עֹפֶרֶת (o.phe.ret)
o.phe.ret
lead
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 6 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun opheret simply means "lead," the heavy, soft metal known since antiquity for its density and malleability. It appears in only six verses across the Old Testament, with notable occurrences in Job, Numbers, and Zechariah. The word is likely a loanword, reflecting the practical reality of mining and metallurgy in the ancient Near East where lead was used for weights, pipes, or casting.
In Scripture, opheret often carries a negative theological weight due to the metal’s low value compared to gold or silver. In Job 28:1-2, it is listed among precious minerals that humans can extract from the earth, yet this material wealth is contrasted with the priceless nature of wisdom. Similarly, in Zechariah 11:12-13, the prophet’s wage of thirty pieces of silver is thrown to the potter as a pot of opheret, symbolizing something cast aside as worthless trash.
This usage highlights a common biblical motif where lead represents base value or contemptible worth. Unlike gold, which signifies glory and purity, lead is associated with what is discarded or considered insignificant. The sources do not provide extensive etymological detail beyond noting its probable foreign origin, but the consistent contextual usage underscores its role as a symbol of low status or rejected material.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
When Scripture mentions lead, it rarely speaks of beauty or prestige. Instead, this heavy metal serves as a stark reminder of what is discarded. In Zechariah, the prophet’s wages are cast into a pot of lead, symbolizing value that has been rejected and treated as worthless trash. This image challenges us to consider how we weigh our own worth and the worth of others in God's eyes.
Yet there is comfort in this contrast. Just as lead is base compared to gold, human efforts often fall short of divine glory. Jeremiah uses the image of refining lead to show that wickedness cannot be purified by mere human effort. It reminds us that true cleansing comes only from God, who sees beyond surface appearances.
We can find hope in knowing that our value does not depend on being precious metals. God’s love is not a commodity weighed on scales. He values the humble heart more than any earthly treasure. This perspective frees us from the anxiety of proving our worth, inviting us instead to rest in His steadfast grace.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 6 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- lead2×
- the/ lead1×
- like <the>/ lead1×
- and/ lead1×
- <the>/ lead1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- עֹפָ֑רֶת1×
- עֹפֶ֖רֶת1×
- כַּֽ/עוֹפֶ֔רֶת1×
- וְ/עֹפָ֑רֶת1×
- הָ/עֹפָֽרֶת\׃1×
- הָ/עֹפֶ֖רֶת1×
Key Verses
-
Jeremiah 6:29
The bellows blow fiercely. The lead is consumed in the fire. In vain they go on refining, for the wicked are not plucked away.
Lead being consumed in the fire illustrates the futility of human attempts to refine wickedness without God's intervention.
-
Exodus 15:10
You blew with your wind. The sea covered them. They sank like lead in the mighty waters.
The enemy sinking like lead emphasizes the heavy, irreversible judgment that overtakes those who oppose God.