Bible Dictionary: Tanner

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Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary

(n.) One whose occupation is to tan hides, or convert them into leather by the use of tan.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

TANNER

tan'-er (burseus, from bursa "a hide"): The only references to a tanner are in Acts 9:43; Acts 10:6, 32. The Jews looked upon tanning as an undesirable occupation and well they might, for at best it was accompanied with unpleasant odors and unattractive sights, if not even ceremonially unclean. We can imagine that Simon the tanner found among the disciples of Jesus a fellowship which had been denied him before. Peter made the way still easier for Simon by choosing his house as his abode while staying in Joppa. Simon's house was by the seashore, as is true of the tanneries along the Syrian coast today, so that the foul-smelling liquors from the vats can be drawn off with the least nuisance, and so that the salt water may be easily accessible for washing the skins during the tanning process. These tanneries are very unpretentious affairs, usually consisting of one or two small rooms and a courtyard. Within are the vats made either of stone masonry, plastered within and without, or cut out of the solid rock. The sheep or goat skins are smeared on the flesh side with a paste of slaked lime and then folded up and allowed to stand until the hair loosens. The hair and fleshy matter are removed, the skins are plumped in lime, bated in a concoction first of dog dung and afterward in one of fermenting bran, in much the same way as in a modern tannery. The bated skins are tanned in sumach (Arabic summak), which is the common tanning material in Syria and Palestine. After drying, the leather is blackened on one side by rubbing on a solution made by boiling vinegar with old nails or pieces of copper, and the skin is finally given a dressing of olive oil. In the more modern tanneries degras is being imported for the currying processes. For dyeing the rams' skins red (Exodus 25) they rub on a solution of qermes (similar to cochineal; see DYEING), dry, oil, and polish with a smooth stone.

Pine bark is sometimes used for tanning in Lebanon. According to Wilkinson (Ancient Egypt, II, 186), the Arabs use the juice of a desert plant for dehairing and tanning skins. The skins for pouches are either tawed, i.e. tanned with a mineral salt like alum, or treated like parchment (see PARCHMENT). About Hebron oak branches, chopped into small chips, are used for tanning the leather bottles or water skins. In this case the hair is not removed. The tanning is accomplished, after removing the fleshy matter, by filling the skin with oak chips and water, tying up all openings in the skins, and allowing them to lie in the open on their "backs," with "legs" upright, for weeks. The field near Hebron where they arrange the bulging skins in orderly rows during the tanning process presents a weird sight. These are the bottles referred to in the King James Version (the Revised Version (British and American) "skins") (Joshua 9:4, 13 Hosea 7:5 Matthew 9:17 Mark 2:22 Luke 5:37).

Leather was probably used more extensively than any records show. We know that the Egyptians used leather for ornamental work. They understood the art of making stamped leather. The sculptures give us an idea of the methods used for making the leather into sandals, trimmings for chariots, coverings of chairs, decorations for harps, sarcophagi, etc. There are two Biblical references to leather, where leather girdles are mentioned (2 Kings 1:8 Matthew 3:4).

See also CRAFTS, II, 17.

James A. Patch

Greek

1038. burseus -- a tanner
... a tanner. Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine Transliteration: burseus Phonetic Spelling:
(boorce-yooce') Short Definition: a tanner Definition: a tanner. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1038.htm - 6k

Library

Peter and the Roman Officer
... OFFICER. While Peter was going through the whole country, he stayed for a long
time at Joppa, in the house of Simon, a tanner. Cornelius ...
/.../sherman/the childrens bible/peter and the roman officer.htm

Acts x. 4-Jan
... "And the same," saith he, "is lodging with one Simon a tanner, who hath his house
by ... "With one Simon a tanner:" how then if it chanced that there was another? ...
/.../chrysostom/homilies on acts and romans/homily xxii acts x 4-jan.htm

Against the Heresy of Artemon.
... And how are they not ashamed to utter these calumnies against Victor, knowing well
that Victor excommunicated Theodotus the tanner, [4963] the leader and ...
/.../caius/fragments of caius/ii against the heresy of artemon.htm

'God is no Respecter of Persons'
... Send therefore to Joppa, and call hither Simon, whose surname is Peter; he is lodged
in the house of one Simon a tanner by the sea-side: who, when he cometh ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture the acts/god is no respecter of.htm

Some Miscellaneous Matters Respecting the Face of the Land.
... 4. "They permitted not dead carcases, or burying-places, nor a tanner's shop,
to be within fifty cubits from the city" (because of the stink). ...
/.../from the talmud and hebraica/chapter 98 some miscellaneous matters.htm

What God Hath Cleansed
... up for a memorial before God.5. And now send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon,
whose surname is Peter: 6. He lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, whose house ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture the acts/what god hath cleansed.htm

Acts X
... (6) He is lodging with a certain Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea-shore. ...
He is lodging in the house of Simon, a tanner, by the sea-shore. ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/mcgarvey/a commentary on acts of the apostles/acts x.htm

Acts xvi. 25, 26
... anything? For these, say they, are the things, a tanner, a purple-seller, an
eunuch, slaves, and women believed." This is what they say. ...
/.../chrysostom/homilies on acts and romans/homily xxxvi acts xvi 25.htm

Acts ix. 26, 27
... And it came to pass, that he tarried many days in Joppa with one Simon a tanner."
(v.42-43.) Mark the unassuming conduct, mark the moderation of Peter, how he ...
/.../chrysostom/homilies on acts and romans/homily xxi acts ix 26.htm

It is Somewhat the Same Argument which You Use against the Pope ...
... It is as if a fuller or a tanner in speaking to a dealer in pigments should warn
him that he had better hold his nose as he passed their shops. ...
/.../24 it is somewhat the.htm

Thesaurus

Tanner (3 Occurrences)
...TANNER. tan'-er (burseus, from bursa "a hide"): The only references to a tanner
are in Acts 9:43; Acts 10:6, 32. ...Tanner (3 Occurrences). ...
/t/tanner.htm - 11k

Staying (39 Occurrences)
... (WEB DBY NAS RSV NIV). Acts 9:43 and Peter remained for a considerable time at Jaffa,
staying at the house of a man called Simon, a tanner. (WEY). ...
/s/staying.htm - 17k

Joppa (14 Occurrences)
... 2 Chronicles 2:16); and here the material for the building of the second temple
was also landed (Ezra 3:7). At Joppa, in the house of Simon the tanner, "by the ...
/j/joppa.htm - 17k

Jaffa (10 Occurrences)
... WEY). Acts 9:43 and Peter remained for a considerable time at Jaffa, staying
at the house of a man called Simon, a tanner. (WEY). ...
/j/jaffa.htm - 9k

Leather (34 Occurrences)
... The trade of a tanner is mentioned (Acts 9:43; 10:6, 32). It was probably learned
in Egypt. Noah Webster's Dictionary. ... leth'-er. See SKIN; GIRDLE; TANNER. ...
/l/leather.htm - 17k

Lodgeth (13 Occurrences)
... Lodgeth (13 Occurrences). Acts 10:6 He lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, whose house
is by the sea side: he shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do. ...
/l/lodgeth.htm - 9k

Lodges (14 Occurrences)
... Lodges (14 Occurrences). Acts 10:6 He lodges with one Simon, a tanner, whose house
is by the seaside. ... He lodges in the house of Simon a tanner, by the seaside. ...
/l/lodges.htm - 10k

Lodging (24 Occurrences)
... Acts 10:6 this one doth lodge with a certain Simon a tanner, whose house is by the
sea; this one shall speak to thee what it behoveth thee to do.' (See RSV). ...
/l/lodging.htm - 14k

Guest (24 Occurrences)
... is it not the guest? but I am among you as a servant. (BBE). Acts 10:6 He is staying
as a guest with Simon, a tanner, who has a house close to the sea." (WEY). ...
/g/guest.htm - 15k

Seaside (12 Occurrences)
... (WEB BBE). Acts 10:6 He lodges with one Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the seaside.
" (WEB RSV). ... He lodges in the house of Simon a tanner, by the seaside. ...
/s/seaside.htm - 10k

Bible Concordance

Tanner (3 Occurrences)

Acts 9:43 It happened, that he stayed many days in Joppa with one Simon, a tanner.
(WEB KJV WEY ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Acts 10:6 He lodges with one Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the seaside. "
(WEB KJV WEY ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Acts 10:32 Send therefore to Joppa, and summon Simon, who is surnamed Peter. He lodges in the house of Simon a tanner, by the seaside. When he comes, he will speak to you.'
(WEB KJV WEY ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Subtopics

Tanner

Related Terms

Staying (39 Occurrences)

Joppa (14 Occurrences)

Jaffa (10 Occurrences)

Leather (34 Occurrences)

Lodgeth (13 Occurrences)

Lodges (14 Occurrences)

Lodging (24 Occurrences)

Guest (24 Occurrences)

Seaside (12 Occurrences)