BIBLE DICTIONARY + WORD STUDY

Harness

Original Hebrew / Aramaic / Greek connected to this term

How to read this: there is rarely one magic “true meaning” hidden behind an English word. A lexicon records a word’s semantic range. The intended meaning is narrowed by grammar, sentence, author, historical usage and context.

GREEK · G7599

ζεύγνυμι

zeugnumi — harness

1. to yoke, put to , ἵππους (Homer), etc.; ζ. ἵππους ὑφ᾽ ἅρματα, ὑφ᾽ ἅρμασιν, ὑπ᾽ ὄχεσφιν, ὑπ᾽ ἀμάξηισιν (Iliad by Homer);—;(so in Mid., ἵππους ζεύγνυσθαι to put to one's horses, (Homer));—;also of riding horses, to harness, saddle and bridle , ζεῦξαι Πάγασον (Pindar):—;of chariots, to put to, get ready , (Homer) 2. to bind, bind fast , (Xenophon Historicus):—;Pass., φάρη ἐζευγμέναι having them fastened , (Euripides) 3. metaphorically, πότμωι ζυγείς in the yoke of fate, (Pindar); ἀνάγκηι, ὁρκίοις ζυγείς (Sophocles Tragicus) 4. to join together , σανίδες ἐζευγμέναι well-joined , (Iliad by Homer) 5. to join in wedlock , (Euripides):—;in Mid., of the husband, to wed , (Euripides):—;Pass. to be married , (Sophocles Tragicus) 6. to join opposite banks by bridges , τὸν Ἑλλήσποντον ζεῦξαι (Herdotus Historicus), etc.:—;also, γέφυραν ζεῦξαι to form a bridge, (Herdotus Historicus) 7. to undergird ships with ropes , (Thucydides) (ML)

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HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H631

אָסַר

a.sar — to bind

1) to tie, bind, imprison 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to tie, bind 1a2) to tie, harness 1a3) to bind (with cords) 1a4) to gird (rare and late) 1a5) to begin the battle, make the attack 1a6) of obligation of oath (figurative) 1b) (Niphal) to be imprisoned, bound 1c) (Pual) to be taken prisoner

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GREEK · G21084

σαγή

sagē — padding

1. a man's pack, baggage , αὐτόφορτος οἰκείᾳ σαγῇ, i. e. carrying his own baggage, (Aeschulus Tragicus): generally, harness, equipment , (Aeschulus Tragicus) 2. = σάγμα II, a pack-saddle , (Babrius Fabularum Scriptor) (ML)

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GREEK · G21228

τεῦχος

teuchos — masonry, fabric

1. a tool, implement :—;mostly in plural τεύχεα, 2. implements of war, armour, arms, harness , (Homer);—;so τεύχη in [variant datesTragica Adespota 3. in plural, also, the gear of a ship, tackle , (Odyssey by Homer) 4. in singular a vessel of any kind, a bathing-tub , (Aeschulus Tragicus); a cinerary urn , (Aeschulus Tragicus); a balloting-urn , (Aeschulus Tragicus); a vase for libations , (Aeschulus Tragicus); a vase or ewer for water, (Euripides); a pot or jar , (Xenophon Historicus); ξύλινα τ. chests , (Xenophon Historicus) 5. the human frame, body , (Aristotle Philosopher) 6. a book , [variant datesAnthology Palantina; hence πεντάτευχος, the Pentateuch. (ML)

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GREEK · G6474

ἀποσάττω

aposattō — to unharness

to unharness

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Historical dictionary entry

(1.) Heb. ‘asar, “to bind;” hence the act of fastening animals to a cart (1 Sam. 6:7, 10; Jer. 46:4, etc.). (2.) An Old English word for “armour;” Heb. neshek (2 Chr. 9:24). (3.) Heb. shiryan, a coat of mail (1 Kings 22:34; 2 Chr. 18:33; rendered “breastplate” in Isa. 59:17). (4.) The children of Israel passed out of Egypt “harnessed” (Ex. 13:18), i.e., in an orderly manner, and as if to meet a foe. The word so rendered is probably a derivative from Hebrew hamesh (i.e., “five”), and may denote that they went up in five divisions, viz., the van, centre, two wings, and rear-guard.

Scripture references

Source: Easton’s Bible Dictionary (1897). Historical dictionary wording reflects the scholarship and language of its era.

Compare other reference traditions

Look up Harness in Smith’s Bible Dictionary and ISBE →