רָכַס
𐤓𐤊𐤎
râkaç
H7405 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To bind, fasten, or attach, particularly through tying or fastening objects together. The primary lexical sense is to join or secure two things with a connecting material or device, most often with string, thread, or a clasp. The verb is used in relatively limited contexts, notably for fastening together parts of garments, such as attaching the breastpiece to the ephod in priestly attire.
Semantic Range
to bind (specifically fasten garments or objects by attachment), to fasten together with cords or clasps, to attach (in a technical or cultic context)
Root / Etymology
Root ר-כ-ס. The root likely carries the sense of fastening or binding together, though its occurrences are sparse and almost exclusively in specialized, technical descriptions. The verbal form derives directly from the root and is best understood in contexts involving secure attachment or binding by physical means.
Historical & Contextual Notes
רָכַס appears primarily in priestly, tabernacle-related passages (e.g., Exodus, Leviticus), especially in the description of the high priest's vestments, where it denotes fastening the breastpiece to the ephod by means of rings and cords. Outside these ceremonial or technical contexts, the term is rare or absent. Its meaning is distinct from more generalized verbs for 'bind' (like קָשַׁר, qāshar), which can refer to tying in a variety of settings. English translations often render it as 'fasten' or 'bind,' but these can underrepresent the technical specificity of its use in cultic apparel. The term did not develop broader metaphorical senses in later biblical or post-biblical Hebrew.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a primitive root; to tie; bind.
Bantu Hebrew
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+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
רכס (r-k-s) — binding, fastening, attaching
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7405-01 |
וַ/יִּרְכְּס֣וּ | vayirekesu | HC/Vqw3mp |
And they bound | and they fastened | 1 |
H7405-02 |
וְ/יִרְכְּס֣וּ | veyirekesu | HC/Vqi3mp |
and they shall bind | and they will fasten | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7405-02 |
Exodus 28:28 | וְ/יִרְכְּס֣וּ | veyirekesu | HC/Vqi3mp |
and they shall bind | and they will fasten |
H7405-01 |
Exodus 39:21 | וַ/יִּרְכְּס֣וּ | vayirekesu | HC/Vqw3mp |
And they bound | and they fastened |