing, c. acc. + עַל.