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Bible Encyclopedias
Cord
Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature
or the rendering in the Auth. Ver. of the following Hebrew words:
(1.) usually חֶבֶל, che'bel (but not חֵבֶל ), a rope, (See CHEBEL);
(2.) יֶתֶר, ye'-her, a straw ("withe," Judges 16:7-9; tent-rope, "excellency," Job 4:21; bow-"string," Psalms 11:2; halter-"cord," Job 30:11);
(3.) מֵיתָר, meythar', a line (e.g. tentrope, Exodus 35:18; Exodus 39:40; Numbers 3:26; Numbers 3:37; Numbers 4:26; Numbers 4:32; Isaiah 54:2.; Jeremiah 10:20; bow- "string," Psalms 21:12);
(4.) עֲבֹת, aboth', a braid (e.g. "wreathed" work, Exodus 28:14, etc.; "band," Job 39:10; Ezekiel 3:25; Ezekiel 4:8; Hosea 11:4; "rope," Judges 15:13-14; Psalms 2:3; Psalms 118:27; Psalms 124:4);
(5.) חוּט, chut (Ecclesiastes 4:12, a "thread," Genesis 14:23; Joshua 2:18; Judges 16:12; Song of Solomon 4:3; "line," 1 Kings 7:15; "fillet," Jeremiah 52:21). The first of these terms is the most comprehensive, being from the root חָבִל, to twist, hence Engl. cable. This word occurs often in its proper sense, as well as in the special meanings of measuring-line (hence also region), snare (Psalms 140:5), and bridle. In Micah 2:5, it signifies "portion" (as it is frequently rendered elsewhere); and the phrase "cast a cord" denotes a change of inheritance, as in Micah 2:4. The same word has the secondary sense of a band of men (1 Samuel 10:5; 1 Samuel 10:10), and destruction (Micah 2:10). (See ROPE). "In the N.T. the term σχοινία is applied to the whip which our Savior made (John 2:15), and to the ‘ ropes' of a ship (Acts 27:32). Alford understands it in the former passage of the rushes on which the cattle were littered; but the ordinary rendering cords seems more consistent with the use of the term elsewhere. (See below.)
"The materials of which cord was made varied according to the strength required; the strongest rope was probably made of strips of camel hide, still used by the Bedouins for drawing water (Burckhardt's Notes, 1:46); the Egyptians twisted these strips together into thongs for sandals and other purposes (Wilkinson, Anc. Egypt. 3. 145). The finer sorts were made of flax (Isaiah 19:9). The fibre of the date-palm was also used (Wilkinson, 3. 210); and probably reeds and rushes of various kinds, as implied in the origin of the word σχοινίον (Pliny 19:9), which is generally used by the Sept. for חֶבֶל, and more particularly in the word "(אִגְמוֹן, rush (Job 41:2), which primarily means a reed; in the Talmud (Erubin, fol. 58), bulrushes, osier, and flax are enumerated as the materials of which rope was made; in the Mishna (Sotah, 1, § 6) the חבל מצרי, or Egyptian rope, is explained as a rope of vines or osiers. (See MECHANIC).
"Of the various purposes to which cord, including under that term rope, and twisted thongs, was applied, the following are especially worthy of notice:
(1.) For fastening a tent, in which sense מֵיתָר, meythar', is more particularly used (e.g. Exodus 35:18; Exodus 39:40; Isaiah 54:2). As the tent supplied a favorite image of the human body, the cords which held it in its place represented the principle of life (Job 4:21): ‘ Are not their tent cords (A.V. ‘ excellency') torn away?' (Ecclesiastes 12:6).
(2.) For leading or binding animals, as a halter or rein (Psalms 118:27; Hosea 11:4), whence to ‘ loosen the cord' (Job 30:11) = to free from authority.
(3.) For yoking them either to a cart (Isaiah 5:18) or a plough (Job 39:10).
(4.) For binding prisoners, more particularly עֲבֹת, aboth' (Judges 15:13; Psalms 2:3; Psalms 129:4; Ezekiel 3:25), whence the metaphorical expression ‘ bands of love' (Hosea 11:4).
(5.) For bow-strings (Psalms 11:2), made of catgut; such are spoken of in Judges 16:7 (יְתָרַים לִחַים, A. V. ‘ green withs;' but more properly νευραὶ ὑγραί, fresh or moist bow-strings).
(6.) For the ropes or ‘ tacklings' of a vessel (Isaiah 33:23).
(7.) For measuring ground, the full expression being חֶבֶל מַדָּה (2 Samuel 8:2; Psalms 78:55; Amos 7:17; Zechariah 2:1); hence to ‘ cast a cord' — to assign a property (Micah 2:5), and cord or line became an expression for an inheritance (Joshua 17:14; Joshua 19:9; Psalms 16:6; Ezekiel 47:13), and even for any defined district (e.g. the line, or tract, of Argob, Deuteronomy 3:4). (See CHEBEL).
(8.) For fishing and snaring. (See FISHING); (See FOWLING); (See HUNTING).
(9.) For attaching articles of dress; as the wreathen chains (עֲבֹת ), which were rather twisted cords, worn by the high-priests (Exodus 28:14; Exodus 28:22; Exodus 28:24; Exodus 39:15; Exodus 39:17).
(10.) For fastening awnings (Esther 1:6).
(11.) For attaching to a plummet. The line and plummet are emblematic of a regular rule (2 Kings 21:13; Isaiah 28:17); hence to destroy by line and plummet (Isaiah 34:11; Lamentations 2:8; Amos 7:7) has been understood as a regular systematic destruction (ad normam et libellam, Gesenius, Thesaur. p. 125); it may, however, be referred to the carpenter's level, which can only be used on a flat surface (comp. Thenius, Comm. in 2 Kings 21:13).
(12.) For drawing water out of a well, or raising heavy weights (Joshua 2:15; Jeremiah 38:6; Jeremiah 38:13).
(13.) To place a rope on the head (1 Kings 20:31) in place of the ordinary head-dress was a sign of abject submission"
(14.) The "small cords" (σχοινίον, a rush-rope) used by our Savior in expelling the traders from the Temple (John 2:15) were probably the same used for leading the animals for sacrifice and binding them to the altar (עֲבֹת, Psalms 118:27).
(15.) The same word is employed in Acts 27:32, "ropes," i.e. cordage, with which the yawl-boats were secured to the ship (q.v.). (See RUSH).
Among the figurative uses of the word the following are the most striking:
(1.) To gird one's self with a cord was considered a token of sorrow and humiliation (1 Kings 20:31-33; Job 36:8).
(2.) To stretch a line or cord about a city signifies to ruin it, to destroy it entirely, and to level it with the ground (Lamentations 2:8).
(3.) The cords (מֵיתָר ) extended in setting up tents furnish several metaphors in the prophetical books (Isaiah 33:20; Jeremiah 10:20).
(4.) Hence to "loose one's cord" was a metaphor for dissolving one's comfort and hopes (יֶתֶר, ye'ther, elsewhere "withe").
(5.) ‘ The cords of sin" (Proverbs 5:22), metaphorically speaking, are the consequences of crimes and bad habits.
(6.) The "silver cord" (i.e. composed of silvery threads, Ecclesiastes 12:6) is generally supposed to refer to the spinal marrow, to which, as to its form and color, it may not be inaptly compared.
(7.) A "three-fold cord" (i.e. one of treble strands) is put as the symbol of union (Ecclesiastes 4:12, חוּט, chut, elsewhere "thread").
(8.) The "cords of a man," in Hosea 11:4, are immediately explained as meaning "the bands of love," although some interpreters join this clause to the preceding sentence, and render it "amid the desolations of men," referring to the plagues of Egypt (Horsley, in loc.). (See LINE). For cords of Sheol, (See SNARES OF DEATH).
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McClintock, John. Strong, James. Entry for 'Cord'. Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature. https://www.studylight.org/encyclopedias/eng/tce/c/cord.html. Harper & Brothers. New York. 1870.
