Lexical Summary shareth: To minister, to serve Original Word: שָׁרֵת Strong's Exhaustive Concordance ministerry Infinitive of sharath; service (in the Temple) -- minister(-ry). see HEBREW sharath NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom sharath Definition (religious) ministry NASB Translation service (2). Brown-Driver-Briggs שָׁרֵת noun masculine religious ministry; — ׳כְּלֵי הַשּׁ vessels of ministry in tabernacle Numbers 4:12, temple 2Chronicles 24:14. [שָׁשָׂה] see [שׁסה] Po`. I. שֵׁשׁ six, see שׁדשׁ. II. שֵׁשׁ see שַׁיִשׁ. Topical Lexicon Overview שָׁרֵת designates things employed in the act of ministering—tools, vessels, or accessories expressly set apart for divine service. By extension it evokes the wider concept of consecrated ministry: that which is wholly dedicated to the worship and glory of the LORD. Canonical Occurrences 1. Numbers 4:12 presents the Kohathites wrapping “all the utensils of ministry with which they serve in the sanctuary.” Although the form appears only twice, its setting in both the wilderness sanctuary and the Jerusalem Temple ties together Israel’s unfolding history of worship from Sinai to the monarchy. Service Implements within the Wilderness Tabernacle The Kohathites, descendants of Levi, bore responsibility for the most sacred furniture once it had been cloaked for transit. Every “instrument of service” (Numbers 4:12) had to be covered with blue or scarlet cloth, then encased in durable skins before lifting onto the shoulders of the Levites. Separation and protection signified holiness: objects treated as sheret were not common tools but extensions of the LORD’s throne room on earth. Their dedicated use reminds the worshiper that God alone prescribes how He is approached (Exodus 25:9; Hebrews 8:5). Restoration under Joash Generations later, Queen Athaliah’s desecrations left the Temple neglected and its vessels plundered. When Joash repaired the structure, he also replaced its ministering articles. “When they had finished, they brought the rest of the money before the king and Jehoiada, and with it were made articles for the house of the LORD, articles for service and for burnt offerings” (2 Chronicles 24:14). Sacred worship could not resume without specific utensils; form and function were inseparable. The chronicler links architectural renewal to liturgical fidelity, portraying faithful stewardship over divine resources. Theological Emphasis of Consecrated Service 1. Holiness: Objects marked sheret belonged exclusively to God, illustrating the principle that whatever serves Him must be undefiled (Leviticus 10:10). Foreshadowing New Covenant Ministry Paul’s imagery of believers as “vessels for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work” (2 Timothy 2:21) reflects the sheret concept: lives and bodies become instruments wholly directed to divine purposes. Likewise, Romans 12:1 urges presentation of oneself as a “living sacrifice,” transferring the idea of set-apart articles from temple closets to Christian obedience. Practical Ministry Implications • Stewardship: Facilities, finances, and spiritual gifts are not ends in themselves but implements of service. They require vigilant maintenance and periodic renewal, as Joash demonstrated. Through its sparse yet strategic appearances, שָׁרֵת invites every generation to evaluate whether the vessels—material or human—devoted to God’s worship remain consecrated, orderly, and effective for the ongoing ministry of the LORD. Forms and Transliterations הַשָּׁרֵ֜ת השרת שָׁרֵ֔ת שרת haš·šā·rêṯ hashshaRet haššārêṯ šā·rêṯ šārêṯ shaRetLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Numbers 4:12 HEB: כָּל־ כְּלֵ֨י הַשָּׁרֵ֜ת אֲשֶׁ֧ר יְשָֽׁרְתוּ־ NAS: the utensils of service, with which KJV: all the instruments of ministry, wherewith they minister INT: all the utensils of service which serve 2 Chronicles 24:14 2 Occurrences |
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