Lexical Summary tebah: Ark, Basket Original Word: תֵּבָה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance box tree Perhaps of foreign derivation; a box -- ark. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originprobably of foreign origin Definition a box, chest NASB Translation ark (26), basket (2). Brown-Driver-Briggs תֵּבָה noun feminine ark (properly chest, box (compare Late Hebrew תֵּבָה); probably Egyptian loan-word from T-b-t, chest, coffin (Brugsch, ErmanZMG xlvi (1892), 123); > Babylonian word JenZA iv (1889), 272 f. HalJAssyr., 1888 {Nov.-Dec.}, 517); — absolute ׳ת Genesis 7:1 +; construct תֵּבַת Genesis 6:14; Exodus 2:3; — vessel in which infant Moses was laid among reeds Exodus 2:3 (made of papyrus, גֹּמֶא), Exodus 2:5 (both E; ᵐ5 θῖβις, θήβη, compare LewyFremdw. 100); vessel which saved Noah and his family, with animals, during flood (ᵐ5 κιβωτός): Genesis 7:1,7,9,17,23; Genesis 8:6,9 (twice in verse); Genesis 8:10,13; Genesis 9:18 (all J), Genesis 6:14 (made of עֲצֵי נֹפֶר), Genesis 6:14; Genesis 6:15; Genesis 6:16; Genesis 6:16; Genesis 6:18; Genesis 6:19; Genesis 7:13,15,18; Genesis 8:1,4,16,19; Genesis 9:10 (all P). תְּבוּאָה see בוא. תְּבוּנָה, תְּבוּנָם see בין. תובנתו see בין. תְּבוּסָה see בוס. Topical Lexicon Semantic Scope and Distribution תֵּבָה (tebah) designates a large, watertight container designed for flotation and preservation. All twenty-eight Old Testament occurrences fall within two narratives: the ark built by Noah (Genesis 6–9) and the basket that protected the infant Moses (Exodus 2:3-5). No other Hebrew term is applied to these two structures, and תֵּבָה is never used for the Ark of the Covenant, which is consistently אַרוֹן (aron). The Ark of Noah (Genesis 6–9) 1. Divine blueprint. Genesis 6:14-16 records the sole naval construction plan directly dictated by God: “Make for yourself an ark of gopher wood… three hundred cubits long, fifty cubits wide, and thirty cubits high” (Genesis 6:14-15). Its displacement (about 1.5 million cubic feet) rivals modern cargo vessels, underlining divine foresight in both scale and stability. The Basket of Moses (Exodus 2:3-5) 1. Parallel vocabulary, parallel grace. Moses’ mother “got him a papyrus basket [tebah], coated it with tar and pitch” (Exodus 2:3). The same sealing agent used on Noah’s ark underscores thematic continuity: salvation through a Spirit-guided enclosure amid threatening waters. Thematic Links between the Two Arks • Salvation through judgement: waters both destroy and deliver. New Testament Echoes • Luke traces Jesus’ genealogy through Noah (Luke 3:36), rooting Messianic hope in the ark narrative. Historical and Archaeological Notes Ancient Near-Eastern flood epics (e.g., Gilgamesh) record smaller, cube-shaped vessels. Genesis describes an elongated, barge-like structure optimised for stability, consistent with modern naval engineering. Papyrus boats on the Nile were common in Egypt’s Middle Kingdom, situating Exodus 2 within credible cultural practice. Ministry Applications • Proclamation of judgement and mercy: the two tebot urge balanced preaching of divine wrath and grace. Conclusion Through its twenty-eight appearances, תֵּבָה consistently signifies a God-designed refuge that carries His people through waters of judgement into new life and mission. From the Flood to the Nile, the theme remains: salvation is of the Lord, secured within His appointed vessel, pointing ultimately to the greater Ark—Jesus Christ—in whom believers find eternal safety. Forms and Transliterations בַּתֵּבָ֑ה בַּתֵּבָֽה׃ בתבה בתבה׃ הַתֵּבָ֑ה הַתֵּבָ֔ה הַתֵּבָ֖ה הַתֵּבָֽה׃ הַתֵּבָה֙ התבה התבה׃ לַתֵּבָ֗ה לתבה תֵּ֣בַת תֵּבַ֣ת תבת bat·tê·ḇāh battêḇāh batteVah hat·tê·ḇāh hattêḇāh hatteVah lat·tê·ḇāh lattêḇāh latteVah tê·ḇaṯ têḇaṯ teVatLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Genesis 6:14 HEB: עֲשֵׂ֤ה לְךָ֙ תֵּבַ֣ת עֲצֵי־ גֹ֔פֶר NAS: Make for yourself an ark of gopher KJV: Make thee an ark of gopher wood; INT: Make an ark wood of gopher Genesis 6:14 Genesis 6:15 Genesis 6:16 Genesis 6:16 Genesis 6:18 Genesis 6:19 Genesis 7:1 Genesis 7:7 Genesis 7:9 Genesis 7:13 Genesis 7:15 Genesis 7:17 Genesis 7:18 Genesis 7:23 Genesis 8:1 Genesis 8:4 Genesis 8:6 Genesis 8:9 Genesis 8:9 Genesis 8:10 Genesis 8:13 Genesis 8:16 Genesis 8:19 Genesis 9:10 28 Occurrences |