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Tachash is traditionally held to be an animal, from the kind of skin or leather 'orot tachashim referred to in the Bible (Exodus 25, 26, 35, 36 and 39; Numbers 4; and Ezekiel 16:10 ), which was used in the setting up of the Tabernacle as the outer covering of the tent of the Tabernacle and to wrap sacred objects used within the Tabernacle for transport.

What animal the word 'tachash' refers to is a matter of some debate. According to the Babylonian Talmud and Rashi's commentary, the tachash was a kosher, multi-colored, one horned desert animal which came into existence to be used to build the Tabernacle and ceased to exist afterward. Others believe the tachash was related to the keresh, a creature most often identified with the giraffe, with a similar description mentioned in the Gemara. The King James Version of the Bible translates the word tachash as badger (from the Latin Meles taxus, and the German dachs). Another hypothesis is that the Hebrew term עורות תחשים / " 'orot t'chash'm" / " 'oroth t'hash'm" refers to very fine dyed sheep or goat leather, hence the Jerusalem Bible translates the term as "fine leather". A popular hypothesis of the early- to mid-20th century proposed that the term "tachash" means dugong. This translation is based upon the similarity between tachash and the Arabic word tukhas or tukhesh, which means dugong. In accordance with this hypothesis several translations, such as the Jewish Publication Society translation, render tachash as dolphin or sea cow. The New American Bible (USCCB) (1971) translates 'orot tachashim as the more direct, and literal, "tahash skins" (Exodus 25:5):

"5 rams' skins dyed red, and tahash skins; acacia wood;"

Compare Biblical translations of Exodus 25:5 beginning with New American Bible (USCCB) "tahash."

Compare Biblical translations of Ezekiel 16:10 beginning with New American Bible (USCCB) "fine leather."

It is not explicitly stated in the Tanakh/Bible that skins of tahashim are skins of a mammal, that tahash skins are animal skins. The ancient witnesses before the first century BCE understood tahash to be fine leather work dyed blue, indigo, purple, violet. The editors of the Navigating the Bible II (World ORT) translation (2000) have rendered 'orot tahasim as "blue-processed skins." The most recent scholarship (2000–2006) says that the term denotes neither a substance nor a color, but a technique of sewing blue faience beads onto leather, making beaded skins the meaning of 'oroth T'Hash'm. Etymology shows that in over 45 centuries a semantic change has occurred in the meaning of Hebrew tahas. The English form of the word has also changed, from tachash to tahash.

Unclean animals excluded

In light of Leviticus (11:4-8; 11:10-12; 11:27-28; 20:25-26—most translations) interpreting Tahash --"a kind of leather, skin, or animal hide"-- as "badger" is excluded because the badger does not "chew the cud and divide the hoof" ("of their flesh you shall not eat, and their carcasses you shall not touch; they are unclean to you"..."all that go on their paws, among the animals that go on all fours, are unclean to you"); the dugong, sea cow, seal, porpoise and dolphin are excluded because they do not have "fins and scales" ("everything in the waters that has not fins and scales is an abomination to you"), nor do they "chew the cud and divide the hoof" (therefore, "of their flesh you shall not eat, and their carcasses you shall not touch; they are unclean to you"); and the giraffe is probably excluded because its range was primarily Sub-Saharan Africa.

The Arabs of the Sinaitic peninsula apply the name tucash or tukhas or tukhesh to the seals and dugongs which are common in the Red Sea, and the skins of which are largely used as leather for tent curtains and coverings and for sandals. But whereas other peoples of the Levant use sea mammals, Jewish people cannot.

"I am the LORD your God, who have separated you from the peoples. You shall therefore make a distinction between the clean beast and the unclean; you shall not make yourselves abominable by beast or by bird or by anything with which the ground teems, which I have set apart for you to hold unclean. You shall be holy to me; for I the LORD am holy, and have separated you from the peoples, that you should be mine." (Leviticus 20:24b-26 RSV)

Hence the badger, dugong, sea cow, seal, porpoise and dolphin according to the Torah are unclean and an abomination to the people of Israel; they are not to be touched. (Leviticus 7:21.)

This supports the hypothesis that "orot t'chash'm" refers to very fine dyed sheep or goat leather as a parallel with "rams' skins dyed red."

"5 And rams' skins dyed red, and violet skins, and setim wood:" Exodus 25:5 (DV) (A.D. 1610)

The Jewish Historian Josephus (Antiquities 3.102) says the Israelites brought "sheepskins, some of them dyed of a blue color, and some of scarlet." The New American Bible footnote to Exodus 25:5 (in part) says of Tahash: "The Greek and Latin versions took it for the color hyacinth" (Gr. dermata huakinthina--Lat. pelles ianthinas "violet".) In this case, we have (Exodus 26:14) "a covering of rams' skins dyed red, and above that a covering of hyacinth skins"--a covering of skins dyed red and an outer covering of skins dyed indigo or royal blue (blue-processed--see indigo dye.)

Royal Blue
#002366

Indigo
#4B0082

Wilhelm Gesenius (pub. Leipzig, 1905) cites J. H. Bondi (Aegyptiaca, i.ff) who proposes the Egyptian root t-ch-s, making the expression " 'or tahash / 'or tachash" mean "soft-dressed skin" . In this case, we have "rich skins of hyacinth." This suits the context in every passage of scripture where the word appears.

"10 And I clothed thee with embroidery, and shod thee with violet coloured shoes: and I girded thee about with fine linen, and clothed thee with fine garments." Ezechiel 16:10 (DV)

So the apparent similarity in sound between the Arabic word tukhas/tucash/tukhesh and the Hebrew word takhas/tachash/tahash may be misleading, just as the similarity in sound between the Hebrew "tahash" and the Latin "Meles taxus" (badger) may be misleading (see linguistic terms "false friend" and "false etymology".) But there is a surprising phonetic similarity between "takhash/tahash" and "addax" which should be considered.

Addax

The word "addax" is from Native North African speech, as is the Egyptian root "t-ch-s / tj-h-s", and denotes a species of antelope which was and is highly prized for its fine leather, horns and meat; and according to tradition the Jews were in Egypt in North Africa for 450 years where they would not have been unaware of this animal and its name. In ancient times, addax spread from North Africa through Arabia and the Levant. Addax have been domesticated as cattle for nearly 4500 years by nomadic and agricultural peoples. In older English sources (such as the King James Version of the Bible) cattle refers to "livestock", as distinct from deer which refers to "wildlife". (see Leviticus 1:2) The addax differs from other antelopes by having large square teeth like cattle and lacking the antelope's typical facial glands. Although today extremely rare in its ancient native habitat, it is quite common in captivity and is regularly bred on ranches.

Historically, addax skins have been made into tent curtains, covers, fine leather goods, and sandals; addax-skin leather would have been among the normal choice materials that were used to fashion the outer covering of a great desert chieftain's moveable pavilion or dwelling. It is arrow-proof, water-proof, weather-resistant, tough, and very durable. It is also kosher, "clean," in accordance with the prescriptions in the Torah.

"These are the animals you may eat: the ox, the sheep, the goat, the red deer, the gazelle, the roe deer, the ibex, the addax, the oryx, and the mountain sheep. Any animal that has hoofs you may eat, provided it is cloven-footed and chews the cud." (Deuteronomy 14:4-6 NAB)

Addax-skin can be processed into a very luxuriant soft leather. Indigo-dyed addax leather is strikingly beautiful. (The Tuaregs, for example, are fond of indigo dye. Clothes dyed with indigo signified wealth.) "Soft-dressed addax" skins (t-ch-s addax skins) can also be "blue-processed addax skins" (t-ch-s addax skins), and the addax is a large animal; such skins would have made a very suitable, and radiantly beautiful, outer covering for the Mishkan, the Tabernacle, the Dwelling.

A covering of valuable antelope skins would have been understood without the necessity of an explicit mention of antelope/addax; and in accordance with the dignity of the Dwelling of the LORD, and the prescription of the Torah, they would have been "specially prepared" antelope skins, "t-ch-s" antelope skins.

"Moses said to the Israelites, 'See, the LORD has chosen Bezalel, son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and has filled him with a divine spirit of skill and understanding and knowledge in every craft: in the production of embroidery, in making things of gold, silver or bronze, in cutting and mounting precious stones, in carving wood, and in every other craft. He has also given both him and Oholiab, son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, the ability to teach others. He has endowed them with skill to execute all types of work: engraving, embroidering, the making of variegated cloth of violet, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen thread, weaving, and all other arts and crafts." (Exodus 35:30-35 NAB)

"Over the tent itself you shall make a covering of rams' skins dyed red, and above that, a covering of tahash skins." (Exodus 26:14 NAB)

Here, we have most probably an implicit connotative play on words, "tahas addax skins," "addax" being implied; hence the most probable meaning of 'orot tachashim is: "soft-dressed indigo-dyed antelope hide"--blue-processed hides, indigo skins; tahash hides, tahash skins. Such skins would have been among the valuable "spoils of Egypt" that the people of Israel carried away with them into the wilderness of Sinai. "Everyone who happened to have violet, purple or scarlet yarn, fine linen or goat hair, rams' skins dyed red or tahash skins, brought them." Exodus 35:23 NAB

Compare addax, 'adash and tahash.

Dugong

The scholarly opinion which prevailed for most of the 19th and 20th centuries (1820–1980), even if it was not the universal consensus, held that Hebrew t-h-sh / t-kh-sh / t-ch-sh, English tahash, either "correctly" or "most probably" denoted dugong or sea cow or manatee or mediterranean monk seal or porpoise or dolphin. The older 19th century scientific names (taxonomy) for the Dugong took account of this view: E. Rupell designated them Halicore Tabernaculi in 1843. This opinion is now declining, as witness the more recent translations of the Hebrew Scriptures (Tanakh). (see below, 'Other Biblical Translations', and 'References, Encyclopaedia Judaica, Second Edition, 2007: "Tahash".') As knowledge of Afroasiatic languages continues to increase, tahash as "dugong" will most probably be judged by Biblical scholars and linguists in the coming decades of the 21st century to be an anachronism. (see semantic change; see also "presentism (literary and historical analysis)" and "fallacy".)

The Arabic dukhas or tukhas or tucash is linguistically near to Hebrew takhash or tachash or tahash, and is applied by the Arabs to the dugong and the dolphin, which is also called delfin. Prompted by the similarity to Arabic tukhash, conjectural opinion has favored identification of tahash with the sea cow, a species now extinct. Fossils indicate that Stellar's Sea Cow (Hydrodamalis gigas) was formerly abundant and widespread throughout the North Pacific, all along the North Pacific Coast, reaching west and south to Japan and east and south to California. There is no evidence that the now extinct sea cow ever ranged over the Red Sea area. The term sea cow more generally refers to dugongs and manatees, to any of the sirenian sea mammals including the larger seals that appear on the shores of East Africa and around the Sinai peninsula. The Arabic tukhesh denotes the sea mammal Dugong hemprichi, (the same animal formerly designated Halicore Tabernaculi) which appears at intervals on the shores of the Sinai and is hunted by the Bedouin, who make tent curtains and shoes from its skin.

Another opinion suggests that tahash should be identified with the sea mammal Monodon monoceros, the narwhal, a medium-sized toothed whale (cetacean) that lives year-round in the Arctic. It has a mottled skin and (normally) a single horn, in reality a tooth. Narwhal have been harvested for over a thousand years by Inuit people in Northern Canada and Greenland for meat and ivory. It is found primarily in Canadian Arctic and Greenlandic waters rarely south of 65 degrees North Latitude. The narwhal has been deemed particularly vulnerable to climatic change due to a narrow geographical range and specialized Arctic diet: predominantly composed of benthic prey, mostly flatfish, Greenland halibut, polar and arctic cod, shrimp, Gonadus squid, wolf-fish, capelin, and skate eggs. There is no evidence that narwhal ever appeared in ancient times along the Sinai. The narwhal was one of the many species originally described by C. Linnaeus in his Systema Naturae (1758).

The fact that the Arabs of the Sinaitic peninsula apply dukhas/tukhas/tucash to the dugong, sea cow, seal, porpoise and dolphin--to such a varied population of sea mammals—strongly suggests that it denotes, not the kind of animals they are, but some distinguishing characteristic they have in common. With very few exceptions, they have a similar coloring: a dusky "bluish-grey" or "slate-blue" color, ranging from a darker "sky-blue dawn" or "grey-indigo" and "near-black" (a kind of "deep midnight navy" or "indigo dye color"), to a lighter "slate-blue" and pale "bluish-grey", to an even more pronounced "glaucous blue"--any one of which is more pronouncedly blue in tone and beautiful (ultramarine) when viewed under a clear sky and in the waters of the sea.

The effect of this natural camouflage evokes the description of the color of tekhelet:

The sages say that tekhelet resembles the sea,

which resembles the sky,

which resembles the sapphire stone,

which in turn resembles the color of God's seat of glory.

"Tekhelet...signifies the mysterious. It resembles the sky and sea which intimate distance and inapproachability, things that are beyond one's reach and out of one's control. It expresses infinity, boundlessness and vastness. Tekhelet suggests the irrational and mysterious side of the world."

Understanding Hebrew tahas (tahash) as a coloring, Targum Jonathan says: "...I put shoes of glory on your feet..." The Catholic Douay-Rheims Bible (DV), parallel with Targum Jonathan, says: "...and shod thee with violet colored shoes..." (Yechezkel/Ezechiel 16:10.) See Blue in Judaism.

So while Arabic dukhas/tukhas/tucash/tukhesh ("concerning, unfolding, emerging, fear") has been applied over the past several generations to the various "sea-colored" or תהום tehom "deep-colored" sea mammals found along the shores of Egypt and throughout the Red Sea all along and around the coasts of the Sinai peninsula, it does not necessarily follow that in ancient times (prior to A.D. 100, 100 C.E.) the word is identified as denoting only the animals (etymological fallacy). The basic meaning in antiquity simply appears to be "(color) of the sky," "(color) of the sea.," i.e. "marked" as "from heaven" or "from (the) deep", connoting concealment and dread of the unknown. This may be demonstrated from what is known of its etymology and origin within the Afroasiatic family of languages.

Importance of textual and cultural and religious context

Given the prohibitions in the Torah (Pentateuch) forbidding the Israelites to touch anything they are to regard as unclean, abhorrent, abominations, this raises the question of why scholars and translators and interpreters familiar with the Biblical text, and familiar with the importance of textual and cultural context, should propose the skin of an unclean, non-kosher "abhorrent" (KJV) animal "abomination" (RSV) as the outer covering of the Tabernacle, rather than the skin of a clean, kosher animal, such as the goat or antelope instead. A great number of commentaries and scholarly articles over the centuries, beginning with the Talmud, have been written discussing this very question.

" the main text: 'R. Eleazar propounded: can the skin of an unclean animal be defiled with the defilement of tents?' What is his problem?--Said R. Adda b. Ahabah: His question relates to the tahash which was in the days of Moses,--was it unclean or clean? R. Joseph observed, What question is this to him? We learnt it! For the sacred work none but the skin of a clean animal was declared fit.

"R. Abba objected: R. Judah said: There are two coverings, one of dyed rams' skins, and one of tahash skins. R. Nehemiah said: There was one covering and it was like a squirrel. But the squirrel is unclean!--This is its meaning: like a squirrel, which has many colors, yet not the squirrel, for that is unclean, whilst here a clean . Said R. Joseph: That being so, that is why we translate it sasgawna that it rejoices in many colors. ...

"What is our conclusion with respect to the tahash which existed in Moses' days?--Said R. Elai in the name of R. Simeon b. Lakish, R. Meir used to maintain, The tahash of Moses' day was a separate species, and the Sages could not decide whether it belonged to the genus of wild beasts or to the genus of domestic animals; and it bad one horn in its forehead, and it came to Moses' hand just for the occasion, and he made the Tabernacle, and then it was hidden. Now, since he says that it had one horn in its forehead, it follows that it was clean. For R. Judah said, The ox which Adam the first sacrificed had one horn in its forehead, for it is said, and it shall please the Lord better than an ox, or a bullock that hath a horn and hoofs. But makrin implies two?--Said R. Nahman b. Isaac: Mi-keren is written. Then let us solve thence that it was a genus of domestic animal?--Since there is the keresh, which is a species of beast, and it has only one horn, one can say that it is a kind of wild beast."

Babylonian Talmud: Tractate Shabbath, Chapter II, Folio 28a and b

Skilled indigo work

Today it seems that, because of an increase in knowledge of the languages, and because the ancients were closer to the time of the ancient usages of the text, the opinions of the ancient witnesses prior to 100 CE / AD 100 have influenced recent translators to render the Hebrew word תחש tahas, t'ch'sh, as English tahash, most probably as an acknowledgement of its obscure meaning to us today, or to render it as the ancient translators variously suggested: fine leather, and blue-processed skins, i.e. soft-dressed indigo-dyed antelope hide, skins of skilled indigo work, or sheepskins dyed blue.

Importance of tahash

The numerous debates centered on the meaning of tahash over the centuries demonstrate that it has not been regarded as a silly or trivial matter, but as somehow mysteriously contributing to our understanding of God who commanded Moses to command the Israelites to use tahash skins as the outer covering of the Tabernacle. As it is written:

"Let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell in their midst." (Exodus 25:8 RSV)

See also

• translation
• talmud
• Ark of the Covenant

Other Biblical Translations

The Anchor Bible: Exodus 19-40: Volume 2A (2006) translates tahas (t'hasim) as beaded (beaded skins).

The Navigating the Bible II World ORT translation (2000) translates tahas (t'hasim) as blue-processed (skins).

The New American Bible (NAB) (1991–2005) renders tachash as tahash.

The God's Word Translation (GW) (1995) translates tachash as fine leather.

The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) (1989–2005) translates tachash as fine leather.

The Revised English Bible (REB) (1989) translates tachash as dugong (dugong-hides).

The New Jerusalem Bible (NJB) (1985) translates tachash as fine leather.

The New Jewish Publication Society translation (JPS Tanakh) (1985) translates tachash as dolphin, or sea cow.

The New International Version (NIV) (1978) translates tachash as sea cow (sea cow hides).

The New American Standard Bible (NASB) (1971–1995) translates tachash as porpoise (porpoise skins).

The New World Translation (NWT) (1961) translates tachash as seal (sealskins).

The Revised Standard Version (RSV) (1952–2000) translates tachash as goat (goatskins).

The Bible in Basic English (BBE) (1949–1965) translates tachash as leather.

The Jewish Publication Society of America Version (JPS) (1917) translates tachash as badger (badgers' skins).

The World English Bible (WEB) (1997-2000 version of 1901 ASV) translates tachash as sea cow (sea cow hides).

The American Standard Version (ASV) (1901) translates tachash as seal (sealskins).

Young's Literal Translation (1862–1898) translates tachash as badger (badgers' skins).

The American King James Version (AKJV) (1999 version of KJV) translates tachash as badger (badger's skins).

The Authorized King James Version (AV, KJV) (1611–1769) translates tachash as badger (badgers' skins).

The Douay-Rheims Bible (Douai, D-R, DV) (1610–1750) translates tachash as violet (violet skins).

The Latin Vulgate (L.V.) (405) translates tachash as ianthinas, violet (violet skins).

The Mishnah (Mish.): Tanna Rabbi Judah ha-Nasi (170-220) translates tachash as altinon (Greek, aledinon), purple (skins dyed purple).

The Targum Onkelos (Tar. Onq.) (110) translates tachash as ssgwn (sas-gona, sas-gavna), i.e. joy (of all) colors, glowing (of) colors, radiant(-like worm-)colors, (most) blessed (of) colors, richest (of) colors, royal color (?)---(glory-colored skins?).

The Septuagint (LXX) (3rd to 1st century B.C.E.) translates tachash as huakinthina, hyacinth (indigo-blue) (hyacinth skins).

References

Notes and Comments

1. Hebrew TaHaS, tahas, תחש Tahash, Tachash: spelled (Hebrew letters) ת "Tav"-ח "Heth"-ש "Shiyn" (approximate articulation "tawv"-"khayth"-"sheen") תחש "T-H-S" or "T-CH-SH": pronounced takhash, takh'-ash, (or "tak'-Hash") with hard "ch" as in "CHanukkah / Hanukkah," German ch = Greek X (nearly "kh") as in "XP" ("chi-rho", i.e. "khee-hro"), or the Scottish word "loch," not the soft "ch" as in "church." The editors of the Soncino Babylonian Talmud (1961), the New American Bible (NAB) (1971), and the Encyclopaedia Judaica 2nd ed. (2007) have rendered the eighth letter of the Hebrew alphabet ח ("KHayth--CHeyth--Heth") as "h": hence, Tahash.
2. Talmud: Shabbat 28b see Kolel's Parasha Study, number 1999 (which says) "...'Keresh,' a large rainbow colored unicorn. ...Contemporary scholarship may be correct that tachash refers to tanned skins and not an animal at all, but it seems much more fun to imagine that the tachash could be a giraffe, a narwhal, or a mythical unicorn." Talmud: Shabbat 28b see REVIEW QUESTIONS ON GEMARA AND RASHI: Shabbos 28: scroll down to question 7 (a)(b)(c)(d), read, then scroll down to "Answers to questions", click, and scroll down to answer 7 (a)(b)(c)(d) (which says) (d) "There is also an animal called 'Keresh', a species of Kasher *Chayah* that has only one horn. Consequently, it cannot be taken for granted that the Tachash was a Beheimah (like Adam's bull), when it could equally have been a Chayah (like the Keresh)." (Kasher means kosher. see kashrut. see CHAYAH--Hebrew lexicon.)
3. Identification of Biblical animals
4. Meles taxus: never used in the Latin Bible as translation of Hebrew tahas. "The badger, Meles taxus, while fairly abundant in Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon, does not seem to occur in Sinai or Egypt."--Alfred Ely-Day, "Badger", The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, 1915. Ely-Day references the 17th-19th c. scientific name for the Eurasian badger, now European badger, indigenous to most of Europe and to parts of Asia. Taxonomic designation today "Meles meles". (see American badger "Taxidae taxus.")
5. see NAB version of: Exodus 25, 26, 35, 36 and 39; Numbers 4; Ezekiel 16:10.
6. S. Dalley, Journal of Semitic Studies 45:1-19, Faience and Beadwork, 2000, and William H. C. Propp, The Anchor Bible: Exodus 19-40 Volume 2A, Nov. 2006, p. 374.
7. Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Hebrew Lexicon "badger" 8476 tachash (antelope?) see addax. In ancient times, addax spread from North Africa through Arabia and the Levant. Pictures from Egyptian tombs show them being kept as domesticated animals in around 2500 BC. They are amply suited to live in the deep desert under extreme conditions.
8. see Leather: "Religious sensitivities to leather". see kashrut
9. Several Bible translations: DV, BBE, RSV, NJB, NRSV, GW, NavBib-II--see section "Other Biblical Translations" (this article.)
10. hyacinth see SearchGodsWord: The New Testament Greek Lexicon: huakinthos and huakinthinos click the audio icon. See Strong's Concordance Greek Dictionary jacinth: compare phonetic spelling (sound) of tekhelet (blue) and huakinthinos.
11. It is worth noting that indigo dye obtained from plants (i.e. indigofera tinctoria) is "unclean," "treif," "non-kasher," according to the Talmud, while the purple and indigo purple dye obtained from the murex snail (which does not have fins and scales and is a carnivore) is "clean," "kasher," according to the Talmud. see Tzitzit: "Karaite tzitzit." see Tekhelet: "Talmudic source" and "Lost knowledge"
12. Alfred Ely-Day, International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (1915) "Badger" (end of entry). ---See also Tyndale Bulletin 5-6 (April 1960) "Some Egyptian Background To The Old Testament" by K. A. Kitchen, University of Liverpool, p. 7-8, footnote 29: (which says) "Heb. tahash is probably best derived from the old Egyptian word tj-h-s, "to treat leather," Erman & Grapow, Worterbuch d. Aeg. Sprache, V, 396, 7. So Bondi, Aegyptiaca, 1-4, corrected by Griffith, in Petrie, Deshasheh, 1898, 45-6, and revival by Albright and Cross, Bibl. Archaeol., 10, (1947), 62 and n. 22." --- ---The title Aegyptiaca refers to the ancient original classic Egyptian work by Manetho.
13. see extensive discussion ANCIENT DYES (courtesy Flags of the World), specifically the commentaries on "--sky-blue" and "--blue processed skins"; reference is also made there to "The Dying of Purple in Ancient Israel" by Rabbi Yitzchak Isaac HaLevi Herzog, 1999, unpublished----see "Garments of Salvation--The Meaning of Tekhelet" Dr. Baruch Sterman.
14. see any of the various on-line dictionaries with phonetic aid for entry "addax" click on audio icon. see also Phonetic Spelling addax, 'adash, tahash , grass and antelope. see also Google Translate: first, "addax": Translate from Hebrew, Translate into English: click the audio icon: next, "takhash": Translate from Hebrew, Translate into English: click the audio icon: second, "addax": Translate from Arabic, Translate into English: click the audio icon: next, "tukhesh": Translate from Arabic, Translate into English: click the audio icon.
15. see adarga
16. NAB addax: KJV pygarg: RSV NRSV NJB antelope: REB long-horned antelope--Strong's Concordance "PYGARG" number 1788 actual text "diyshon"--from 1758 ("duwsh," "dowsh," "diysh")--"(ad)dash": addax)
17. Heb. קרן qeren / keren means "radiant", more literally "horned": to push, to shoot out (horns, rays), shine/shone, project/projecting, to have horns, (be) penetrating, striking (vivid), flask/"horn" (container, vial, "horn" of cosmetics), power, projection, ray, tooth, corner (of the altar), hill, peak: "radiant, vivid, striking" (color).
18. The Babylonian Talmud: Tractate Shabbat 28a "Sas-gavna" The word "Sas" comes from the Hebrew and means joy, "gavna" means colors. Parshat Vayakhel-----"...Gavna, which is Aramaic for 'shades' (as in shades of color)" (Photo Feature: Hilltop Restaurant Bridges Shades of Old and New )-----"...gavna (from the Aramaic word for varieties)" (Gush Etzion )-----"Sas" can mean "joy," "joy-causing," "rejoicing," "vivid," "vibrant," "radiant," "beautiful," "exquisite(ly)"--"Gavna" can mean "colors," "varieties," "shades," "multiple-dyed (double-dyed, triple-dyed, dyed seven times over)," "rich color," "luxuriant color," "greatly dignified color," "awe-inspiring color." (see translation: "dynamic and formal equivalence") It does not necessarily mean rainbow colors. It can mean instead various shades or tones of one kind of color (in this case, various shades or tones of indigo blue--see indigo: see violet (color).) The Onkelos Targum "sas-gavna" ("joy-colors") can be translated: "radiantly colored" (skins, leather)--"richly colored" (skins, leather).
19. "implied": just as today we say "patent leather" and understand it to mean "patent-processed fine-grain cow-hide leather," "processed fine-grain cow-hide" being implied. No one says, "What mysterious kind of animal is the patent?: its leather has been used for shoes, but today there is no known animal called the patent; we may therefore safely conclude that the patent may now be extinct, or that it simply ceased to exist." Again, we know what "glove leather" means, just as Moses and the descendants of Israel understood what "tahash skin" means. Translators and commentators centuries after Moses may perhaps be excused for taking what had become (for them) an obscure term as the name of an animal--especially when it is associated in the text with the word for leather skin. But this then raises a more penetrating question: "Why do some translators propose as a translation of the word 'tahash' the hide or skin of an unclean animal or unclean 'abomination' as the covering of the most holy Tabernacle of the LORD?" It is an absolute contradiction. Whoever touched it would become unclean and abominable. "...if anyone touches an unclean thing, whether the uncleanness of man or an unclean beast or an unclean abomination, and then eats of the flesh of the sacrifice of the LORD's peace offerings, that person shall be cut off from his people." (Leviticus 7:21) "...their carcasses you shall not touch; they are unclean to you." (Leviticus 11:8) "...their carcasses you shall have in abomination. Everything in the waters that has not fins and scales is an abomination to you." (Leviticus 11:12) "...all that go on their paws, among the animals that go on all fours, are unclean to you; whoever touches their carcass shall be unclean until the evening, and he who carries their carcass shall wash his clothes and be unclean until the evening; they are unclean to you." (Leviticus 11:27-28) "...you shall keep the people of Israel separate from their uncleanness, lest they die in their uncleanness by defiling my tabernacle that is in their midst." (Leviticus 15:31) "...you shall not make yourselves abominable by beast or by bird or by anything with which the ground teems, which I have set apart for you to hold unclean." (Leviticus 20:25) "...If any one of all your descendants throughout your generations approaches the holy things, which the people of Israel dedicate to the LORD, while he has an uncleanness, that person shall be cut off from my presence: I am the LORD." (Leviticus 22:3) "...appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of the testimony, and over all its furnishings, and over all that belongs to it; they are to carry the tabernacle and all its furnishings, and they shall tend it, and shall encamp around the tabernacle. When the tabernacle is to set out, the Levites shall take it down; and when the tabernacle is to be pitched, the Levites shall set it up. And if anyone else comes near, he shall be put to death. ...the Levites shall encamp around the tabernacle of the testimony, that there be no wrath upon the congregation of the people of Israel; and the Levites shall keep charge of the tabernacle of the testimony."(Numbers 1:50-51 and 53) "Command the people of Israel that they put out of the camp every leper, and everyone having a discharge, and every one that is unclean through contact with the dead; you shall put out both male and female, putting them outside the camp, that they may not defile their camp, in the midst of which I dwell." (Numbers 5:2-3) "Because the LORD your God walks in the midst of your camp, to save you and to give up your enemies before you, therefore your camp must be holy, that he may not see anything indecent among you, and turn away from you." (Deuteronomy 23:14) (text references RSV)
20. Rupell & Leuckart, 1828, 1831 see Phaneropthalmus smaragdinus: Rupell and Leuckart, 1828 and Hexabranchus pulchellus: main page: Taxonomic notes: "This species is listed as Hexabranchus sanguineus (Rupell and Leuckart, 1831.)"
21. see Rothauer's Dugong Page (english): Mermaid Myths (scroll down to bottom of the page of the article, the last sentence.) --see The Probert Encyclopedia: Dugong: "A variety was discovered in the Red Sea by Ruppell, and called Halicore tabernaculi."(1843) Its zoological name has been changed several times: see The Paleobiology Database: enter Halicore tabernaculi in top field, click [SEARCH]: then select view classification of included taxa: Classification of Trichechus dugon (Halicore tabernaculi Ruppell/Rupell 1843): Trichechus dugung Erxleben 1777, Dugong indicus Lacepede 1799----Dugong dugong Illiger 1811----Halicore hemprichii and Halicore lottum Ehrenberg 1832, Halicore tabernaculi Ruppell 1843, Halicore australis Owen 1847, Halicore cetacea Heuglin; it was recombined as Halicore dugung Trouessant 1898, it was recombined as "Dugong dugon" Scheffer and Rice 1963, also Husar 1978, Domning 1994, 1996, and Rice 1998.
22. Encyclopaedia Judaica, 2nd ed., Vol. 19: SOM-TN, 2007, p. 435: "TAHASH"
23. Encyclopaedia Judaica: Tahash; and Kolel's Parasha Study number 1999 "...it seems much more fun to imagine that the tachash could be a giraffe, a narwhal, or a mythical unicorn."
24. The Mishnah: Kodashim: Menahot 43b. see also Exodus 24:9-11 and Ezekiel 1:26 :---"10 and they saw the God of Israel; and there was under his feet as it were a pavement of sapphire stone, like the very heaven for clearness."---"26 And above the firmament over their heads there was the likeness of a throne, in appearance like sapphire; and seated above the likeness of a throne was a likeness as it were of a human form.'" RSV
25. Dr. Baruch Sterman, The Meaning of Tekhelet: "The Symbolism of White and Blue".
26. Judaica Press Complete Tanach with Rashi (Chabad.org): Yechezkel-Ezekiel-Chapter 16 (verse 10). See again Compare Bible translations of Ezekiel 16:10, beginning with The New American Bible (USCCB), above.
27. Talmud: Tractate Shabbath 28a,b.---See "Articles and External Links" below---See also Misplaced Pages articles "Informal fallacy," "Cognitive bias," and "Intellectual dishonesty," as an expanded discussion relating to this particular question, and more generally as an aid to understanding how very human researchers can make mistakes in judgment and offer findings inconsistent with the whole entire body of data available to them. see also ignorance.
28. "bad" is the older form of the past tense for "bear": i.e. "and it bore one horn on its forehead..."
29. search "Nahman bar Isaac" (not "ben Isaac") then click on "JewishEncyclopedia.com- NAHMAN BAR ISAAC" for article.
30. Soncino Babylonian Talmud: Translated into English, with notes, glossary and indices, under the editorship of Rabbi Dr. I. Epstein, B.A., Ph.D., D. Lit., c. 1938, 1948, 1952, 1961, The Soncino Press, London.
31. The link "Navigating the Bible II" takes the reader to Misplaced Pages Article "Tabernacle: Priestly account"--move cursor to link at "Chapter 25 " and click for menus and text of this Biblical translation of the Torah, move cursor to upper right corner of page of the site and click "contents" for contents and for information about the translation and the World ORT organization.

Articles and External Links

Bible Verse Finder (bibref) (Bible version text comparison)

Strong's Concordance (1890)

Strong's Concordance Hebrew Dictionary

Strong's Concordance Greek Dictionary

Multi-Version Bible Concordance "badger"

Easton's Bible Dictionary (1823–1894)

Easton's Bible Dictionary "badger"

Brown Driver Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (1906) "BDB"

A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament, written by Francis Brown, Samuel Rolles Driver and Charles Augustus Briggs: Index , page 1064, "תחש tahas..."

The Catholic Encyclopedia (1914)

The Catholic Encyclopedia "Tabernacle"

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (1915)

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia "badger"

Soncino Babylonian Talmud, Translated into English with notes, glossary and indices, under the editorship of Rabbi Dr. I. Epstein, B.A., Ph.D., D.Lit. c. 1938, 1948, 1952, 1961 The Soncino Press, London

Encyclopaedia Judaica, Second Edition, Volume 19: SOM-TN, c. 2007, Keter Publishing House, Ltd., page 435: "Tahash."

Search God's Word Hebrew and Greek Lexicons: specific words addax, tahash, tekhelet, Hashem, shem, heaven, tabernacle.

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