Meaning
A basket is a container, often made of woven reeds, twigs, strips of wood, or other flexible materials, used for carrying, storing, or holding things.
Biblical Usage
The Bible mentions baskets in several contexts, including carrying bread, gathering produce, presenting firstfruits, and collecting food remaining after meals. The particular Hebrew or Greek word varies by passage.
In Exodus 2:3, Moses’ mother made a vessel of bulrushes, coated it with slime and pitch, and placed the child inside. The KJV calls this vessel an “ark of bulrushes.” The Hebrew word tebah is also used for Noah’s ark (Genesis 6:14) and is rendered “basket” in some other translations.
In the New Testament, Paul was let down by the wall of Damascus in a basket (Acts 9:25; 2 Corinthians 11:33). Baskets were also used to gather the fragments remaining after Jesus fed the multitudes (Matthew 14:20; 15:37).
Key References
- Exodus 2:3 — Moses is placed in an ark of bulrushes.
- Deuteronomy 26:2 — An Israelite is instructed to put the firstfruits of the land in a basket.
- Matthew 14:20 — The disciples gather the fragments remaining after the feeding of the five thousand.
- Matthew 15:37 — Baskets are used to gather the remaining fragments after the feeding of the four thousand.
- Acts 9:25 — Paul’s disciples let him down by the wall in a basket.
Related Terms
- Bulrushes — Reeds used to make the vessel in which Moses was placed.
- Pitch — A substance used to coat the vessel and make it watertight.
- Ark — A chest or vessel; the KJV uses this word for Noah’s vessel and Moses’ vessel.
- Firstfruits — The first portion of a harvest presented to the LORD.