### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **zepheth**, represented by `{{H2203}}`, is defined as **asphalt** or **pitch**. It is derived from an unused root meaning "to liquify," alluding to its tendency to soften in the sun. This specific term appears **3 times** across **2 unique verses** in the Bible, where it serves as a powerful symbol in two sharply contrasting contexts.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In its first appearance, `{{H2203}}` is used as a material for preservation. To save her infant son, Moses' mother prepares an ark of bulrushes and makes it waterproof by daubing it with slime and **pitch** [[Exodus 2:3]]. In this narrative, **pitch** is an essential element in the deliverance of Israel's future leader. The second context is one of divine judgment, where the prophet Isaiah describes a desolate land whose streams are turned into **pitch** and whose dust becomes brimstone, resulting in a landscape of burning **pitch** [[Isaiah 34:9]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words help clarify the meaning and application of **zepheth**:
* `{{H2564}}` **chêmâr** (slime): This word for bitumen is used directly alongside **pitch** to seal the ark for the infant Moses, highlighting its practical use as a sealant [[Exodus 2:3]]. It also appears in the context of building materials [[Genesis 11:3]] and as a hazard in "slimepits" [[Genesis 14:10]].
* `{{H2560}}` **châmar** (to daub): This is the action verb used to describe the application of slime and pitch to the ark [[Exodus 2:3]]. Its root meaning, "to boil up," suggests a heated or agitated state, connecting to other uses like troubled waters [[Psalms 46:3]] or red wine [[Psalms 75:8]].
* `{{H1614}}` **gophrîyth** (brimstone): This substance is paired with **pitch** in Isaiah's prophecy of judgment [[Isaiah 34:9]]. As an inflammable material associated with the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah [[Genesis 19:24]], its presence underscores the theme of divine wrath.
* `{{H1197}}` **bâʻar** (burning): This word modifies **pitch** in the prophecy of [[Isaiah 34:9]], describing the land as becoming "burning **pitch**." It is a term consistently linked with divine fire, from the burning bush that was not consumed [[Exodus 3:2]] to the day of judgment that will burn like an oven [[Malachi 4:1]].
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of `{{H2203}}` is found in its dramatic dualism, representing both deliverance and destruction.
* **Instrument of Preservation:** In the narrative of Moses, **pitch** is a key component in an act of preservation. It functions as a protective sealant, enabling the ark to float safely and ensuring the survival of God's chosen deliverer [[Exodus 2:3]].
* **Agent of Divine Judgment:** In stark contrast, **pitch** becomes an agent of God's wrath in Isaiah's prophecy. The transformation of natural streams into burning **pitch** symbolizes a permanent and irreversible judgment upon the land, rendering it desolate and uninhabitable [[Isaiah 34:9]].
* **Symbol of Irreversible Transformation:** The word illustrates how a common substance can signify a radical change in state. The land described in [[Isaiah 34:9]] is not merely damaged but fundamentally altered into a substance of fiery destruction, showing the totality of divine judgment.
### Summary
In summary, `{{H2203}}` **zepheth** is a potent biblical term whose meaning is defined by its context. Though used sparingly, it captures a profound duality. It is the humble substance used to protect and save a life destined for greatness [[Exodus 2:3]], and it is the terrifying element of a cursed land consumed by fire and judgment [[Isaiah 34:9]]. This word powerfully demonstrates how the same material can serve purposes of both divine mercy and divine wrath.
TRV