What does נְחֹשֶׁת (nĕḥōšet) mean in the Bible?
נְחֹשֶׁת (nĕḥōšet): Copper's material inferiority makes it symbolize baseness, degradation, or bondage when used figuratively.
Hebrew · H5178
נְחֹשֶׁת
Copper , hence, something made of that metal, i.e. coin , a fetter ; figuratively, base (as compared with gold or silver)
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.
נְחֹשֶׁת H5178
Pronunciation nĕḥōšet
What does נְחֹשֶׁת (nĕḥōšet) mean in the Bible?
נְחֹשֶׁת (nĕḥōšet): Copper's material inferiority makes it symbolize baseness, degradation, or bondage when used figuratively.
Full entry for נְחֹשֶׁת (H5178) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H5178?
The BSB source-word alignment has 140 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include bronze (31), of bronze (22), the bronze (22), and bronze (12), a bronze (6).
Where does נְחֹשֶׁת (nĕḥōšet) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 4:22. Its strongest book concentrations include Exodus (39), 2 Chronicles (14), Jeremiah (14), 1 Kings (13).
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 bronze 31× Exodus 26:11, Exodus 26:37, Exodus 27:4, Exodus 27:10
of bronze 22× Genesis 4:22, Exodus 27:3, Exodus 27:4, Exodus 38:3
the bronze 22× Exodus 38:8, Exodus 38:29, Exodus 38:30, Exodus 39:39
and bronze 12× Exodus 25:3, Exodus 27:17, Exodus 31:4, Exodus 35:5
a bronze 6× Exodus 30:18, Numbers 21:9, 1 Samuel 17:5, 1 Samuel 17:38
with bronze 5× Exodus 27:6, Exodus 38:6, 1 Kings 7:30, 2 Chronicles 2:7
with bronze shackles 5× Judges 16:21, 2 Kings 25:7, 2 Chronicles 33:11, 2 Chronicles 36:6
of the bronze 4× Exodus 38:5, 1 Kings 7:47, 2 Chronicles 4:18, Jeremiah 52:20
were bronze 3× Exodus 36:38, Exodus 38:17, Exodus 38:20
and the bronze 2× 2 Kings 25:13, Jeremiah 52:17
or bronze 2× Exodus 35:24, Jeremiah 15:12
with its bronze 2× Exodus 35:16, Exodus 39:39
. . . 1× Exodus 38:8
[the altar] with bronze 1× Exodus 38:2
{the weight} of the bronze 1× 2 Kings 25:16
and [he had] a bronze 1× 1 Samuel 17:5
and its bronze 1× Exodus 38:30
and its copper 1× Ezekiel 24:11
and with bronze 1× Exodus 27:18
But the bronze 1× 2 Chronicles 1:5
copper 1× Ezekiel 22:20
fettered 1× 2 Samuel 3:34
for copper 1× Deuteronomy 8:9
for the bronze 1× 1 Chronicles 29:2
in a bronze 1× Leviticus 6:28
in bronze 1× 1 Kings 7:14
it with bronze 1× Exodus 27:2
of them are copper 1× Ezekiel 22:18
shall be made of bronze 1× Exodus 27:19
They are bronze 1× Jeremiah 6:28
was like bronze 1× Ezekiel 40:3
whose bronze 1× 2 Samuel 21:16
with a bronze 1× Exodus 30:18
with bronze chains 1× Jeremiah 39:7
with chains 1× Lamentations 3:7
your wealth 1× Ezekiel 16:36
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 4:22 נְחֹ֖שֶׁת to of bronze Noun - feminine singular Exodus 25:3 וּנְחֹֽשֶׁת׃ to and bronze Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular Exodus 26:11 נְחֹ֖שֶׁת to bronze Noun - feminine singular Exodus 26:37 נְחֹֽשֶׁת׃ס to bronze Noun - feminine singular Exodus 27:2 נְחֹֽשֶׁת׃ to it with bronze Noun - feminine singular Exodus 27:3 נְחֹֽשֶׁת׃ to of bronze Noun - feminine singular Exodus 27:4 נְחֹ֑שֶׁת to of bronze Noun - feminine singular Exodus 27:4 נְחֹ֔שֶׁת to bronze Noun - feminine singular Exodus 27:6 נְחֹֽשֶׁת׃ to with bronze Noun - feminine singular Exodus 27:10 נְחֹ֑שֶׁת to bronze Noun - feminine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Genesis 4:22
Aligned rows 140
Books represented 21
Genesis 1 Exodus 39 Leviticus 1 Numbers 4 Deuteronomy 3 Joshua 3 Judges 1 1 Samuel 5 2 Samuel 4 1 Kings 13 2 Kings 12 1 Chronicles 11 2 Chronicles 14 Ezra 1 Psalms 1 Isaiah 2 Jeremiah 14 Lamentations 1 Ezekiel 8 Daniel 1 Zechariah 1
Source forms
נְחֹ֑שֶׁת 17x nə·ḥō·šeṯ Exodus 27:4, Exodus 27:10, Exodus 38:4, Exodus 38:8
נְחֹ֖שֶׁת 13x nə·ḥō·šeṯ Genesis 4:22, Exodus 26:11, Exodus 30:18, Exodus 36:18
נְחֹֽשֶׁת׃ 12x nə·ḥō·šeṯ Exodus 27:2, Exodus 27:3, Exodus 27:6, Exodus 27:17
נְחֹ֔שֶׁת 10x nə·ḥō·šeṯ Exodus 27:4, Exodus 27:11, Exodus 38:8, Numbers 21:9
הַנְּחֹ֙שֶׁת֙ 8x han·nə·ḥō·šeṯ Exodus 35:16, Exodus 39:39, Numbers 31:22, Joshua 6:24
הַנְּחֹ֛שֶׁת 5x han·nə·ḥō·šeṯ 2 Kings 16:15, 2 Kings 25:13, 2 Kings 25:14, Jeremiah 52:17
נְחֹ֙שֶׁת֙ 5x nə·ḥō·šeṯ Leviticus 6:28, Joshua 6:19, 1 Samuel 17:5, Jeremiah 15:20
בַּֽנְחֻשְׁתַּ֔יִם 4x ban·ḥuš·ta·yim Judges 16:21, 2 Chronicles 33:11, 2 Chronicles 36:6, Jeremiah 39:7
Parsing patterns
Noun - feminine singular 75x Genesis 4:22, Exodus 26:11, Exodus 26:37, Exodus 27:2
Article | Noun - feminine singular 30x Exodus 35:16, Exodus 38:5, Exodus 38:30, Exodus 39:39
Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular 10x Exodus 25:3, Exodus 35:5, Exodus 35:24, Deuteronomy 33:25
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - fd 6x Judges 16:21, 2 Kings 25:7, 2 Chronicles 33:11, 2 Chronicles 36:6
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singular 3x Exodus 31:4, Exodus 35:32, 2 Chronicles 2:7
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Article | Noun - feminine singular 2x 1 Chronicles 22:14, 1 Chronicles 22:16
Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine plural 2x 2 Kings 25:13, Jeremiah 52:17
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singular 2x 1 Kings 7:14, 2 Chronicles 2:14
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Copper's material inferiority makes it symbolize baseness, degradation, or bondage when used figuratively.
Source Gloss
copper , hence, something made of that metal, i.e. coin , a fetter ; figuratively, base (as compared with gold or silver)
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Copper's material inferiority makes it symbolize baseness, degradation, or bondage when used figuratively.
copper, hence, something made of that metal, i.e. coin, a fetter; figuratively, base (as compared with gold or silver) BDB: copper Usage: brasen, brass, chain, copper, fetter (of brass), filthiness, steel.
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Biblical Witnesses
Figurative use: strength and durability in divine calling and protection
Literal use: copper fetters binding captives during military conquest and captivity
Temple furnishings and vessels made of copper metal in religious architecture
Showing 3 selected witnesses from 140 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
נְחֹשֶׁת is built from this root:
נְחוּשָׁה H5154
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.
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