שָׁבַץ
𐤔𐤁𐤑
shâbats
H7660 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To set or mount (often referring to the setting of precious stones into metal, especially in relation to items of priestly regalia); by extension, to interweave or inlay in ornamental fashion. The primary lexical meaning is to embed or enclose an object (typically a gem or stone) with care and craftsmanship, especially within an ornamental context. The semantic range extends to intricate work of inlaying or interlacing, whether of threads or precious stones.
Semantic Range
to mount (gems), to set stones in gold, to inlay, to embed decoratively, to interweave ornamental elements
Root / Etymology
Root שׁ־ב־ץ (שָׁבַץ), likely connected to the concept of joining, attaching, or inserting. Originally denoting the act of setting or fixing something in place, though its use is specialized to artisan contexts (jewelry, ornamentation, embroidery, insetting stones). The root is not common in Hebrew outside of technical or ritual contexts, and is not transparently related to more general verbs of attaching.
Historical & Contextual Notes
שָׁבַץ is used nearly exclusively in technical descriptions of the high priestly garments in Exodus (notably the settings in which stones are embedded in the breastpiece and ephod). It never refers to general weaving, but rather to the skilled task of securely setting, attaching, and inlaying stones or ornamental pieces into fixtures, typically gold. English translations such as 'to set' or 'to embroider' are often too generic; the biblical usage is highly specific, involving the fabrication of mounts to hold gems in ritual objects. In later periods, the term does not persist, and later Hebrew uses alternative terms for general sewing or setting. The term is distinct from general words for weaving (e.g., ארג or רקם), which refer to fabric production, whereas שָׁבַץ centers on ornamental mounting. In the context of Second Temple and later usage, this word is no longer attested, and the technical priestly vocabulary of Exodus narrows its semantic domain. Modern translations sometimes anachronistically generalize the sense, but the biblical evidence confines it to a technical, elevated artisan use.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a primitive root; to interweave (colored) threads in squares; by implication (of reticulation) to inchase gems in gold; embroider, set.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
שבץ (sh-b-ts) — to set, mount, inlay, embed ornamentally
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H4865 | מִשְׁבְּצָה | filigree gem-settings of |
| H7636 | שָׁבִיס | the interwoven hair-nets |
| H7661 | שָׁבָץ | the entanglement |
| H8665 | תַּשְׁבֵּץ | interwoven patterned fabric |
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7660-01 |
מְשֻׁבָּצִ֥ים | meshubatsim | HVPsmpa |
set | inlaid ones | 1 |
H7660-02 |
וְ/שִׁבַּצְתָּ֙ | veshibatseta | HC/Vpq2ms |
And you shall weave | and you shall inlay | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7660-01 |
Exodus 28:20 | מְשֻׁבָּצִ֥ים | meshubatsim | HVPsmpa |
set | inlaid ones |
H7660-02 |
Exodus 28:39 | וְ/שִׁבַּצְתָּ֙ | veshibatseta | HC/Vpq2ms |
And you shall weave | and you shall inlay |