### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **ʻabṭîyṭ**, represented by `{{H5671}}`, is translated as **thick clay**. It appears only **1 time** in **1 unique verse** in the Bible. The term's base definition is **something pledged, i.e. (collectively) pawned goods; thick clay (by a false etym.)**. This rarity makes its single appearance particularly significant for understanding its context.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In its only biblical appearance, `{{H5671}}` is used within a prophetic taunt. [[Habakkuk 2:6]] describes a woe pronounced against one who unjustly accumulates wealth, saying, "Woe to him that increaseth that which is not his! how long? and to him that ladeth himself with **thick clay**!" The term is part of a **parable** `{{H4912}}` and a **taunting proverb** (`{{H4426}}`, `{{H2420}}`), used metaphorically to describe the burdensome and worthless nature of ill-gotten gains.
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words in [[Habakkuk 2:6]] build the context for **ʻabṭîyṭ**:
* `{{H3513}}` **kâbad**: This primitive root means **to be heavy, i.e. in a bad sense (burdensome, severe, dull)**. In this verse, it is translated as "ladeth," directly associating the accumulation of **thick clay** with becoming heavily burdened.
* `{{H1945}}` **hôwy**: This word signifies **ah, alas, ho, O, woe**. Its use introduces the entire pronouncement, setting a tone of judgment and sorrow for the one accumulating what is not theirs.
* `{{H4912}}` **mâshâl**: Defined as **a pithy maxim, usually of metaphorical nature; hence, a simile (as an adage, poem, discourse)**, this word establishes that the phrase containing **ʻabṭîyṭ** is not literal but a metaphorical "parable" used for teaching and rebuke.
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of `{{H5671}}` is concentrated in its single, powerful use as a metaphor.
* **The Weight of Ill-Gotten Gain:** The primary theological point is that wealth gained through exploitation is not a blessing but a self-imposed, heavy burden. The imagery of being laded with **thick clay** `{{H5671}}` suggests that such gain is spiritually suffocating and of no true value.
* **A Warning Against Covetousness:** The term is used in a **woe** `{{H1945}}` oracle, a form of prophetic judgment. It serves as a stern warning against the sin of increasing one's possessions at the expense of others, a theme found in prophetic rebukes against injustice ([[Micah 2:1]], [[Isaiah 5:20]]).
* **The Nature of Pledged Goods:** The base definition of `{{H5671}}` as **something pledged, i.e. (collectively) pawned goods** adds a layer of meaning. It implies that the "thick clay" is not just abstract wealth, but specifically the collateral taken from the poor, making the act of "lading" oneself with it a picture of profound injustice.
### Summary
In summary, `{{H5671}}` **ʻabṭîyṭ** provides a vivid and singular biblical metaphor. Though appearing only once, its use as **thick clay** in [[Habakkuk 2:6]] powerfully illustrates the burdensome and worthless nature of wealth acquired through injustice. Set within a prophetic **woe** `{{H1945}}`, it functions as a memorable image of self-inflicted weight, transforming what the world sees as gain into a heavy, suffocating liability.
TRV