Topical Bible: Yarn

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Topical Encyclopedia

Yarn, a spun thread used for knitting, weaving, or sewing, is mentioned in the Bible primarily in the context of the construction of the Tabernacle and the garments of the priests. The use of yarn in biblical times reflects the skill and artistry involved in creating sacred items and clothing, as well as the importance of textiles in ancient Israelite culture.

Biblical References:

1. Exodus 35:25-26: "Every skilled woman spun with her hands and brought what she had spun—blue, purple, or scarlet yarn, or fine linen. And all the skilled women whose hearts were stirred spun the goat hair." This passage highlights the role of women in the community who contributed their skills in spinning yarn for the construction of the Tabernacle. The use of specific colors—blue, purple, and scarlet—indicates the significance of these materials in the worship and service of God.

2. Exodus 39:1: "From the blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, they made woven garments for ministering in the sanctuary. They also made sacred garments for Aaron, as the LORD had commanded Moses." The yarn was not only used for the Tabernacle but also for the priestly garments, signifying the holiness and set-apart nature of the priesthood. The colors used were symbolic, with blue often representing divinity, purple royalty, and scarlet sacrifice.

3. Proverbs 31:13: "She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands." While not directly mentioning yarn, this verse from the description of the virtuous woman in Proverbs 31 implies the process of spinning wool and flax into yarn. It underscores the industriousness and skill of the woman, who contributes to her household through her handiwork.

Cultural and Religious Significance:

In ancient Israel, the production of yarn was a labor-intensive process that required skill and dedication. The spinning of yarn was typically done by women, who played a crucial role in the preparation of materials for both everyday use and sacred purposes. The specific mention of colors in the biblical text suggests that these yarns were dyed using natural substances, a practice that required additional expertise.

The use of yarn in the construction of the Tabernacle and the garments of the priests underscores the importance of beauty and craftsmanship in worship. The detailed instructions given by God to Moses for the construction of the Tabernacle and the making of priestly garments reflect the care and precision required in creating items for divine service. The colors and materials used were not arbitrary but were chosen to convey theological truths and to honor God.

Symbolism:

The colors of the yarn—blue, purple, and scarlet—carry deep symbolic meanings within the biblical narrative. Blue is often associated with the heavens and divinity, purple with royalty and kingship, and scarlet with sacrifice and atonement. These colors, woven into the fabric of the Tabernacle and the priestly garments, served as constant reminders of God's presence, authority, and the need for atonement.

In summary, yarn in the Bible is more than just a material; it is a symbol of the community's devotion, skill, and the intricate beauty of worship. The careful preparation and use of yarn in sacred contexts highlight the importance of offering one's best to God and the role of artistry in expressing faith.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

Yarn

The notice of yarn is contained in an extremely obscure passage in (1 Kings 10:28; 2 Chronicles 1:16) The Hebrew Received Text is questionable. Gesenius gives the sense of "number" as applying equally to the merchants and the horses: "A band of the king's merchants bought a drove (of horses) at a price."

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Found only in 1 Kings 10:28, 2 Chronicles 1:16. The Hebrews word mikveh, i.e., "a stringing together," so rendered, rather signifies a host, or company, or a string of horses. The Authorized Version has: "And Solomon had horses brought out of Egypt, and linen yarn: the king's merchants received the linen yarn at a price;" but the Revised Version correctly renders: "And the horses which Solomon had were brought out of Egypt; the king's merchants received them in droves, each drove at a price."

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary

1. (n.) Spun wool; woolen thread; also, thread of other material, as of cotton, flax, hemp, or silk; material spun and prepared for use in weaving, knitting, manufacturing sewing thread, or the like.

2. (n.) One of the threads of which the strands of a rope are composed.

3. (n.) A story told by a sailor for the amusement of his companions; a story or tale; as, to spin a yarn.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

YARN

yarn.

See LINEN; SPINNING; WEAVING.

Strong's Hebrew

330. etuwn -- thread, yarn
... 329, 330. etuwn. 330a . thread, yarn. Transliteration: etuwn Phonetic
Spelling: (ay-toon') Short Definition: linen. fine linen From ...
/hebrew/330.htm - 5k

4299. matveh -- that which is spun, yarn
... 4298, 4299. matveh. 4300 . that which is spun, yarn. Transliteration:
matveh Phonetic Spelling: (mat-veh') Short Definition: spun. ...
/hebrew/4299.htm - 6k

330a. etun -- thread, yarn
... etun. 330b . thread, yarn. Transliteration: etun Short Definition: linens. Word
Origin from atam Definition thread, yarn NASB Word Usage linens (1). 330, 330a ...
/hebrew/330a.htm - 5k

4723. miqveh -- a hope
... a hope. Transliteration: miqveh Phonetic Spelling: (mik-veh') Short Definition:
abiding. abiding, gathering together, hope, linen yarn, plenty of water, pool ...
/hebrew/4723.htm - 5k

906. bad -- white linen
... linen. Perhaps from badad (in the sense of divided fibres); flaxen thread or yarn;
hence, a linen garment -- linen. see HEBREW badad. 905, 906. bad. 907 . ...
/hebrew/906.htm - 6k

235. azal -- to go
... Ezek. 27:19 the word is rendered by many "from Uzal," by others "yarn"), be
gone (spent). 234, 235. azal. 236 . Strong's Numbers.
/hebrew/235.htm - 6k

Library

Events During the War
... At that time, flour cost [USD]10.00 and upward, a barrel, calico from 35 to 45 cents
a yard, and cotton yarn from [USD]9.00 to [USD]11.00 a bunch. ...
/.../cole/trials and triumphs of faith/chapter iv events during the.htm

An Old Subscription List
... but they had ten fingers and a distaff, and if some neighbour found the stuff, the
ten fingers joyfully set the distaff twirling, and spun the yarn for the ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture k/an old subscription list.htm

His First Residence in Germany.
... English reader. John Yeardley says: Wilt thou not be surprised when I tell
thee that I am about to commence yarn-bleaching? Thou mayst ...
/.../chapter iv his first residence.htm

Wisdom and the Strange Woman
... I have spread my couch with carpets of tapestry, With striped cloths of the yarn
of Egypt; I have perfumed my bed With myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. ...
/.../select masterpieces of biblical literature/vii wisdom and the strange.htm

Ezekiel's Discourse
... white wool. Vedan and Javan traded with yarn for thy wares: bright iron,
cassia, and calamus, were among thy merchandise. Dedan ...
/.../various/select masterpieces of biblical literature/vii ezekiels discourse.htm

The Longbeards' Saga. AD 400
... men, Ambri and Assi; How to the Winilfolk Went they with war-words," 'Few are ye,
strangers, And many are we: Pay us now toll and fee, Cloth-yarn, and rings ...
/.../kingsley/andromeda and other poems/the longbeards saga a d 400.htm

One Hank Over for the Candle.
... beacon failed not. Each night she spun so many hanks of yarn for her daily
bread, and one hank over for the candle. She turned night ...
/.../gordon/quiet talks with world winners/one hank over for the.htm

Letter cxxviii. To Gaudentius.
... She must also learn to spin, shaping the yarn with her tender thumb; for, even if
she constantly breaks the threads, a day will come when she will no longer ...
/.../jerome/the principal works of st jerome/letter cxxviii to gaudentius.htm

A Strong Man who Lost his Strength
... men lying in wait in the inner room, but when she said to him, "The Philistines
are upon you, Samson!" he snapped the bowstrings as a piece of yarn is snapped ...
//christianbookshelf.org/sherman/the childrens bible/a strong man who lost.htm

Of their Cords.
... They also wear double scarves [651] woven of woollen yarn which the Greeks call
analaboi, but which we should name girdles [652] or strings, [653] or more ...
/.../cassian/the works of john cassian /chapter v of their cords.htm

Thesaurus

Yarn (37 Occurrences)
... The Authorized Version has: "And Solomon had horses brought out of Egypt, and linen
yarn: the king's merchants received the linen yarn at a price;" but the ...
/y/yarn.htm - 18k

Linen-yarn
Linen-yarn. Linenyarn, Linen-yarn. Lines . Easton's Bible Dictionary (see
YARN.). Linenyarn, Linen-yarn. Lines . Reference Bible.
/l/linen-yarn.htm - 6k

Thrum (2 Occurrences)
... 2. (n.) Any coarse yarn; an unraveled strand of rope. 3. (n.) A threadlike part
of a flower; a stamen. ... 5. (n.) A mat made of canvas and tufts of yarn. ...
/t/thrum.htm - 8k

Reel (6 Occurrences)
... 2. (n.) A frame with radial arms, or a kind of spool, turning on an axis, on which
yarn, threads, lines, or the like, are wound; as, a log reel, used by seamen ...
/r/reel.htm - 9k

Spindle (2 Occurrences)
... 7. (n.) A long and slender stalk resembling a spindle. 8. (n.) A yarn measure
containing, in cotton yarn, 15,120 yards; in linen yarn, 14,400 yards. ...
/s/spindle.htm - 8k

Vedan (1 Occurrence)
... ve'-dan (wedhan): A place-name occurring only in Ezekiel 27:19, "Vedan and Javan
traded with yarn for thy wares." the King James Version, taking the syllable ...
/v/vedan.htm - 7k

Knit (11 Occurrences)
... 3. (vt) To form, as a textile fabric, by the interlacing of yarn or thread in a
series of connected loops, by means of needles, either by hand or by machinery ...
/k/knit.htm - 10k

Uzal (3 Occurrences)
... the Revised Version (British and American) reads, "Vedan and Javan traded with yarn
for thy wares." Here an obscure verbal form, me'uzzal, is taken to mean ...
/u/uzal.htm - 9k

Worm (22 Occurrences)
... 19. (n.) To wind rope, yarn, or other material, spirally round, between the strands
of, as a cable; to wind with spun yarn, as a small rope. Int. ...
/w/worm.htm - 21k

Worsted (1 Occurrence)
... 2. (n.) Well-twisted yarn spun of long-staple wool which has been combed to lay
the fibers parallel, used for carpets, cloth, hosiery, gloves, and the like. ...
/w/worsted.htm - 7k

Resources

What is the significance of pomegranates in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

What is hyssop? What was hyssop used for in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

What is the significance of a scarlet thread? | GotQuestions.org

Yarn: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus

Concordance

Yarn (37 Occurrences)

Exodus 25:4
blue, purple, scarlet, fine linen, goats' hair,
(See NIV)

Exodus 26:1
"Moreover you shall make the tabernacle with ten curtains; of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet, with cherubim. The work of the skillful workman you shall make them.
(See NIV)

Exodus 26:31
"You shall make a veil of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, with cherubim. The work of the skillful workman shall it be made.
(See NIV)

Exodus 26:36
"You shall make a screen for the door of the Tent, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, the work of the embroiderer.
(See NIV)

Exodus 27:16
For the gate of the court shall be a screen of twenty cubits, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, the work of the embroiderer; their pillars four, and their sockets four.
(See NIV)

Exodus 28:5
They shall take the gold, and the blue, and the purple, and the scarlet, and the fine linen.
(See NIV)

Exodus 28:6
"They shall make the ephod of gold, of blue, and purple, scarlet, and fine twined linen, the work of the skillful workman.
(See NIV)

Exodus 28:8
The skillfully woven band, which is on it, that is on him, shall be like its work and of the same piece; of gold, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen.
(See NIV)

Exodus 28:15
"You shall make a breastplate of judgment, the work of the skillful workman; like the work of the ephod you shall make it; of gold, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, you shall make it.
(See NIV)

Exodus 28:33
On its hem you shall make pomegranates of blue, and of purple, and of scarlet, around its hem; and bells of gold between and around them:
(See NIV)

Exodus 35:6
blue, purple, scarlet, fine linen, goats' hair,
(See NIV)

Exodus 35:23
Everyone, with whom was found blue, purple, scarlet, fine linen, goats' hair, rams' skins dyed red, and sea cow hides, brought them.
(See NIV)

Exodus 35:25
And every wise-hearted woman hath spun with her hands, and they bring in yarn, the blue, and the purple, the scarlet, and the linen;
(YLT NIV)

Exodus 35:35
He has filled them with wisdom of heart, to work all manner of workmanship, of the engraver, of the skillful workman, and of the embroiderer, in blue, in purple, in scarlet, and in fine linen, and of the weaver, even of those who do any workmanship, and of those who make skillful works.
(See NIV)

Exodus 36:35
He made the veil of blue, purple, scarlet, and fine twined linen: with cherubim. He made it the work of a skillful workman.
(See NIV)

Exodus 36:37
He made a screen for the door of the tent, of blue, purple, scarlet, and fine twined linen, the work of an embroiderer;
(See NIV)

Exodus 38:18
The screen for the gate of the court was the work of the embroiderer, of blue, purple, scarlet, and fine twined linen. Twenty cubits was the length, and the height in the breadth was five cubits, like to the hangings of the court.
(See NIV)

Exodus 38:23
With him was Oholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, an engraver, and a skillful workman, and an embroiderer in blue, in purple, in scarlet, and in fine linen.
(See NIV)

Exodus 39:1
Of the blue, purple, and scarlet, they made finely worked garments, for ministering in the holy place, and made the holy garments for Aaron; as Yahweh commanded Moses.
(See NIV)

Exodus 39:2
He made the ephod of gold, blue, purple, scarlet, and fine twined linen.
(See NIV)

Exodus 39:3
They beat the gold into thin plates, and cut it into wires, to work it in the blue, in the purple, in the scarlet, and in the fine linen, the work of the skillful workman.
(See NIV)

Exodus 39:5
The skillfully woven band that was on it, with which to fasten it on, was of the same piece, like its work; of gold, of blue, purple, scarlet, and fine twined linen; as Yahweh commanded Moses.
(See NIV)

Exodus 39:8
He made the breastplate, the work of a skillful workman, like the work of the ephod; of gold, of blue, purple, scarlet, and fine twined linen.
(See NIV)

Exodus 39:24
They made on the skirts of the robe pomegranates of blue, purple, scarlet, and twined linen.
(See NIV)

Exodus 39:29
and the sash of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet, the work of the embroiderer, as Yahweh commanded Moses.
(See NIV)

Leviticus 14:4
then the priest shall command them to take for him who is to be cleansed two living clean birds, and cedar wood, and scarlet, and hyssop.
(See NIV)

Leviticus 14:6
As for the living bird, he shall take it, and the cedar wood, and the scarlet, and the hyssop, and shall dip them and the living bird in the blood of the bird that was killed over the running water.
(See NIV)

Leviticus 14:49
To cleanse the house he shall take two birds, and cedar wood, and scarlet, and hyssop.
(See NIV)

Leviticus 14:51
He shall take the cedar wood, and the hyssop, and the scarlet, and the living bird, and dip them in the blood of the slain bird, and in the running water, and sprinkle the house seven times.
(See NIV)

Leviticus 14:52
He shall cleanse the house with the blood of the bird, and with the running water, with the living bird, with the cedar wood, with the hyssop, and with the scarlet;
(See NIV)

1 Kings 10:28
And Solomon had horses brought out of Egypt, and linen yarn: the king's merchants received the linen yarn at a price.
(KJV WBS)

2 Chronicles 1:16
And Solomon had horses brought out of Egypt, and linen yarn: the king's merchants received the linen yarn at a price.
(KJV WBS)

2 Chronicles 2:7
Now therefore send me a man skillful to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass, and in iron, and in purple, and crimson, and blue, and who knows how to engrave all manner of engravings, to be with the skillful men who are with me in Judah and in Jerusalem, whom David my father did provide.
(See NIV)

2 Chronicles 2:14
the son of a woman of the daughters of Dan; and his father was a man of Tyre, skillful to work in gold, and in silver, in brass, in iron, in stone, and in timber, in purple, in blue, and in fine linen, and in crimson, also to engrave any manner of engraving, and to devise any device; that there may be a place appointed to him with your skillful men, and with the skillful men of my lord David your father.
(See NIV)

2 Chronicles 3:14
He made the veil of blue, and purple, and crimson, and fine linen, and ornamented it with cherubim.
(See NIV)

Proverbs 7:16
I have spread my couch with carpets of tapestry, with striped cloths of the yarn of Egypt.
(WEB JPS ASV)

Ezekiel 27:19
Vedan and Javan traded with yarn for your wares: bright iron, cassia, and calamus, were among your merchandise.
(WEB JPS ASV)

Subtopics

Yarn

Yarn: General Scriptures Concerning

Related Terms

Linen-yarn

Thrum (2 Occurrences)

Reel (6 Occurrences)

Spindle (2 Occurrences)

Vedan (1 Occurrence)