Reference: Copper
American
One of the primitive metals, and the most ductile and malleable after gold and silver. Of this metal and zinc is made brass, which is a modern invention. There is little doubt but that copper is intended in those passages of our translation on the Bible which speak of brass. Copper was known prior to the flood, and was wrought by Tubal-cain, Ge 4:22. Hiram of Tyre was a celebrated worker in copper, 1Ki 7:14. Palestine abounded in it, De 8:9, and David amassed great quantities to be employed in building the temple, 1Ch 22:3-14. In Ezr 8:27, two vessels are mentioned "of fine copper, precious as gold." This was probably a metal compounded of copper, with gold or silver, or both. It was extolled for its beauty, solidity, and rarity, and for some uses was referred to gold itself. Some compound of this kind may have been used for the small mirrors mentioned in Ex 38:8; Job 37:18. See BRASS.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And, as for Zillah, she also, bare Tubal-Cain, a sharpener of every cutting instrument of bronze and iron, - and, the sister of Tubal-Cain, was Naamah.
And he made the laver of bronze, and the stand thereof of bronze, - with the mirrors of the female hosts who did service at the opening of the tent of meeting.
a land wherein not in scarcity, shalt thou eat food, thou shalt lack nothing therein, - a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills thou mayest hew copper.
son of a widow woman, was he of the tribe of Naphtali, but, his father, was a man of Tyre, a worker in bronze, and he was filled with wisdom, and discernment, and knowledge, for executing all manner of work in bronze, - so he came unto King Solomon, and executed all his work.
and, iron in abundance, for nails for the doors of the gates, and for hooks, did David prepare, - and bronze in abundance, without weight; and cedar-trees, even without number, - for the Zidonians and the Tyreans brought cedar-trees in abundance, unto David. read more. And David said, Solomon my son, is young and tender, and, the house to be built, must be great and lofty and famous and beautiful, for all lands, - oh let me then prepare for it. So David prepared abundantly, before his death. Then he called for Solomon his son, - and charged him, to build a house, for Yahweh, God of Israel. And David said to Solomon his son, - As for me, it was, near my heart, to build a house for the Name of Yahweh my God; but the word of Yahweh came unto me, saying, Blood in abundance, hast thou shed, and, great wars, hast thou made, - thou shalt not build a house for my Name, because, much blood, hast thou shed upon the earth, before me. Lo! a son, born to thee, He, shall be a man of rest, and I will give him rest from all his enemies, round about, - for, Solomon, shall be his Name, and, peace and quietness, will I bestow upon Israel, in his days; He, shall build a house for my Name, and, he, shall be my son, and, I, will be his father, - therefore will I establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel, unto times age-abiding: Now, my son, Yahweh be with thee, - so shalt thou be prosperous, and shalt build the house of Yahweh thy God, according as he hath spoken concerning thee. Only Yahweh give thee discretion and understanding, and give thee charge over Israel, - so that thou take heed unto the law of Yahweh thy God. Then, shalt thou prosper, if thou take heed to do the statutes and the regulations, which Yahweh commanded Moses, concerning Israel, - be strong and bold, thou mayst not be in fear, nor be dismayed. Lo! then, in my humiliation, have I prepared for the house of Yahweh, of gold a hundred thousand talents, and of silver a thousand thousand talents, and, as for bronze and iron, without weight, for, an abundance, hath it become, - timber also and stone, have I prepared, and, thereunto, thou canst add.
and, bowls of gold, twenty, of a thousand drams, - and, utensils of fine bright bronze, two, precious as gold.
Didst thou spread out, with him, the skies, strong as a molten mirror?
Easton
(3) derived from the Greek kupros (the island of Cyprus), called "Cyprian brass," occurs only in the Authorized Version in Ezr 8:27. Elsewhere the Hebrew word (nehosheth) is improperly rendered "brass," and sometimes "steel" (2Sa 22:35; Jer 15:12). The "bow of steel" (Job 20:24; Ps 18:34) should have been "bow of copper" (or "brass," as in the R.V.). The vessels of "fine copper" of Ezr 8:27 were probably similar to those of "bright brass" mentioned in 1Ki 7:45; Da 10:6.
(4) Tubal-cain was the first artificer in brass and iron (Ge 4:22). Hiram was noted as a worker in brass (1Ki 7:14). Copper abounded in Palestine (De 8:9; Isa 60:17; 1Ch 22:3,14). All sorts of vessels in the tabernacle and the temple were made of it (Le 6:28; Nu 16:39; 2Ch 4:16; Ezr 8:27); also weapons of war (1Sa 17:5-6,38; 2Sa 21:16). Iron is mentioned only four times (Ge 4:22; Le 26:19; Nu 31:22; 35:16) in the first four books of Moses, while copper (rendered "brass") is mentioned forty times. (See Brass.)
(5) We find mention of Alexander (q.v.), a "coppersmith" of Ephesus (2Ti 4:14).
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And, as for Zillah, she also, bare Tubal-Cain, a sharpener of every cutting instrument of bronze and iron, - and, the sister of Tubal-Cain, was Naamah.
And, as for Zillah, she also, bare Tubal-Cain, a sharpener of every cutting instrument of bronze and iron, - and, the sister of Tubal-Cain, was Naamah.
But, the earthen vessel wherein it is boiled, shall be broken, - or, if, in a vessel of bronze, it hath been boiled, then shall the vessel be scoured and rinsed in water.
So will I break your pomp of power, And will set your heavens as iron, and your land as bronze;
And Eleazar the priest took the censers of bronze, which the consumed men had brought near, - and heat them out into plates for overlaying the altar:
If, then, with an instrument of iron, he smote him, and he died, a manslayer, he is, - a manslayer, shall surely die.
a land wherein not in scarcity, shalt thou eat food, thou shalt lack nothing therein, - a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills thou mayest hew copper.
with a helmet of bronze on his head, and, with a scaly coat of mail, was he clad, - the weight of the coat, being five thousand shekels of bronze; and, greaves of bronze, on his feet, - and, a javelin of bronze, between his shoulders;
And Saul clad David with his own military coat, and set a helmet of bronze upon his head, - and clad him with a coat of mail.
Teaching my hands, to war, - so that a bow of bronze was bent by mine arms;
son of a widow woman, was he of the tribe of Naphtali, but, his father, was a man of Tyre, a worker in bronze, and he was filled with wisdom, and discernment, and knowledge, for executing all manner of work in bronze, - so he came unto King Solomon, and executed all his work.
and the pans, and the shovels, and the tossing bowls, and, all these vessels which Hiram made King Solomon, for the house of Yahweh, were of burnished bronze.
and, bowls of gold, twenty, of a thousand drams, - and, utensils of fine bright bronze, two, precious as gold.
and, bowls of gold, twenty, of a thousand drams, - and, utensils of fine bright bronze, two, precious as gold.
and, bowls of gold, twenty, of a thousand drams, - and, utensils of fine bright bronze, two, precious as gold.
He shall flee from the armour of iron, - There shall pierce him, a bow of bronze!
Teaching my hands to war, - so that a bow of bronze was bent by mine arms.
Instead of bronze, I will bring in, gold, and Instead of iron, I will bring in silver, and Instead of wood, bronze, and Instead of stones, iron, - And I will appoint the oversight of thee to Prosperity, And the setting of thy tasks to Righteousness.
Shall iron crush the iron from the North and the bronze?
whose body, was like Tarshish-stone, and, his face, like the appearance of lightning, and, his eyes, were like torches of fire, and, his arms and his feet, like the look of bronze burnished, - and, the sound of his words, was like the sound of a multitude.
Alexander the coppersmith, of much baseness towards me, hath given proof, - the Lord will render unto him according to his works. -
Fausets
(Ezr 8:27). But for KJV "brass" the translation elsewhere ought to be copper, (nechoshath,) or where native ore is not meant, probably bronze. Zinc, one ingredient of brass, was then unknown. Used by the ancients for many purposes, for which its ductile nature adapted it. The earliest inhabitants of Europe used flint weapons, now discovered in various places. But Tubal-cain (Ge 4:22, from whence probably by corrupted tradition was derived the classic idol, Vulcan, the god of the forge) was "an instructor of every artificer in brass (copper) and iron," 500 years after creation according to Hebrew, or 1,000 according to Septuagint, chronology. The ignorance of large portions of mankind, of iron and copper, subsequently or even at that early date, does not disprove Tubal-cain's and his artificers' acquaintance with them.
Savage nations, or races which have sunk in course of ages into barbarism, first used flint, then copper or bronze (an alloy of tin and copper), then iron; But there is no well-established instance of a savage race gradually civilizing themselves; the civilization has always been introduced from outside. Thus, bronze or copper was probably introduced among savages from more civilized nations. The American Indians at Cape Honduras visited by Columbus had hatchets, etc., of copper, and crucibles for melting it. Seth's race was less distinguished for advancement in arts and luxuries than Cain's race, which was wise in their generation; but the truest civilization is that which develops man's moral and highest nature; in this respect Seth's descendants were far superior, walking in recognition of conscience and of the providence and grace of God.
Many intimations show that the Israelites knew how to dig out and smelt metals (De 4:20; 8:9; Ezr 10:44). Their mirrors of polished copper (Ex 38:8 margin) and "bows of copper" (Hebrew text of Ps 18:34) and "helmets," etc. (1Sa 17:38), show they had some secret of rendering copper harder than ours is. The absence of iron remains does not necessarily prove it was unknown in Egypt, for it and the making of good steel have been known from very ancient times in India. It quickly decomposes, and so would leave no remains of implements. The copper mines worked by the Moschi, whose merchants imported it into Tyre, are mentioned Eze 27:13.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And, as for Zillah, she also, bare Tubal-Cain, a sharpener of every cutting instrument of bronze and iron, - and, the sister of Tubal-Cain, was Naamah.
And, as for Zillah, she also, bare Tubal-Cain, a sharpener of every cutting instrument of bronze and iron, - and, the sister of Tubal-Cain, was Naamah.
And he made the laver of bronze, and the stand thereof of bronze, - with the mirrors of the female hosts who did service at the opening of the tent of meeting.
And he made the laver of bronze, and the stand thereof of bronze, - with the mirrors of the female hosts who did service at the opening of the tent of meeting.
whereas you, hath Yahweh taken, and brought you forth out of a smelting-pot of iron, out of Egypt, - that ye might become his own inherited people as at this day.
whereas you, hath Yahweh taken, and brought you forth out of a smelting-pot of iron, out of Egypt, - that ye might become his own inherited people as at this day.
a land wherein not in scarcity, shalt thou eat food, thou shalt lack nothing therein, - a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills thou mayest hew copper.
a land wherein not in scarcity, shalt thou eat food, thou shalt lack nothing therein, - a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills thou mayest hew copper.
And Saul clad David with his own military coat, and set a helmet of bronze upon his head, - and clad him with a coat of mail.
And Saul clad David with his own military coat, and set a helmet of bronze upon his head, - and clad him with a coat of mail.
and, bowls of gold, twenty, of a thousand drams, - and, utensils of fine bright bronze, two, precious as gold.
and, bowls of gold, twenty, of a thousand drams, - and, utensils of fine bright bronze, two, precious as gold.
All these, had taken foreign women, - and had begotten of them children.
All these, had taken foreign women, - and had begotten of them children.
Teaching my hands to war, - so that a bow of bronze was bent by mine arms.
Teaching my hands to war, - so that a bow of bronze was bent by mine arms.
Javan. Tubal and Meshech, They were merchants of thine, - With the persons of men and vessels of bronze, Shared they in thy barter:
Javan. Tubal and Meshech, They were merchants of thine, - With the persons of men and vessels of bronze, Shared they in thy barter:
Hastings
Morish
See BRASS.
Smith
Copper,
Heb. nechosheth, in the Authorized Version always rendered "brass," except in
and Jere 15:12 It was almost exclusively used by the ancients for common purposes, and for every kind of instrument, as chains, pillars, lavers and the other temple vessels. We read also of copper mirrors,
and even of copper arms, as helmets, spears, etc.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And he made the laver of bronze, and the stand thereof of bronze, - with the mirrors of the female hosts who did service at the opening of the tent of meeting.
with a helmet of bronze on his head, and, with a scaly coat of mail, was he clad, - the weight of the coat, being five thousand shekels of bronze; and, greaves of bronze, on his feet, - and, a javelin of bronze, between his shoulders;
And Saul clad David with his own military coat, and set a helmet of bronze upon his head, - and clad him with a coat of mail.
and, bowls of gold, twenty, of a thousand drams, - and, utensils of fine bright bronze, two, precious as gold.
Watsons
COPPER. ????. Anciently, copper was employed for all the purposes for which we now use iron. Arms, and tools for husbandry and the mechanic arts, were all of this metal for many ages. Job speaks of bows of copper, Job 20:24; and when the Philistines had Samson in their power, they bound him with fetters of copper. Our translators, indeed say "brass;" but under that article their mistake is pointed out. In Ezr 8:27, are mentioned "two vessels of copper, precious as gold." The Septuagint renders it ????? ?????? ??????????; the Vulgate and Castellio, following the Arabic, "vasa aeris fulgentis;" and the Syriac, "vases of Corinthian brass." It is more probable, however, that this brass was not from Corinth, but a metal from Persia or India, which Aristotle describes in these terms: "It is said that there is in India a brass so shining, so pure, so free from tarnish, that its colour differs nothing from that of gold. It is even said that among the vessels of Darius there were some respecting which the sense of smelling might determine whether they were gold or brass." Bochart is of opinion that this is the chasmal of Eze 1:27, the ???????????? of Re 1:15, and the electrum of the ancients.
Mr. Harmer quotes from the manuscript notes of Sir John Chardin a reference to a mixed metal in the east, and highly esteemed there; and suggests that this composition might have been as old as the time of Ezra, and be brought from those more remote countries into Persia, where these two basins were given to be conveyed to Jerusalem. Eze 27:13, speaks of the merchants of Javan, Jubal, and Meshech, as bringing vessels of nehesh (copper) to the markets of Tyre. According to Bochart and Michaelis, these were people situated toward Mount Caucasus, where copper mines are worked at this day. See BRASS.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
and, bowls of gold, twenty, of a thousand drams, - and, utensils of fine bright bronze, two, precious as gold.
He shall flee from the armour of iron, - There shall pierce him, a bow of bronze!
And I saw as burnished copper to look upon, as the appearance of fire within it round about, from the appearance of his loins and upwards and from the appearance of his loins and downward, saw I as the appearance of fire, and he had brightness round about:
Javan. Tubal and Meshech, They were merchants of thine, - With the persons of men and vessels of bronze, Shared they in thy barter:
And, his feet, like unto glowing copper, as if in a furnace refined, and, his voice, like a sound of many waters,