שַׁעַטְנֵז
𐤔𐤏𐤈𐤍𐤆
shaʻaṭnêz
H8162 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A textile material composed of mixed fibers, specifically linen and wool spun or woven together. By biblical law, its use in garments is explicitly prohibited for Israelites. The term does not simply refer to any mixed fabric, but is restrictive to the combination of these two materials within the same textile, whether carded, spun, or woven.
Semantic Range
mixed linen and woolen textile, prohibited cloth mixture, inspecific technical term for forbidden fabric
Root / Etymology
Root: uncertain. The term שַׁעַטְנֵז (shaʻaṭnêz) is a lexical loanword, likely introduced from a foreign language due to its phonological structure and absence of clear derivation from known Semitic roots. Its etymology is uncertain; proposals have been made relating it to Egyptian, Akkadian, or other Northwest Semitic terms for textiles or weaving but none is definitive.
Historical & Contextual Notes
שַׁעַטְנֵז occurs only in legal contexts, specifically in Leviticus 19:19 and Deuteronomy 22:11, in the context of prohibitions regarding mixtures (kilayim). While later Jewish tradition interpreted שַׁעַטְנֵז as including technical forms of mixture (spun, woven, or sewn together), the Hebrew Bible restricts the prohibition to garments made of both linen and wool combined. The restriction reflects broader themes in biblical legislation against mixing distinct categories (e.g., seeds, animals, textiles). English translations have sometimes rendered the term as 'linsey-woolsey,' 'mixed fabric,' or 'garment of divers sorts,' but such renderings risk obscuring the precise and technical nature of the prohibition, which applies specifically to linen-wool mixtures, not all hybrid textiles. The borrowing of the term underscores the ancient Near Eastern context and the possibility of interaction or trade in textile technologies.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
probably of foreign derivation; linsey-woolsey, i.e. cloth of linen and wool carded and spun together; garment of divers sorts, linen and wollen.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.
Root Family
שעטנז (uncertain) (sha-ʿaṭ-nêz (uncertain)) — uncertain; technical term for linen-wool textile mixture
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8162-01 |
שַֽׁעַטְנֵ֔ז | shaatenez | HNcmsa |
a garment of divers sorts | linen-wool mixed cloth | linen-wool mixed cloth | 2 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8162-01 |
Leviticus 19:19 | שַֽׁעַטְנֵ֔ז | shaatenez | HNcmsa |
linen and wool | linen-wool mixed cloth | linen-wool mixed cloth |
H8162-01 |
Deuteronomy 22:11 | שַֽׁעַטְנֵ֔ז | shaatenez | HNcmsa |
a garment of divers sorts | linen-wool mixed cloth | linen-wool mixed cloth |