What does תְּכֵלֶת (tĕkēlet) mean in the Bible?
תְּכֵלֶת (tĕkēlet): Precious blue-violet dye from murex shell, symbolizing royalty and sacred priestly vestments throughout Israel's tabernacle worship
Hebrew · H8504
תְּכֵלֶת
The cerulean mussel , i.e. the color ( violet ) obtained therefrom or stuff dyed therewith
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תְּכֵלֶתH8504
Pronunciationtĕkēlet
What does תְּכֵלֶת (tĕkēlet) mean in the Bible?
תְּכֵלֶת (tĕkēlet): Precious blue-violet dye from murex shell, symbolizing royalty and sacred priestly vestments throughout Israel's tabernacle worship
Full entry for תְּכֵלֶת (H8504) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H8504?
The BSB source-word alignment has 49 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include blue (8), with blue (8), a blue (7), of blue (7), in blue (3).
Where does תְּכֵלֶת (tĕkēlet) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Exodus 25:4. Its strongest book concentrations include Exodus (34), Numbers (6), 2 Chronicles (3), Ezekiel (3).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders Itblue8×Exodus 25:4, Exodus 28:5, Exodus 35:6, Exodus 35:23
with blue8×Exodus 26:36, Exodus 27:16, Exodus 28:8, Exodus 28:15
a blue7×Exodus 28:37, Exodus 39:31, Numbers 4:7, Numbers 4:9
of blue7×Exodus 26:31, Exodus 28:33, Exodus 39:24, 2 Chronicles 3:14
in blue3×Exodus 35:35, Exodus 38:23, Ezekiel 23:6
and with blue2×Exodus 28:6, Exodus 39:2
of blue [material]2×Exodus 26:4, Exodus 36:11
of blue cloth2×Exodus 28:31, Exodus 39:22
of blue yarn2×Exodus 28:28, Exodus 39:21
[each] with blue1×Exodus 26:1
[of] blue1×Exodus 36:35
and blue1×Esther 1:6
and blue yarn1×2 Chronicles 2:7
are blue1×Jeremiah 10:9
as well as blue1×Exodus 36:8
the blue1×Exodus 39:1
with the blue1×Exodus 39:3
Show sample aligned rows
Exodus 25:4וּתְכֵ֧לֶתtoblueConjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singularExodus 26:1וּתְכֵ֤לֶתto[each] with blueConjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singularExodus 26:4תְּכֵ֗לֶתtoof blue [material]Noun - feminine singularExodus 26:31תְּכֵ֧לֶתtoof blueNoun - feminine singularExodus 26:36תְּכֵ֧לֶתtowith blueNoun - feminine singularExodus 27:16תְּכֵ֨לֶתtowith blueNoun - feminine singularExodus 28:5הַתְּכֵ֖לֶתtoblueArticle | Noun - feminine singularExodus 28:6תְּכֵ֨לֶתtoand with blueNoun - feminine singularExodus 28:8תְּכֵ֧לֶתtowith blueNoun - feminine singularExodus 28:15תְּכֵ֨לֶתtowith blueNoun - feminine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowExodus 25:4
Aligned rows49
Books represented6
Exodus34Numbers62 Chronicles3Esther2Jeremiah1Ezekiel3
Source forms
תְּכֵ֧לֶת11xtə·ḵê·leṯExodus 26:31, Exodus 26:36, Exodus 28:8, Exodus 35:23
תְּכֵ֔לֶת5xtə·ḵê·leṯExodus 28:28, Exodus 28:37, Exodus 39:31, Numbers 4:11
תְּכֵ֗לֶת4xtə·ḵê·leṯExodus 26:4, Exodus 36:11, Exodus 39:21, Numbers 4:9
וּתְכֵ֧לֶת3xū·ṯə·ḵê·leṯExodus 25:4, Exodus 35:6, Exodus 39:29
תְּכֵ֨לֶת3xtə·ḵê·leṯExodus 27:16, Exodus 28:6, Exodus 28:15
תְּכֵֽלֶת׃3xtə·ḵê·leṯExodus 28:31, Exodus 39:22, Numbers 15:38
בַּתְּכֵ֙לֶת֙2xbat·tə·ḵê·leṯExodus 38:23, 2 Chronicles 2:14
הַתְּכֵ֙לֶת֙2xhat·tə·ḵê·leṯExodus 35:25, Exodus 39:3
Parsing patterns
Noun - feminine singular34xExodus 26:4, Exodus 26:31, Exodus 26:36, Exodus 27:16
Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular7xExodus 25:4, Exodus 26:1, Exodus 35:6, Exodus 36:8
Article | Noun - feminine singular4xExodus 28:5, Exodus 35:25, Exodus 39:1, Exodus 39:3
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singular3xExodus 35:35, Exodus 38:23, 2 Chronicles 2:14
Noun - feminine singular construct1xJeremiah 10:9
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Precious blue-violet dye from murex shell, symbolizing royalty and sacred priestly vestments throughout Israel's tabernacle worship
Source Gloss
the cerulean mussel , i.e. the color ( violet ) obtained therefrom or stuff dyed therewith
Extended definitionSource: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Precious blue-violet dye from murex shell, symbolizing royalty and sacred priestly vestments throughout Israel's tabernacle worship
the cerulean mussel, i.e. the color (violet) obtained therefrom or stuff dyed therewith BDB: violet Usage: blue.
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
Word Origins
תְּכֵלֶת is built from this root:
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.