Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

BASKET

In biblical cultures, people used baskets for carrying burdens and storing materials. Baskets existed in various sizes, some with handles or lids. Biblical texts use various Hebrew words to refer to baskets. The sal carried food (Gen. 40:16; Judg. 6:19; Exod. 29:3). The ṭeneʾ held food offerings (Deut. 26:2). The kĕlûḇ was a loosely woven basket (Amos 8:1; cf. Jer. 5:27 “birdcage”). Heb. dûḏ refers to different types of containers: cooking pots (Job 41:20[MT 12]), baskets for carrying burdens (Ps. 81:6[7]) or the heads of slaughtered enemies (2 Kgs. 10:7). Infant Moses was placed in a tēḇâ, a sealed papyrus box (Exod. 2:3, 5; tēḇâ refers to Noah’s ark in Gen. 6:14–9:18).

The NT mentions two types of baskets. After the feeding of the 5000, the disciples gathered 12 baskets (Gk. kóphinoi) of leftovers (Matt. 14:20 = Mark 6:43; Luke 9:17; John 6:13). After the feeding of the 4000, they gathered leftovers in seven spyrídes (Matt. 15:37 = Mark 8:8, 20). The Evangelists maintain a distinction between the terms (Matt. 16:9-10; Mark 8:19-20). Further, Paul escaped Damascus by being let over the wall in a spyrís (Acts 9:25; in 2 Cor. 11:33 Paul describes this basket as a sargánē, a large hamper). Thus the spyrís was likely a large basket, while the kóphinos was smaller.

Perry L. Stepp

Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

BASKET

Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (2000)