### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **pâthîyl**, represented by `{{H6616}}`, is a term for **twine**. It appears 11 times in 11 unique verses. Its translation varies significantly depending on the context, encompassing items such as a **bound**, **bracelet**, **lace**, **line**, **ribband**, **thread**, or **wire**.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In biblical usage, `{{H6616}}` appears in several distinct contexts. It is frequently used to describe a blue **lace** for fastening the sacred garments of the high priest, such as binding the breastplate `{{H2833}}` to the ephod `{{H646}}` and attaching the golden plate to the mitre `{{H4701}}` ([[Exodus 28:28]], [[Exodus 28:37]]). In a narrative context, it is translated as **bracelets**, serving with a signet `{{H2858}}` as a pledge `{{H6162}}` to confirm identity ([[Genesis 38:18]], [[Genesis 38:25]]). The word also denotes materials for craftsmanship, such as gold **wires** intricately worked into fine linen `{{H8336}}` [[Exodus 39:3]] and a **line** of flax `{{H6593}}` used for measuring in a prophetic vision [[Ezekiel 40:3]]. Finally, it symbolizes both weakness, as a **thread** of tow `{{H5296}}` easily broken by Samson `{{H8123}}` [[Judges 16:9]], and ritual purity, as the **bound** covering on a vessel [[Numbers 19:15]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words clarify the function and significance of `{{H6616}}`:
* `{{H7405}}` **râkaç** (to tie; bind): This verb describes the action performed with a **lace** `{{H6616}}`. In the instructions for the priest's garments, they are commanded to **bind** the breastplate to the ephod with this lace [[Exodus 28:28]].
* `{{H8504}}` **tᵉkêleth** (blue): This word for a specific violet or **blue** color is consistently associated with the **lace** `{{H6616}}` used on priestly garments and the **ribband** commanded for the fringes of Israelite garments, marking them as set apart ([[Numbers 15:38]], [[Exodus 39:21]]).
* `{{H2833}}` **chôshen** (breastplate): The priestly **breastplate**, a pocket for the Urim and Thummim, was fastened to the ephod with a **lace** `{{H6616}}` of blue, ensuring it would not be loosed from its proper place [[Exodus 28:28]].
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of `{{H6616}}` is seen in its various applications, connecting simple objects to divine principles.
* **Obedience and Sacred Order:** The use of a **lace** `{{H6616}}` to assemble the high priest's garments is explicitly tied to divine instruction, with the text noting it was done "as the LORD commanded Moses" ([[Exodus 39:21]], [[Exodus 39:31]]). This highlights the importance of precise obedience in matters of worship and holiness.
* **Identity and Covenant:** In [[Genesis 38:18]], the **bracelets** `{{H6616}}` function as a pledge, a tangible security that binds a person to their word and reveals their identity. This establishes a physical link to a promise, a foundational concept in covenant relationships.
* **Divine Strength vs. Human Frailty:** The word provides a powerful contrast. While Samson's God-given strength `{{H3581}}` allows him to snap bindings as easily as a **thread** `{{H6616}}` of tow is burned by fire [[Judges 16:9]], the delicate **wires** `{{H6616}}` of gold are part of the enduring and cunning work `{{H4639}}` dedicated to the sanctuary [[Exodus 39:3]].
### Summary
In summary, `{{H6616}}` is more than a simple word for **twine**. It is a multifaceted term used to describe items of critical function in worship, personal identity, and symbolic representation. From the **bracelets** that secured a pledge in Genesis to the blue **lace** that held together the holy vestments in Exodus and the measuring **line** in Ezekiel's vision, **pâthîyl** demonstrates how everyday objects are imbued with significant purpose, whether revealing human frailty, signifying a binding promise, or upholding divine order.
TRV