אֶ֫רֶג (e.reg)
e.reg
shuttle
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew word ereg refers to a specific tool used in weaving, typically translated as either "loom" or "shuttle." While modern readers might imagine the entire frame of a loom, the lexical data suggests it often denotes the smaller, movable part that carries the thread across the warp. This distinction highlights the precision and rhythm required in textile work, where this component facilitates the interlacing of threads to create fabric.
Its appearance in Scripture is rare, found in only two verses: Judges 16:14 and Job 7:6. In Samson’s story, Delilah uses the ereg to bind him, turning a tool of creation into an instrument of captivity. Similarly, Job compares his days to a weaver’s shuttle, emphasizing how quickly time passes as the shuttle moves rapidly back and forth. These contexts show the word not just as an object, but as a metaphor for both human vulnerability and the fleeting nature of life.
Translators sometimes choose "loom" to convey the broader setting of weaving, while "shuttle" captures the specific motion described in Job. Both renderings are valid, depending on whether the focus is on the static structure or the dynamic action. The word reminds readers that ancient craftsmanship involved intricate, repeated movements, much like the patterns of daily life and divine providence woven throughout history.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word ereg refers to the small, moving part of a loom that carries the thread back and forth. In ancient textile work, this piece was essential for creating fabric, yet it moved so quickly it could barely be seen. This image helps us understand how daily life often feels: a rhythm of repeated actions that weave together our days.
In Job 7:6, the sufferer compares his life to this fast-moving shuttle. He does not speak of grand achievements, but of time slipping away before he can rest or find hope. It is a honest picture of exhaustion, where even the simple act of living feels like a race against the clock.
Samson’s story in Judges 16 offers a different angle. Delilah uses the weaving process to trap him, turning a tool of creation into one of captivity. This reminds us that our daily routines and relationships can sometimes become places where we feel bound rather than free. Yet, even in these moments of vulnerability, God sees the threads of our lives.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- the/ loom1×
- a weaver's shuttle1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- הָ/אֶ֖רֶג1×
- אָ֑רֶג1×
Key Verses
-
Job 7:6
My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle, and are spent without hope.
This verse uses the shuttle as a metaphor for the rapid, hopeless passing of time during deep suffering.
-
Judges 16:14
She fastened it with the pin, and said to him, “The Philistines are on you, Samson!” He awakened out of his sleep, and plucked away the pin of the beam and the fabric.
Here the weaving tool is part of the mechanism Delilah uses to capture Samson while he sleeps.