Copper

Copper (Hebrew nĕḥoshet) was the primary metal of ancient Israelite material culture, used for weapons, tools, vessels, and temple furnishings. The King James Version almost universally renders nĕḥoshet as brass, though true brass (a copper-zinc alloy) was not known in antiquity; what the biblical text describes is bronze (copper-tin alloy) or unalloyed copper. The exception appears in Ezra 8:27, where vessels of fine copper (nĕḥoshet) twice as valuable as gold are listed among temple items — a corrected rendering that reflects pure copper's value in certain fine-quality forms.

Copper was mined in the Arabah region south of the Dead Sea (Timna Valley), a major ancient copper production site. David accumulated vast quantities of bronze from conquered Aramean cities for the temple Solomon would build (2 Samuel 22:35; 1 Chronicles 18:8). The great bronze sea, the pillars Jachin and Boaz, and the numerous temple vessels were all cast from this material. Jeremiah employs copper's hardness as a metaphor: the nations will find Israel impervious to their attacks as long as God protects (Jeremiah 15:12). Strength like bronze or iron is a common biblical image for divine empowerment.