חֶ֫רֶשׂ (che.re.s)
che.re.s
earthenware
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 12 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The noun cheres refers to earthenware or clay pottery, specifically the fired vessels used in ancient daily life. It appears twelve times in the Hebrew Bible, with a notable concentration in Leviticus and the prophetic books of Isaiah and Jeremiah. The term encompasses both intact containers and broken shards, grounding its meaning in the tangible reality of household objects made from local earth.
Its significance often lies in the fragility of the material. In Leviticus 6:21, instructions for grain offerings specify that if food touches an earthenware vessel, it must be broken because the porous clay absorbs flavors and cannot be fully cleansed. This physical limitation becomes a metaphor for spiritual impurity or irreversible change, contrasting sharply with durable bronze vessels that could be purified.
The word also carries theological weight in prophetic imagery. Isaiah 41:25 describes God stirring up one from the north like a potter’s vessel, while Jeremiah 19 uses a broken earthenware jar to symbolize the impending destruction of Jerusalem. In these contexts, cheres highlights human vulnerability and the sovereignty of the Creator who shapes and breaks clay, reminding readers of their dependence on divine will.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
When we read about earthenware in Scripture, we encounter a metaphor for our own fragile humanity. Made from dust and shaped by God’s hands, these vessels were common household items, yet they carried profound spiritual lessons. Unlike durable bronze or gold, clay was porous and easily broken. This physical reality reminds us that our strength is not found in our own resilience, but in the Potter who formed us.
The Bible uses this image to teach both humility and hope. In Isaiah, God warns against striving with the Creator, reminding us that the clay does not dictate its own shape. Yet, even when we feel broken or flawed, as seen in Jeremiah’s shattered jar, there is a purpose in that breaking. It can signify judgment, but it also points to the sovereignty of God, who holds all things in His hands and can restore what seems lost.
For your daily walk, this word invites trust rather than self-reliance. You are not expected to be an unbreakable fortress. Instead, you are invited to rely on the One who knows exactly how much pressure you can bear. In your moments of weakness or uncertainty, remember that being shaped by God is a sign of His care, not your failure.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 12 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- earthenware9×
- a potsherd3×
- potsherds of1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- חָ֑רֶשׂ4×
- חֶ֔רֶשׂ4×
- חֶ֖רֶשׂ3×
- חַרְשֵׂ֣י1×
- חֶ֛רֶשׂ1×
Key Verses
-
Isaiah 45:9
Woe to him who strives with his Maker— a clay pot among the clay pots of the earth! Shall the clay ask him who fashions it, ‘What are you making?’ or your work, ‘He has no hands’?
This verse establishes the fundamental relationship between Creator and creature, warning against pride by comparing humans to clay pots that cannot question their Maker.
-
Jeremiah 19:1
Thus said Yahweh, “Go, and buy a potter’s earthen container, and take some of the elders of the people and of the elders of the priests;
Here the word appears in a prophetic act where a broken jar symbolizes the unavoidable destruction of Jerusalem, highlighting God's sovereign control over history.
-
Leviticus 11:33
Every earthen vessel into which any of them falls and all that is in it shall be unclean. You shall break it.
This law shows the practical holiness of the tabernacle, where porous clay could not be purified once contaminated, requiring it to be broken to maintain ritual purity.
-
Jeremiah 32:14
Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel, says: ‘Take these deeds, this deed of the purchase which is sealed, and this deed which is open, and put them in an earthen vessel, that they may last many days.’
In a moment of despair, Jeremiah stores legal deeds in an earthen vessel, using the durability of clay to symbolize God's promise that His covenant will endure for generations.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Hebrew word cheres mean?
Why did Leviticus require earthen vessels to be broken if they became unclean?
How is cheres used as a metaphor in the prophets?
Every Occurrence (12 verses across 7 books)
Leviticus 4 verses
Every earthen vessel into which any of them falls and all that is in it shall be unclean. You shall break it.
Leviticus 14:5The priest shall command them to kill one of the birds in an earthen vessel over running water.
Leviticus 14:50He shall kill one of the birds in an earthen vessel over running water.
Leviticus 15:12“‘The earthen vessel, which he who has the discharge touches, shall be broken; and every vessel of wood shall be rinsed…