(Deut. 26:2, 4) This basket served as a container for products of the soil and was probably a large, deep receptacle. It may have been like one type used by modern-day Palestinian peasants, a basket made of straw and clay. This basket, having the general form of a jar, serves as a receptacle for grain that is put into it through a mouth at the top and that can be withdrawn by means of an opening at the bottom, which can thereafter be closed up with a cloth. However, the actual form of the teʹneʼ is uncertain, though the Septuagint Version renders it karʹtal·los, a term signifying a basket tapering downward, one of inverted cone form. The Hebrew term teʹneʼ was used for “basket” by Moses when he apprised Israel of the consequences of obedience and of disobedience to Jehovah and said, “Blessed will be your basket and your kneading trough” if a course of obedience was pursued, but, “cursed will be your basket and your kneading trough,” if Israel was disobedient.—Deut. 28:5, 17.

The Hebrew word k^eluvʹ may denote a basket woven of rushes or leaves. This term is employed for “basket” at Amos 8:1, 2, where the prophet reports that Jehovah caused him to see “a basket of summer fruit.” Just how this basket may have differed from the dudh of Jeremiah 24:1, 2 (used for figs) is not revealed in the Scriptures.

After Jesus Christ miraculously multiplied loaves and fishes to feed five thousand men, besides women and young children, there were twelve baskets full of surplus fragments. (Matt. 14:20; Mark 6:43; Luke 9:17; John 6:13) For the type of basket used to gather the leftovers, all four Gospel writers use the Greek word koʹphi·nos. This type may have been a relatively small wicker hand basket in which to carry provisions on a journey, or, possibly, it had a cord serving as a handle by which the basket could be carried on one’s back. Its general capacity may be deduced from the fact that this Greek term is also used for the Boeotian measure of approximately two gallons (c. 7.6 liters).

After Matthew and Mark tell of Jesus’ feeding four thousand men, besides women and young children, from the seven loaves and a few little fishes, they show that seven baskets of surplus fragments were collected. But they use a different Greek word, sphu·risʹ (or spuirisʹ); this denotes a large provision basket or hamper. (Matt. 15:37; Mark 8:8) Whereas the smaller koʹphi·nos would suffice when one was traveling in Jewish territory and away from home only a short time, a larger basket would be needed when going on an extended journey through foreign areas. The sphu·risʹ (or spu·risʹ) denotes something round and folded or twisted together. So the term would apply to a plaited reed basket. At times this type was quite large, big enough to hold a man. Gospel writers draw a distinction between the koʹphi·nos and spu·risʹ (or sphu·risʹ) (NW using “baskets” for the former and “provision baskets” for the latter) when reporting Jesus Christ’s later references to his acts of miraculously multiplying food.—Matt. 16:9, 10; Mark 8:19, 20.

The sphu·risʹ (or spu·risʹ) is the kind of basket in which Paul was lowered to the ground through an opening in the wall of Damascus. (Acts 9:25) In telling the Corinthian Christians about this escape, the apostle used the Greek word sar·gaʹne, which denotes a plaited or wicker basket made of rope or entwined twigs. Both of these Greek terms can be used for the same type of basket.—2 Cor. 11:32, 33.

Jesus Christ, after identifying his disciples as “the light of the world,” told them: “People light a lamp and set it, not under the measuring basket, but upon the lampstand, and it shines upon all those in the house.” Such a “measuring basket” (Gr., moʹdi·os) was a dry measure that had a capacity of nearly one peck (.96 peck, or 7.68 U.S. dry quarts [c. 8.8 liters]), but Christ used it illustratively as a covering. Rather than hide their spiritual light under a figurative “measuring basket,” Jesus admonished his disciples, saying: “Let your light shine before men, that they may see your fine works and give glory to your Father who is in the heavens.”—Matt. 5:1, 2, 14-16; see also Mark 4:21; Luke 11:33.

BAT

A flying mammal that, apart from its large wings of membranous skin, resembles the mouse. The Scriptures classify the bat among the unclean flying creatures that were not to be eaten by the Israelites. (Lev. 11:19; Deut. 14:18) The varieties encountered in the Near East may have a wingspread of a few inches to more than twenty inches (50.8 centimeters). Both insect-eating and fruit-eating bats are found in Palestine.

The bat can fly under the darkest conditions, for it is equipped with a sort of built-in “sonar” system that enables it, when in flight, to avoid obstacles even as small as a wire as well as to locate insect prey. Through its nostrils the bat emits high-frequency pulses of sound far above the range of human hearing. Its ears are specially designed so as to permit the bat to detect the reflections of its own sounds, thus determining the proximity of surrounding objects, animate or inanimate. The sound emitted is not confused with the echo, since a tiny ear muscle contracts at the precise moment the bat broadcasts its high-pitched sound. Even when tens of thousands of these creatures mill around for hours in a dark cave, there are no collisions. Each bat apparently recognizes its own signals and does not confuse them with those of his neighbors.

During the daylight hours bats generally roost head downward in dark caves or deserted buildings, then come forth at dusk to hunt for food during the hours of darkness. Where large numbers of them roost in one place there is a repulsive, mousy odor. In some caves bat manure has built up into layers of considerable thickness, providing a valuable source of fertilizer. It is doubtless because of the bat’s habit of roosting in dark places that the prophet Isaiah speaks of throwing gods of gold and silver to the bats. A place of darkness and uncleanness is all such idols deserve, instead of the places of honor and prominence accorded them by their deceived worshipers.—Isa. 2:20.

BATH

A liquid measure amounting to a tenth of a homer and corresponding to the dry-measure ephah. (Ezek. 45:10, 11) On the basis of jar fragments bearing the designation “bath” in ancient Hebrew characters, it has been estimated that the bath measure equaled 5.81 gallons (22 liters). This approximate capacity of the bath would better fit the Bible’s description of the “molten sea” than that of the much larger bath (10.3 gallons, c. 40 liters) derived from Josephus’ writings.—See MOLTEN SEA.

BATHING

The Hebrew word ra·hhatsʹ is rendered either “bathe” or “wash” and applies to the human body and other objects that are cleansed by dipping or having water poured over them. (Ex. 40:31; Lev. 16:24) However, to describe the washing of clothes when they are pounded under water, the Hebrew word ka·vasʹ (meaning “to trample”) is used. We, therefore, read in Leviticus 14:8: “And the one cleansing himself must wash [a form of ka·vasʹ] his garments and shave off all his hair and bathe [ra·hhatsʹ] in water and must be clean.”—See also Leviticus 15:5-27; Numbers 19:19.

Physical cleanliness is required of those who worship Jehovah in holiness and purity. This was demonstrated in connection with the tabernacle arrangement and the later temple service. At their installation, High Priest Aaron and his sons bathed before donning the official garments. (Ex. 29:4-9; 40:12-15; Lev. 8:6, 7) The copper basin in the courtyard of the tabernacle, and later the huge molten sea at Solomon’s temple, served for washing of hands and feet of the priests. (Ex. 30:18-21; 40:30-32; 2 Chron. 4:2-6) On the day of atonement the high priest bathed twice.