Lexical Summary
pesheth: Linen, Flax
Original Word:פִשְׁתֶּה
Part of Speech:Noun Feminine
Transliteration:pishteh
Pronunciation:peh'-sheth
Phonetic Spelling:(pish-teh')
KJV: flax, linen
NASB:linen, flax, linen made from flax
Word Origin:[from the same asH6580 (פַּשׁ - To spread) as in the sense of comminuting]
1. linen (i.e. the thread, as carded)
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
flax, linen
From the same aspash as in the sense of comminuting; linen (i.e. The thread, as carded) -- flax, linen.
see HEBREWpash
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originof uncertain derivation
Definitionflax, linen
NASB Translationflax (6), linen (9), linen made from flax (1).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
[] (√ dubious; Late Hebrew , Punic ; Löw
p. 233); — suffix
Hosea 2:7;
Hosea 2:11; elsewhere plural
Judges 15:14 +, construct
Joshua 2:6; —
flax, after gathering,Joshua 2:6 (J E, see
);Judges 15:14 (simile); as natural product (+ )Hosea 2:7;Hosea 2:11; as material,Ezekiel 40:3; of various garmentsJeremiah 13:1;Ezekiel 44:17,18 (twice in verse), +Deuteronomy 22:11;Leviticus 13:47,48,52,59 (P), compareProverbs 31:13;Isaiah 19:9 (see [ ]).
Topical Lexicon
Overviewפִשְׁתֶּה denotes flax—either the plant, its fibers, or cloth spun from it. Within Scripture the word occurs in settings that range from household economy to priestly worship, offering a window into Israel’s agrarian life and into the theological themes of purity, strength, judgment, and redemption.
Flax in Israelite Material Culture
Flax was sown in the winter rains, pulled up by the roots in early spring, retted, beaten, and spun into thread.Joshua 2:6 pictures Rahab hiding the spies “under the stalks of flax she had laid out on the roof.” The verse hints at rooftop drying, a common stage in processing.Proverbs 31:13 commends the virtuous wife who “selects wool and flax and works with eager hands,” showing flax as a staple of the home economy that demanded diligence and skill.Isaiah 19:9 similarly speaks of “those who work with flax” in Egypt, confirming a regional trade that fostered commerce and employment.
Legal and Ritual Regulations
Leviticus 13:47-59 applies the laws of tsaraath (mildew, mold, or fungus) not merely to human skin but also to garments “whether in wool or linen.” Linen’s susceptibility to dampness required strict oversight lest impurity spread.Deuteronomy 22:11 forbids wearing garments of “mixed wool and linen,” reinforcing separateness in daily attire. These statutes preserved ceremonial cleanness and taught Israel to distinguish between what is holy and common.
Flax as Instrument of Providence and Power
InJoshua 2, flax becomes the means by which Rahab shelters Israel’s spies, securing the line through which salvation comes to her household.Judges 15:14 portrays Philistine cords on Samson as “flax that burns in fire,” a vivid picture of how flimsy human restraints prove before the Spirit-empowered judge. Thus flax may symbolize both protection and fragility, depending on its relation to divine purpose.
Priestly Linen and the Theology of Holiness
Ezekiel’s temple vision underscores linen as the fabric of priests. The heavenly messenger inEzekiel 40:3 appears with “a linen cord and a measuring rod,” linking righteous measurement with linen purity.Ezekiel 44:17-18 legislates that priests entering the inner court must wear linen garments, “and no wool shall be on them,” lest perspiration (symbolizing human effort) defile their service. The emphasis anticipatesRevelation 19:8, where the bride’s “fine linen” is “the righteous acts of the saints,” establishing continuity between Old Testament cultus and New Testament eschatology.
Prophetic Warnings and Promises
Hosea 2 uses flax as covenant metaphor. Israel, personified as an unfaithful wife, declares, “I will go after my lovers, who provide… my flax” (Hosea 2:5), attributing everyday provision to idols. The Lord responds, “Therefore I will take back My grain… and My wool and My flax” (Hosea 2:9), demonstrating that withholding flax—basic clothing material—becomes an instrument of chastisement.Jeremiah 13:1 records the prophet commanded to buy a linen waistband, later ruined to portray Judah’s pride. The very cloth meant to cling to the priest becomes, through corruption, a parable of apostasy.
Spiritual Symbolism and Christological Fulfillment
Throughout Scripture linen typifies righteousness granted by God rather than achieved by man. The High Priest’s linen garments on the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16, though using a different Hebrew term) foreshadow the sinless life of Jesus Christ, our great High Priest. The legal ban on mixture exhorts believers to unmixed devotion, while the mildew test echoes the need for continual cleansing through the Word. Samson’s burning flax cords prefigure the victory of the Spirit over the fleshly restraints of sin. Hosea’s reclaimed flax anticipates restoration: what God withholds in judgment, He can restore in covenant mercy.
Pastoral and Missional Implications
1. Holiness in Service: Ministers are called to serve in “linen”—the purity that Christ provides—eschewing the sweat of self-effort.
2. Integrity in Commerce: Flax workers in Proverbs and Isaiah challenge modern believers to diligence and honesty in business.
3. Hospitality and Risk: Rahab’s rooftop flax urges the church to courageous hospitality that advances God’s redemptive plan.
4. Warning against Mixture: The prohibition of wool-and-linen blends cautions against syncretism in doctrine and life.
5. Restoration after Judgment: Hosea assures that loss endured under divine discipline can lead to renewed covenant blessings.
Selected Passages
Leviticus 13:47 – “If a fabric is contaminated with mildew—any wool or linen garment…”
Joshua 2:6 – “But she had taken them up to the roof and hidden them among the stalks of flax…”
Judges 15:14 – “But the ropes that bound him melted like flax in a flame…”
Ezekiel 44:17 – “When they enter the gates of the inner court, they shall wear linen garments.”
Hosea 2:9 – “Therefore I will take back My grain in its time… and My wool and My flax.”
From household rooftops to the inner sanctuary, פִשְׁתֶּה threads its way through Scripture, pointing to the purity, provision, and power found in covenant relationship with the LORD.
Forms and Transliterations
בְּפִשְׁתֵּ֣י בַפִּשְׁתִּ֔ים בפשתי בפשתים הַפִּשְׁתִּ֗ים הפשתים וּפִשְׁתִּ֑ים וּפִשְׁתִּ֔י וּפִשְׁתִּ֖ים ופשתי ופשתים כַּפִּשְׁתִּים֙ כפשתים לַפִּשְׁתִּ֖ים לפשתים פִּשְׁתִּ֔ים פִּשְׁתִּ֥ים פִּשְׁתִּֽים׃ פִשְׁתִּ֔ים פִשְׁתִּ֖ים פִשְׁתִּים֙ פשתים פשתים׃ ḇap·piš·tîm ḇappištîm bə·p̄iš·tê befishTei bəp̄ištê fishTim hap·piš·tîm happishTim happištîm kap·piš·tîm kappishTim kappištîm lap·piš·tîm lappishTim lappištîm piš·tîm p̄iš·tîm pishTim pištîm p̄ištîm ū·p̄iš·tî ū·p̄iš·tîm ufishTi ufishTim ūp̄ištî ūp̄ištîm vappishTim
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