Pitch
PITCH
Gen 6:14 Exo 2:3, translated “slime” in Gen 11:3 14:10, is properly bitumen or asphaltum, anciently found on and near the Dead Sea, which was hence called the lake Asphaltities. It abounded in the vicinity of Babylon, and was used as fuel. The ark of Noah and that of Moses were rendered waterproof by it; and the bricks of the tower of Babel were cemented with it. It is commonly found in a solid state; but being liquefied by heat, and used as a mortar, it becomes as hard as the rocks it cements together. It is still thrown up by earthquakes from the bottom of the Dead Sea, and floats to the shore sometimes in large masses. See SEA 3.
Fuente: American Tract Society Bible Dictionary
Pitch
is the rendering in the A. V. of two Hebrew words, ze’pheth, , and ko’pher, . The former is from the root zuph, , to flow, or be liquid (like the German Schmalz, from the verb schmelzen) (Exo 2:3; Isa 34:9; comp. Mishna, Schab. 2). The latter is from the root , to cover or smear, and is used in Gen 6:14, where the Sept. has , the Vulg. bitumen. The word , chemar, rendered slime (Gen 11:3; Gen 14:10; Exodus 2, 3), likewise belongs here. The three Hebrew terms all represent the same object, viz. mineral pitch or asphalt, in its different aspects: zepheth (the zift of the modern Arabs, Wilkinson, Anc. Egypt. 2, 120) in its liquid state, chemr in its solid state, from its red color, though also explained in reference to the manner in which it boils up (the former, however, being more consistent with the appearance of the two terms in juxtaposition in Exo 2:3; A.V. pitch and slime); and kopher, in reference to its use in overlaying wood-work (Gen 6:14). Asphalt is an opaque, inflammable substance, which bubbles up from subterranean fountains in a liquid state, and hardens by exposure to the air, but readily melts under the influence of heat. In the latter state it is very tenacious, and was used as a cement in lieu of mortar in Babylonia (Gen 11:3; Strabo, 16:743; Herod. 1, 179), as well as for coating the outsides of vessels (Gen 6:14; Josephus, War, 4, 8, 4), and particularly for making the papyrus boats of the Egyptians water-tight (Exo 2:3; Wilkinson, 2, 120). The Babylonians obtained their chief supply from springs at Is (the modern Hit), which are still in existence (Herod. 1, 179). The Jews and Arabians got theirs in large quantities from the Dead Sea, which hence received its classical name of Lacus Asphaltites. The latter was particularly prized for its purple hue (Pliny, 28:23). In the early ages of the Bible the slime-pits (Gen 14:10), or springs of asphalt, were apparent in the vale of Siddim, at the southern end of the sea. They are now concealed through the submergence of the plain, and the asphalt probably forms itself into a crust on the bed of the lake, whence it is dislodged by earthquakes or other causes. Early writers describe the masses thus thrown up on the surface of the lake as of very considerable size (Josephus, War, 4, 8,4; Tacit. Hist. 5, 6; Diod. Sic. 2, 48). This is now a rare occurrence (Rooinson, 1, 517), though small pieces may constantly be picked up on the shore. The inflammable nature of pitch is noticed in Isa 34:9. SEE APHALTUM; SEE BITUMEN.
Fuente: Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature
Pitch
(Gen. 6:14), asphalt or bitumen in its soft state, called “slime” (Gen. 11:3; 14:10; Ex. 2:3), found in pits near the Dead Sea (q.v.). It was used for various purposes, as the coating of the outside of vessels and in building. Allusion is made in Isa. 34:9 to its inflammable character. (See SLIME)
Fuente: Easton’s Bible Dictionary
Pitch
zepheth (from a root “to flow” ) in its liquid state; chemar (from a root “to bubble up”) solid; kopher, as used in covering (from a root “to cover”) woodwork, to make it watertight (Gen 6:14); asphalt, bitumen. The town Is (Hit), eight days’ journey from Babylon, supplied from springs the bitumen which was used as mortar in building that city (Gen 11:3; Herodotus i. 179). Athenaeus (2:5) mentions a lake near Babylon abounding in bitumen which floated on the water. Bitumen pits are still found at Hit on the western bank of Euphrates; so tenacious is it “that it is almost impossible to detach one brick from another” (Layard, Nin. and Bab.). Asphalt is opaque, and inflammable, bubbling up liquid from subterranean fountains and hardening by exposure. Pitch or bitumen made the papyrus ark of Moses watertight (Exo 2:3).
The Dead Sea was called Lacus Asphaltites from the asphalt springs at its southern end, the vale of Siddim (Gen 14:3; Gen 14:10). The Salt Sea after Sodom’s destruction spread over this vale. At the shallow southern end of the sea are the chief deposits of salt and bitumen. The asphalt crust on the bed of the lake is cast out by earthquakes and other causes (Josephus B. J. 4:8, section 4; Tac. Hist. 5:6). The inflammable pitch (Isa 34:9) on all the plain, ignited by the lightning, caused “the smoke of the country to go up as the smoke of a furnace” (Gen 19:28). Kopher means also a “ransom” or “atonement” (Job 33:21 margin). As the pitch covered the ark from the overwhelming waters, so the atonement covers the believer in Jesus from the blood of God’s wrath. Kippurim, “atonement” (Exo 29:36; Lev 23:27), and kapporeth, “mercy-seat,” the covering of the ark and the law inside it (Rom 3:25; Rom 10:4), are related.
Fuente: Fausset’s Bible Dictionary
Pitch
PITCH.See Bitumen.
Fuente: Hastings’ Dictionary of the Bible
Pitch
pich: The translation of the noun , kopher, and the verb , kaphar, in Gen 6:14 and of the noun , zepheth, in Exo 2:3; Isa 34:9. In Gen 6:14 the words are the ordinary forms for covering, cover, so that the translation pitch is largely guesswork, aided by the Septuagint, which reads , asphaltos, bitumen, here, and by the fact that pitch is a usual covering for vessels. The meaning of zepheth, however, is fixed by the obvious Dead Sea imagery of Isa 34:9-15 – the streams and land of Edom are to become burning bitumen, like the sites of Sodom and Gomorrah. In Exo 2:3 zepheth is combined with hemar, which also means bitumen (Gen 14:10; see SLIME), and the distinction between the words (different consistencies of the same substance?) is not clear.
Fuente: International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
Pitch
[ASPHALTUM]
Fuente: Popular Cyclopedia Biblical Literature
Pitch
A kind of bitumen. Noah covered the ark with pitch inside and outside. Gen 6:14. The ark in which the infant Moses was put, was likewise thus rendered waterproof. Exo 2:3. Among God’s judgements on the earth the streams are turned into pitch, and the land into burning pitch. Isa 34:9. Different words are employed in the Hebrew of Gen 6:14 from the other passages. Noah was to pitch (kaphar , ‘to cover,’ often translated ‘atonement’) the ark with pitch (kopher, translated ‘ransom’) as if to teach that Noah and those with him could be saved only by being covered with a ransom, and which would introduce them to a new earth.
Fuente: Concise Bible Dictionary
Pitch
An opaque mineral used as a plaster and cement
Isa 34:9
Used by Noah in the ark
Gen 6:14
Used in making the ark in which Moses was hidden
Exo 2:3 Bitumen
Fuente: Nave’s Topical Bible
Pitch
Pitch. The three Hebrew words so translated all represent the same object, namely, mineral pitch or asphalt in its different aspects. Asphalt is an opaque, inflammable substance which bubbles up from subterranean fountains in a liquid state, and hardens by exposure to the air, but readily melts under the influence of heat.
In the latter state, it is very tenacious, and was used as a cement, in lieu of mortar in Babylonia, (Gen 11:3, as well as for coating the outside of vessels, Gen 6:14, and particularly, for making the papyrus boats of the Egyptians water-tight. Exo 2:3. The Jews and Arabians got their supply, in large quantities, from the Dead Sea, which, hence, received its classical name of Lacus Asphaltites.
Fuente: Smith’s Bible Dictionary
PITCH
Gen 6:14; Exo 2:3; Isa 34:9
Fuente: Thompson Chain-Reference Bible
Pitch
, Exo 2:3; Isa 34:9; Septuagint ; a fat, combustible, oily matter, sometimes called asphaltos, from the lake Asphaltites, or Dead Sea, in Judea, on the surface of which it rises in the nature of liquid pitch, and floats like other oleaginous bodies; but is condensed by degrees, through the heat of the sun, and grows dry and hard. The word which our translators have rendered pitch in Gen 6:14, and , slime, Gen 11:3; Gen 14:10, is generally supposed to be bitumen. In the first of these places it is mentioned as used for smearing the ark, and closing its interstices. It was peculiarly adapted to this purpose. Being at first soft, viscous, and pliable, it might be thrust into every chasm and crevice with the greatest ease; but would soon acquire a tenacity and hardness superior to those of our pitch. A coat of it spread over both the inside and outside of the ark would make it perfectly water proof. The longer it was kept in the water, the harder and stronger it would grow. The Arabs still use it for careening their vessels. In the second passage it is described as applied for cement in building the tower of Babel. It was much used in ancient buildings in that region; and, in the ruins of Babylon, large masses of brick work cemented with it are discovered. It is known that the plain of Shinar did abound with it, both in its liquid and solid state; that there was there a cave and fountain which was continually casting it out; and that the famous tower and no less famous walls of Babylon were built by this kind of cement, is confirmed by the testimony of several ancient authors. The slime pits of Siddim, Gen 14:10, were holes out of which issued this liquid bitumen, or naphtha. Bitumen was formerly much used by the Egyptians and Jews in the embalming the bodies of their dead.