A bason, also spelled basin, is a broad, open container used for holding liquids. In biblical times, basons were commonly used for various ceremonial and practical purposes, including washing, sacrificial rituals, and as receptacles for blood or water. The term appears in several passages throughout the Bible, highlighting its significance in both religious and domestic contexts.

Old Testament References

In the Old Testament, basons are frequently mentioned in connection with the tabernacle and temple services. They were integral to the sacrificial system established by God for the Israelites. In Exodus 12:22, during the first Passover, the Israelites were instructed to use a bason to hold the blood of the lamb, which they then applied to the doorposts and lintels of their homes: "Take a cluster of hyssop, dip it in the blood in the basin, and apply some of the blood to the top and both sides of the doorframe."

The construction of the tabernacle included the making of basons for various purposes. In Exodus 27:3, God commands Moses regarding the altar of burnt offering: "Make all its utensils of bronze—its pots to remove the ashes, and its shovels, sprinkling bowls, meat forks, and firepans." The basons, or sprinkling bowls, were used to catch the blood of sacrifices and sprinkle it on the altar, symbolizing purification and atonement.

In 1 Kings 7:38, during the construction of Solomon's Temple, basons are again mentioned: "He also made ten bronze basins, each holding forty baths and measuring four cubits across, one basin for each of the ten stands." These basons were part of the temple furnishings, used for washing and other ceremonial functions.

New Testament References

While the New Testament does not frequently mention basons, their use is implied in the context of Jewish customs and practices. The Gospel of John provides an indirect reference to a basin during the Last Supper. In John 13:5, Jesus uses a basin to wash the disciples' feet, demonstrating humility and servanthood: "After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to dry them with the towel that was wrapped around Him."

Symbolic Significance

The use of basons in the Bible often carries symbolic meaning. In the Old Testament, they are associated with purification, cleansing, and the sacrificial system, which foreshadows the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ. The act of washing in a basin, as seen in the New Testament, symbolizes humility, service, and the cleansing of sin through Christ's atoning work.

Cultural and Historical Context

In ancient Near Eastern culture, basons were made from various materials, including bronze, silver, and gold, depending on their use and the wealth of the owner. They were essential household items, used for washing hands and feet, cooking, and religious rituals. The craftsmanship of basons, especially those used in the tabernacle and temple, reflected the importance of purity and holiness in worship.

Overall, the bason serves as a reminder of the importance of cleanliness, both physical and spiritual, in the life of a believer. Its presence in biblical narratives underscores the themes of sacrifice, service, and sanctification that are central to the Christian faith.(n.) A basin.BASIN; BASON

ba'-s'-n.

1. The Terms Used and Their Meaning:

The American Standard Revised Version has "basin," the King James Version and the Revised Version (British and American) "bason," the preferred spelling of the English revisers. In the Appendix to the Revised Old Testament the American Revisers (section viii) say, "The modern spelling is preferred for the following words"; then follow among others "basin" for "bason"; but no similar statement appears in the Appendix to the Revised New Testament. The Hebrew word so rendered in English Versions of the Bible is chiefly used for the large bowl of bronze (the King James Version "brass") employed by the priests to receive the blood of the sacrificial victims (Exodus 27:3; compare Exodus 29:16 1 Kings 7:45, etc.). It is found only once in secular use (Amos 6:6, "drink wine in bowls"), if the text there is correct; the Septuagint has it otherwise. See BOWL. The "basins" of Exodus 12:22 2 Samuel 17:28 were probably of earthenware.

2. Of Various Materials and Forms:

While the priests' bowls were of bronze, similar bowls or basins of silver were presented by the princes of the congregation, according to Numbers 7:13; and those spoken of in 1 Kings 7:50 as destined for Solomon's temple were of gold (compare 1 Chronicles 28:17).

3. The Typical Ewer of the East:

(1) The well-known eastern mode of washing the hands was and is by pouring water on the hands, not by dipping them in water, an act, of course, calling for the aid of an attendant. Elisha "poured water on the hands of Elijah" (2 Kings 3:11; see Kitto's note in Pictorial Bible 2, II, 330). A disciple came to be known as "one who poured water on the hands of another." Such was beyond question the prevailing custom among the ancient Hebrews, as it was, and is, among eastern peoples in general. They incline to look with disgust, if not with horror, upon our western practice of washing face and hands in water retained in a basin.

(2) The typical vessel of the East used in such ablutions has a long spout, not unlike our large coffee-pot (see Kitto, Pict. Biblical, II, 331, note). While the English Versions of the Bible unfortunately often suggests nothing like such pouring, the Hebrew expresses it, e.g. in 1 Samuel 25:41, where we have the Qal of rachats compare Kennedy in 1-vol HDB, and HDB, articles "Bath," "Bathing." Kennedy shows that "affusion," "pouring on" of water, was meant in many cases where we read "bathe" or "wash" in Enoch glish Versions. Lane (Mod. Egypt, chapter v) says: "A servant brings him a basin and ewer (called Tsisht and ibreek) of tinned copper or brass. The first has a cover with holes, with a raised receptacle for the soap; and the water is poured upon the hands and passes through the ewer into the space below; so that when the basin is brought to a second person the water with which the former has washed is not seen."

4. A Basin of a Unique Sort:

(1) A wash-basin of a special sort was used by Jesus for washing the disciples' feet (see John 13:5). The Greek is nipter eita ballei hudor eis ton niptera, translated the Revised Version (British and American), "then he poureth water into the basin." This word nipter is not found elsewhere in the New Testament, nor in the Septuagint, nor, indeed, in Greek profane literature. But fortunately the general sense is here made plain by the context and by comparison of the cognate verbs niptein and n izein. It evidently denotes an article, not necessarily a vessel, specifically suited to the use of washing a part of the body, e.g. the hands or the feet, and hence is used with the article, "the basin," the Revised Version (British and American). It is doubtful, therefore, if "basin," or "bason," conveys a true idea of either the oriental article here meant or the scene portrayed. The fact that, according to the custom of the day, the position of the disciples here was reclining, precludes the possibility of the use of a "basin" of our sort, in the way we are accustom edition to, i.e. for immersing the feet in the water, in whole or in part.

(2) So it is likely that the nipter was a jug, or ewer, with a dish, saucer, or basin placed under it and combined with it to catch the dripping water. We know from other sources that such a vessel was kept in the Jewish house regularly for ordinary handwashings, etc. (see Matthew 15:2 Mark 7:3), and for ceremonial ablutions. Hence, it would naturally be ready here in the upper room as a normal part of the preparation of the "goodman of the house" for his guests (the King James Version Mark 14:14 Luke 22:12), and so it is distinguished by the Greek article ton. Jesus Himself used the nipter, standing, doubtless, to impress upon His disciples the lessons of humility, self-abasement and loving service which He ever sought to impart and illustrate.

(3) Our conclusion, we may say with George Farmer in DCG, article "Bason," is that nipter was not simply one large basin, but the set of ewer and basin combined, such a set as was commonly kept in the Jewish house for the purpose of cleansing either the hands or the feet by means of affusion. The Arabic Tisht, authorities tell us, is the exact rendering of nipter, and it comes from a root which means "to pour," or "rain slightly." (See Anton Tien, reviser of the Arabic prayer-book, author of Arabic and Mod. Greek Grammars, etc., quoted in DCG, article "Bason.")

George B. Eager

BASON

ba'-s'-n.

See BASIN.

3537. nipter -- a basin
... Word Origin from nipto Definition a basin NASB Word Usage basin (1). a wash basin.
From nipto; a ewer -- bason. see GREEK nipto. (niptera) -- 1 Occurrence. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3537.htm - 6k3713. kphowr -- a bowl
... 3712, 3713. kphowr. 3713a . a bowl. Transliteration: kphowr Phonetic Spelling:
(kef-ore') Short Definition: bason. bason, hoary frost ...
/hebrew/3713.htm - 5k

5592. caph -- a basin, goblet
... caph. 5592a . a basin, goblet. Transliteration: caph Phonetic Spelling: (saf)
Short Definition: bason. bason, bowl, cup, door post, gate, post, threshold ...
/hebrew/5592.htm - 5k

4219. mizraq -- bowl, basin
... bason, bowl. From zaraq; a bowl (as if for sprinkling) -- bason, bowl. see HEBREW
zaraq. 4218, 4219. mizraq. 4220 . Strong's Numbers.
/hebrew/4219.htm - 6k

5598. Sippay -- a Philistine
... Sippai. From caph; bason-like; Sippai, a Philistine -- Sippai. Compare Caph. see
HEBREW caph. see HEBREW Caph. 5597, 5598. Sippay. 5599 . Strong's Numbers.
/hebrew/5598.htm - 6k

Christ Teaching Humility
... After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash his disciples' feet,
and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded." Then occurs the ...
/.../newton/the life of jesus christ for the young/christ teaching humility.htm

Jesus Washeth his Disciples' Feet
... After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples' feet,
and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded. ...
/.../the life of jesus christ for the young/jesus washeth his disciples feet.htm

And when Jesus Finished all These Sayings, He Said unto his ...
... unto God, [3036] rose from supper, and laid aside his [15] garments; [3037] and
took a towel, and girded his waist, and poured water into a bason, and began to ...
/.../hogg/the diatessaron of tatian/section xliv and when jesus.htm

Blessed is He who Atoned Your Sins, that Ye Might Receive his Body ...
... The fleece that was dry from the dew,"Jerusalem was figured in it:"the bason that
was filled with water,"Baptism was figured in it."That was dry after ...
/.../ephraim/hymns and homilies of ephraim the syrian/hymn vii blessed is he.htm

What was Heard in the Basilica of Peace
... Corinthian portico. In the centre is the font for purifications, a huge
monolithic bason in the shape of a four-leaved clover. Three ...
//christianbookshelf.org/bertrand/saint augustin/ii what was heard in.htm

Appendix iv the Scotch Service-Book
... The Alms were to be reverently brought in a bason and humbly presented, and set
upon the Holy Table:"a direction enforced almost word for word in the Rubric ...
/.../studies in the book of common prayer/appendix iv the scotch service-book.htm

On Deacons and Deaconesses, the Rest of the Clergy, and on Baptism ...
... Afterward He puts water into a bason; and as we were sitting at meat, He came and
washed the feet of us all, and wiped them with the towel." [2930] By doing ...
/.../constitutions of the holy apostles/sec ii on deacons and deaconesses.htm

Christ Our Passover
... He findeth none. "My son," he says to one of them, "bring hither the bason." It
is held. He stabs the lamb, and the blood flows into the bason. ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 2 1856/christ our passover.htm

Christ's Exaltation
... now, God has given him a name above every name.' Philippians 2:2. Then he came in
the form of a servant, and as a servant, stood with his bason and towel, and ...
//christianbookshelf.org/watson/a body of divinity/7 christs exaltation.htm

Soul Winning
... A bason of water, half-a-dozen drops, certain syllables"heigh, presto!" the infant
is a child of grace, and becomes a member of Christ and an inheritor of ...
//christianbookshelf.org/spurgeon/sermons on proverbs/soul winning.htm

Bason (3 Occurrences)
... BASIN; BASON. ... It is doubtful, therefore, if "basin," or "bason," conveys a true idea
of either the oriental article here meant or the scene portrayed. ...
/b/bason.htm - 13k

Basin (37 Occurrences)
... Easton's Bible Dictionary Or Bason. (1.) A trough or laver (Hebrews ... or coal fields.
Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. BASIN; BASON. ba'-s'-n ...
/b/basin.htm - 26k

Basons (9 Occurrences)
... 1 Chronicles 28:17 and pure gold for the forks, and the bowls, and the goblets;
and for the golden basons by weight for every bason; and for the silver basons ...
/b/basons.htm - 9k

Goblets (12 Occurrences)
... 1 Chronicles 28:17 and pure gold for the forks, and the bowls, and the goblets;
and for the golden basons by weight for every bason; and for the silver basons ...
/g/goblets.htm - 10k

Door-posts (11 Occurrences)
... Exodus 12:22 And take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is in the
bason, and smear the lintel and the two door-posts with the blood that is in ...
/d/door-posts.htm - 10k

Smear (2 Occurrences)
... Exodus 12:22 And take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is in the
bason, and smear the lintel and the two door-posts with the blood that is in ...
/s/smear.htm - 7k

Basmath (7 Occurrences)

/b/basmath.htm - 9k

Girded (48 Occurrences)
... John 13:5 After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples'
feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded. ...
/g/girded.htm - 21k

Wherewith (182 Occurrences)
... John 13:5 After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples'
feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded. (KJV ASV). ...
/w/wherewith.htm - 38k

Poureth (28 Occurrences)
... John 13:5 After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples'
feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded. (KJV ASV). ...
/p/poureth.htm - 14k

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