שְׂרָד

From the study of Exodus 39:1

Range of meaning

Uncertain. It occurs only in Exodus 31:10, 35:19, 39:1 and 39:41, always as 'garments of serad'. Proposed meanings are woven or plaited work, open or perforated work, and, by inference from context, 'service'.

Against the English

KJV has 'cloths of service', BSB 'specially woven garments', WEB 'finely worked garments', YLT 'coloured garments'. NIV, ESV and NASB also use forms of 'woven'. This range of wording is a sign of real uncertainty, and every one of these words is partly an educated guess.

How it drifted

This is less a case of drift than of a lost technical term. Translations guess at it from context and from related languages, and English readers cannot tell that a guess has been made.

Used elsewhere in the period

BDB suggests plaited or braided work and points to a possible Arabic comparison (sarada, 'to stitch' or 'pierce'). The Aramaic Targum Onqelos and the Greek Septuagint translate by function, as 'service' or 'ministry' garments, which suggests that early translators may not have known the craft sense. Rashi took it as open-work with small holes. The Talmud (b. Yoma 72a) plays on it with the similar-sounding word for 'survivor'.

From the study of Exodus 31:10

Range of meaning

Meaning uncertain. It occurs only four times, all in the phrase 'garments of (the) serad' (Exod 31:10; 35:19; 39:1, 41). Two lines of explanation exist. (1) A craft term for woven, plaited, braided or stitched work. This is supported by later Semitic words: Aramaic and Syriac roots meaning 'to plait, net', and Arabic sarada, 'to stitch, link together', from which comes sard, the linked work of chain-mail. BDB and HALOT both lean this way, with caution. (2) 'Service, ministry'. This comes from the ancient translations and from 39:1 and 39:41, which add 'for ministering in the holy place' after the phrase.

Against the English

BSB and NIV have 'woven'; ESV and WEB 'finely worked'; NLT 'beautifully stitched'; YLT 'coloured'; KJV 'cloths of service'; NJPS 'service vestments'. The modern versions follow the craft etymology. KJV and NJPS follow the Targum's 'service'. Each English choice is a guess at a word whose exact sense is lost.

How it drifted

Not drift so much as an unresolved gap. The KJV's 'cloths of service' carries over the Targum's interpretation and makes a modern reader think of utility cloths.

Used elsewhere in the period

Targum Onkelos renders it 'garments of ministry' (ləbûšê šimmûšāʾ). The Septuagint here seems to merge the serad garments and the holy garments into a single phrase, 'the liturgical robes' (tas stolas tas leitourgikas), so it too read 'service' into the term. Rashi (11th c.) argued that the serad garments are not priestly vestments at all but the blue, purple and scarlet cloths used to wrap the sacred furniture for travel (Num 4:5–13). His main reason was that Exod 39:1 makes them from coloured yarn without mentioning linen, while every priestly garment contains linen.

From the study of Exodus 35:19

Range of meaning

A rare textile term. It occurs only in the phrase בִּגְדֵי הַשְּׂרָד, in Exod 31:10; 35:19; 39:1, 41. Lexicons (BDB, HALOT) link it to a root meaning 'to plait' or 'to weave' and suggest 'plaited/woven work' or 'finely worked' cloth. Its exact technical meaning is not certain.

Against the English

KJV 'cloths of service' follows ancient Jewish tradition. YLT 'coloured garments' guesses from the dyed materials in 39:1. BSB/NIV/NASB 'woven garments' and WEB/ESV-type 'finely worked garments' follow the root meaning. These are real differences in what the item is, not just in style.

How it drifted

This is not drift but uncertainty. The word is so rare that every English rendering is an informed guess, and readers should know that.

Used elsewhere in the period

Targum Onqelos (the ancient Aramaic translation) renders the phrase 'garments of service' (ləbûšê šimmûšāʾ). Rashi built on this and took them as the cloths used to wrap the ark, altar and vessels when the camp moved. Numbers 4:5–13 does call those wrappings beged ('cloth'), and Num 4:12 speaks of 'vessels of service with which they serve (yəšārətû) in the holy place'. In Exod 31:10 the Septuagint has 'liturgical robes'. Exod 39:1 says the bigdê haśśərād were made from blue, purple and scarlet yarn.