CORD, ROPE . Hebrew possesses a considerable number of words rendered, without any attempt at uniformity, by ‘cord,’ ‘rope,’ and a variety of other terms. It is difficult for the English reader to recognize the same original in the Psalmist’s bow ‘string’ ( Psalms 11:2 ) and the ‘green withs ’ (RVm [Note: Revised Version margin.] ‘new bowstrings’) with which Samson was bound; or again in the tent ropes of Isaiah 33:20 (EV [Note: English Version.] ‘cords’) and the ships’ ‘ tacklings ’ of Isaiah 33:23 . The former set were probably of animal sinews or gut, the latter of twisted flax. The stronger ropes were of three strands ( Ecclesiastes 4:12 ). No doubt the fibres of the palm and, as at the present day, goats’ hair were spun into ropes. The process of rope-making from leather thongs is illustrated on an Egyptian tomb, the ‘ wreathen work ’ (lit. ‘rope-work’) of Exodus 28:14 (see RV [Note: Revised Version.] ), where, however, gold wire is the material used. Ecclesiastes 12:6 speaks also of a silver cord, and Job 41:2 of a ‘rope of rushes’ (see RVm [Note: Revised Version margin.] ). The Gr. word for the cords of our Saviour’s scourge ( John 2:15 ) and the ropes of Acts 27:32 also denoted originally such a rope.
The everyday use of cords for binding evil-doers suggested the metaphor of the wicked man ‘holden with the cords of his sin’ (Proverbs 5:22 ), while from the hunter’s snares comes the figure of Psalms 140:5; also ‘the cords of death’ of Psalms 116:3 RV [Note: Revised Version.] .
A. R. S. Kennedy.