What does חֹשֶׁן (ḥōšen) mean in the Bible?
חֹשֶׁן (ḥōšen): Priestly breastpiece holding Urim and Thummim; symbol of divine judgment and the priest's covenantal mediation role
Hebrew · H2833
חֹשֶׁן
Perhaps a pocket (as holding the Urim and Thummim), or rich (as containing gems), used only of the gorget of the highpriest
Reading a lexicon entry
What this page is: Each lexicon entry shows the original Hebrew or Greek word behind the English translation: its meaning, its range of use, and where it appears in Scripture.
Strong's number: The Strong's code (H- or G-) is the standard reference number for this word. It connects this entry to chapter and passage language tabs.
Where it appears: The witness passages show where this word is used in context. Click any to open the study page for that passage.
This lexicon entry is part of our ongoing editorial review. If you notice missing content, unclear wording, or a possible correction, please send us a note through the Connect page. Screenshots are helpful.
חֹשֶׁן H2833
Pronunciation ḥōšen
What does חֹשֶׁן (ḥōšen) mean in the Bible?
חֹשֶׁן (ḥōšen): Priestly breastpiece holding Urim and Thummim; symbol of divine judgment and the priest's covenantal mediation role
Full entry for חֹשֶׁן (H2833) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H2833?
The BSB source-word alignment has 25 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include of the breastpiece (8), the breastpiece (5), and breastpiece (3), - (2), a breastpiece (2).
Where does חֹשֶׁן (ḥōšen) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Exodus 25:7. Its strongest book concentrations include Exodus (23), Leviticus (2).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders It of the breastpiece 8× Exodus 28:23, Exodus 28:24, Exodus 28:26, Exodus 28:28
the breastpiece 5× Exodus 28:30, Exodus 39:8, Exodus 39:15, Leviticus 8:8
and breastpiece 3× Exodus 25:7, Exodus 35:9, Exodus 35:27
- 2× Exodus 28:23, Exodus 39:9
a breastpiece 2× Exodus 28:4, Exodus 28:15
so that the breastpiece 2× Exodus 28:28, Exodus 39:21
and the breastplate 1× Exodus 29:5
For the breastpiece 1× Exodus 28:22
on the breastpiece 1× Exodus 28:29
Show sample aligned rows
Exodus 25:7 וְלַחֹֽשֶׁן׃ to and breastpiece Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine singular Exodus 28:4 חֹ֤שֶׁן to a breastpiece Noun - masculine singular Exodus 28:15 חֹ֤שֶׁן to a breastpiece Noun - masculine singular construct Exodus 28:22 הַחֹ֛שֶׁן to For the breastpiece Article | Noun - masculine singular Exodus 28:23 הַחֹ֔שֶׁן to - Article | Noun - masculine singular Exodus 28:23 הַחֹֽשֶׁן׃ to of the breastpiece Article | Noun - masculine singular Exodus 28:24 הַחֹֽשֶׁן׃ to of the breastpiece Article | Noun - masculine singular Exodus 28:26 הַחֹ֑שֶׁן to of the breastpiece Article | Noun - masculine singular Exodus 28:28 הַ֠חֹשֶׁן to of the breastpiece Article | Noun - masculine singular Exodus 28:28 הַחֹ֔שֶׁן to so that the breastpiece Article | Noun - masculine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Exodus 25:7
Aligned rows 25
Books represented 2
Exodus 23 Leviticus 2
Source forms
הַחֹ֑שֶׁן 5x ha·ḥō·šen Exodus 28:26, Exodus 29:5, Exodus 39:9, Exodus 39:19
הַחֹ֔שֶׁן 4x ha·ḥō·šen Exodus 28:23, Exodus 28:28, Exodus 39:21, Leviticus 8:8
הַחֹֽשֶׁן׃ 4x ha·ḥō·šen Exodus 28:23, Exodus 28:24, Exodus 39:16, Exodus 39:17
הַחֹ֛שֶׁן 3x ha·ḥō·šen Exodus 28:22, Exodus 39:8, Exodus 39:15
וְלַחֹֽשֶׁן׃ 3x wə·la·ḥō·šen Exodus 25:7, Exodus 35:9, Exodus 35:27
חֹ֤שֶׁן 2x ḥō·šen Exodus 28:4, Exodus 28:15
בְּחֹ֧שֶׁן 1x bə·ḥō·šen Exodus 28:29
הַ֠חֹשֶׁן 1x ha·ḥō·šen Exodus 28:28
Parsing patterns
Article | Noun - masculine singular 18x Exodus 28:22, Exodus 28:23, Exodus 28:24, Exodus 28:26
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine singular 3x Exodus 25:7, Exodus 35:9, Exodus 35:27
Noun - masculine singular construct 2x Exodus 28:15, Exodus 28:30
Noun - masculine singular 1x Exodus 28:4
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct 1x Exodus 28:29
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Priestly breastpiece holding Urim and Thummim; symbol of divine judgment and the priest's covenantal mediation role
Source Gloss
perhaps a pocket (as holding the Urim and Thummim), or rich (as containing gems), used only of the gorget of the highpriest
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Priestly breastpiece holding Urim and Thummim; symbol of divine judgment and the priest's covenantal mediation role
perhaps a pocket (as holding the Urim and Thummim), or rich (as containing gems), used only of the gorget of the highpriest BDB: breast-piece Usage: breastplate.
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
Sources
MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0
Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain