copper and coppersmiths in the Bible

Hebrew: נְחשֶׁת —transliteration: nechosheth

Greek: χαλκός —transliteration: chalkos

The word “copper” is derived from the Greek kupros (the island of Cyprus), called “Cyprian brass.”

The word “copper” appears 5 times in the New American Standard Bible and 8 times in the New King James Bible:

• Deuteronomy 8:9 NASB —“…out of whose hills you can dig copper.” / Deu. 8:9 NKJV
• Job 28:2 NASB —“…copper is smelted from rock.” / Job 28:2 NKJV
• Matthew 10:9 NASB —“Do not acquire gold, or silver, or copper for your money belts” / Matt. 10:9 NKJV
• Mark 6:8 NKJV —“…no copper in their money belts”
• Matthew 10:29 NKJV —“Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? …” / compare Matt. 10:29 NASB
• Luke 12:6 NKJV —“Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins? …”
• Mark 7:4 NASB —“…washing of cups, pitchers, and copper pots”
• 2 Timothy 4:14 NASB; 2 Tim. 4:14 NKJV —“Alexander the coppersmith…”

In the King James Bible, the word copper occurs ony twice:

• Ezra 8:27 KJV —“…two vessels of fine copper…” / compare Ezra 8:27 NKJV —“…two vessels of fine polished bronze…”
• 2 Timothy 4:14 KJV —“Alexander the coppersmith…”

Note: Both bronze and brass are copper alloys. Brass is a combination of cooper and zinc. Bronze is copper with zinc and/or tin and sometimes with the addition of other metals and sometimes non-metals or metalloids. There are numerous references to bronze in the Bible, such as the account of Moses holding up a bronze snake on a pole Numbers 21.

Elsewhere, the Hebrew word nehosheth is sometimes improperly translated “brass in the King James Version,” and sometimes “steel” (2 Samuel 22:35 KJV —compare 2 Sam. 22:35 NASB / Jeremiah 15:12 KJV —compare Jer. 15:12 NASB). The vessels of “fine copper” of Ezra 8:27 KJV are similar to those of “bright” or “polished” brass mentioned in 1 Kings 7:45 KJV and Daniel 10:6 KJV.

The “bow of steel” mentioned in Job 20:24 KJV and Psalm 18:34 KJV should be “bow of bronze,” as in the New King James Version: Job 20:24 NKJV; Psalm 18:34 NKJV).

Tubal-cain was the first artificer in brass and iron (Genesis 4:22). Hiram was noted as a worker in brass (1 Kings 7:14). Copper abounded in Israel (Deuteronomy 8:9; Isaiah 60:17; 1 Chronicles 22:3, 14). All sorts of vessels in the tabernacle and the temple were made of it (Leviticus 6:28; Numbers 16:39; 2 Chronicles 4:16; Ezra 8:27); also weapons of war (1 Samuel 17:5-6, 38; 2 Samuel 21:16).

Iron is mentioned only 4 times (Genesis 4:22; Leviticus 26:19; Numbers 31:22; 35:16) in the first 4 books of Moses, while copper (rendered “brass”) is mentioned 40 times. (See BRASS.)

Coppersmith

In 2 Timothy 4:14 a coppersmith named Alexander is mentioned who spread certain heresies regarding the resurrection of Christ.

More information

• Arabah —ancient cooper mines at Timna
• About various METALS in the Bible
• About brass and bronze in the Bible
• Who is Alexander?