Topical Encyclopedia In biblical terminology, the term "vessel" is used both literally and metaphorically throughout the Scriptures. It often refers to containers or objects used for holding liquids or other substances, but it also carries significant symbolic meaning, particularly in relation to human beings and their relationship with God.Literal Usage: 1. Household and Temple Use: Vessels in the Bible are frequently mentioned as items used in daily life and religious practices. In the Old Testament, vessels were essential in the tabernacle and later in the temple. For example, in 1 Kings 7:45, the bronze vessels made by Hiram for Solomon's temple are detailed: "the pots, the shovels, and the sprinkling bowls. All these objects that Hiram made for King Solomon for the house of the LORD were of polished bronze." 2. Domestic Use: Vessels were common in households for various purposes, such as storing oil, water, or grain. In 2 Kings 4:2, the widow of a prophet is instructed by Elisha to gather vessels to hold the miraculous supply of oil: "Elisha asked her, 'What can I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house?' She answered, 'Your servant has nothing in the house but a jar of oil.'" Metaphorical Usage: 1. Human Beings as Vessels: The metaphorical use of "vessel" to describe human beings is prevalent in Scripture, emphasizing the idea of humans as containers of God's presence or purpose. In 2 Corinthians 4:7, Paul writes, "Now we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this surpassingly great power is from God and not from us." Here, believers are likened to clay vessels, fragile yet filled with the treasure of the Gospel. 2. Vessels of Honor and Dishonor: The concept of vessels is also used to distinguish between those who honor God and those who do not. In Romans 9:21, Paul uses the imagery of a potter and clay: "Does not the potter have the right to make from the same lump of clay one vessel for special occasions and another for common use?" This illustrates God's sovereignty in determining the purpose and use of each individual. 3. Purity and Sanctification: The idea of being a vessel is linked to purity and sanctification. In 2 Timothy 2:21, Paul exhorts believers to cleanse themselves to be useful to God: "If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master, and prepared to do any good work." Here, the vessel represents a person set apart for God's service. Symbolism in Prophecy: 1. Judgment and Restoration: Vessels are sometimes used symbolically in prophetic literature to convey messages of judgment or restoration. In Jeremiah 18:4, the potter's vessel that was marred and remade symbolizes God's ability to reshape the nation of Israel: "But the vessel he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hand; so the potter formed it into another vessel, as it seemed best to him." 2. Divine Wrath: In Revelation, vessels are associated with the outpouring of God's wrath. Revelation 16:1 describes the seven bowls (vessels) of God's wrath being poured out upon the earth: "Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, 'Go, pour out the seven bowls of God’s wrath on the earth.'" In summary, the concept of a vessel in the Bible is rich with meaning, encompassing both the practical aspects of daily life and profound spiritual truths about human nature, divine purpose, and God's sovereign will. Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary 1. (n.) A hollow or concave utensil for holding anything; a hollow receptacle of any kind, as a hogshead, a barrel, a firkin, a bottle, a kettle, a cup, a bowl, etc.2. (n.) A general name for any hollow structure made to float upon the water for purposes of navigation; especially, one that is larger than a common rowboat; as, a war vessel; a passenger vessel. 3. (n.) Fig.: A person regarded as receiving or containing something; esp. (Script.), one into whom something is conceived as poured, or in whom something is stored for use; as, vessels of wrath or mercy. 4. (n.) Any tube or canal in which the blood or other fluids are contained, secreted, or circulated, as the arteries, veins, lymphatics, etc. 5. (n.) A continuous tube formed from superposed large cylindrical or prismatic cells (tracheae), which have lost their intervening partitions, and are usually marked with dots, pits, rings, or spirals by internal deposition of secondary membranes; a duct. 6. (v. t.) To put into a vessel. International Standard Bible Encyclopedia VESSELves'-el: Is used freely in English Versions of the Bible to translate keli, the Aramaic ma'n, and skeuos, words all meaning "an implement or utensil" of any kind, when the context shows that a hollow utensil is meant. In 1 Samuel 21:5, however, the translation of the plural of keli by "vessels" is dubious. English Versions of the Bible evidently intended something in the nature of provision wallets, and the "holiness" of such objects finds partial parallels in Numbers 19:15 Leviticus 11:32-34, etc. But in 1 Samuel 21:8, in the immediate context of the verse above, keli certainly means "weapons," and this translation is quite intelligible in 21:5 also. For war among the Hebrews was a holy function, calling for extreme ceremonial purity (Deuteronomy 23:9-14). See the commentaries. and especially RS2, 455-56. In addition, "vessel" appears in Isaiah 30:14 for nebhel, "jar"; in Matthew 13:48 for aggos, "vessels"; and in Sirach 21:14; Matthew 25:4 for aggeion, a diminutive form of aggos. A different use is that of The Wisdom of Solomon 14:1, where "vessel" represents ploion, "a boat," while The Wisdom of Solomon 14:5, 6 the King James Version has "weak vessel" for schedia, "raft" (so the Revised Version (British and American)). Vessels of all sorts and kinds and for all sorts of uses were so familiar as to make them natural illustrations for different sorts of human beings (Hosea 8:8 Isaiah 22:24 Jeremiah 22:28, etc.; see POTTER), and through Acts 9:15 the word "vessel" has passed into Christian theology as signifying simply a human being. But the figure of such "vessels" as (passively) filled with different contents is not Biblical. In 1 Thessalonians 4:4 "vessel" may be taken as a figure for either the man's own body or for his wife. Between these possibilities the commentaries are almost equally divided. Greek 4632. skeuos -- a vessel, implement, pl. goods ... 4631, 4632. skeuos. 4633 . a vessel, implement, pl. goods. Part of Speech: Noun, Neuter Transliteration: skeuos Phonetic Spelling ... //strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4632.htm - 6k 30. aggeion -- a vessel 2765. keramion -- an earthen vessel 5473. chalkion -- a brazen (ie of copper, bronze, brass) vessel 5276. hupolenion -- a vessel or trough beneath a winepress (to ... 32b. aggos -- a vessel 3491. naus -- a ship 4143. ploion -- a boat 502. antlema -- a container to draw with 4627. skaphe -- anything scooped out, spec. a light boat Strong's Hebrew 2789. cheres -- earthenware, earthen vessel, sherd, potsherd... 2788, 2789. cheres. 2790 . earthenware, earthen vessel, sherd, potsherd. Transliteration: cheres Phonetic Spelling: (kheh'-res) Short Definition: earthenware ... /hebrew/2789.htm - 6k 3627. keli -- an article, utensil, vessel 3984. man -- vessel, utensil 5600. sephinah -- a vessel, ship 6089b. etseb -- a vessel 6089. etseb -- a hurt, pain, toil 5035. nebel -- a skin bottle, skin, jar, pitcher 6894. qab -- kab (a measure of capacity) 3734. kor -- kor (a measure) 8193. saphah -- lip, speech, edge Library The Vessel of Wrought Gold The Vessel of the Church. The Heretics Called the Flesh "The Vessel of the Soul," in Order ... Account of the Eighty Pious Delegates in Nicomedia, whom Valens ... Of the Lord's Crossing the Lake on that Occasion on which He Slept ... section 2 To the Rev. A. Brandram The Judges Said: if You have any Clearer Statement yet to Make... The Voyage and Shipwreck Third Chapter Thesaurus Vessel (118 Occurrences)... hollow structure made to float upon the water for purposes of navigation; especially, one that is larger than a common rowboat; as, a war vessel; a passenger ... /v/vessel.htm - 40k Water-vessel (14 Occurrences) Washing-vessel (8 Occurrences) Vessel's (1 Occurrence) Perfume-vessel (1 Occurrence) Earthen (19 Occurrences) Earthenware (13 Occurrences) Wooden (18 Occurrences) Pot (46 Occurrences) Wheeled (6 Occurrences) Resources What does it mean that women are the 'weaker vessel' (1 Peter 3:7)? | GotQuestions.orgWhat does the Bible say about the holy grail (sangreal)? | GotQuestions.org What is chivalry? Does the Bible instruct men to be chivalrous? | GotQuestions.org Vessel: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus Concordance Vessel (118 Occurrences)Matthew 5:15 Mark 4:21 Mark 11:16 Mark 14:13 Luke 8:16 Luke 11:33 Luke 22:10 John 4:11 John 13:26 John 19:29 Acts 9:15 Acts 10:11 Acts 10:16 Acts 11:5 Acts 27:41 Acts 28:11 Romans 9:21 1 Thessalonians 4:4 2 Timothy 2:21 Hebrews 9:4 1 Peter 3:7 Revelation 8:3 Revelation 8:5 Revelation 16:2 Revelation 16:3 Revelation 16:4 Revelation 16:8 Revelation 16:10 Revelation 16:12 Revelation 16:17 Genesis 24:14 Genesis 24:16 Genesis 24:17 Genesis 24:18 Genesis 24:20 Genesis 24:43 Genesis 24:45 Genesis 24:46 Exodus 40:30 Leviticus 6:28 Leviticus 11:32 Leviticus 11:33 Leviticus 11:34 Leviticus 13:49 Leviticus 13:52 Leviticus 13:53 Leviticus 13:57 Leviticus 13:58 Leviticus 13:59 Leviticus 14:5 Leviticus 14:50 Leviticus 15:4 Leviticus 15:6 Leviticus 15:12 Leviticus 15:22 Leviticus 15:23 Leviticus 15:26 Leviticus 16:12 Numbers 5:17 Numbers 16:17 Numbers 16:18 Numbers 16:46 Numbers 16:47 Numbers 19:15 Numbers 19:17 Numbers 31:20 Numbers 31:51 Deuteronomy 23:24 Judges 7:16 1 Samuel 16:1 1 Samuel 17:49 1 Samuel 26:11 1 Samuel 26:12 1 Samuel 26:16 2 Samuel 17:28 1 Kings 1:39 1 Kings 7:25 1 Kings 7:35 1 Kings 7:38 1 Kings 17:10 2 Kings 2:20 2 Kings 4:6 2 Kings 12:13 1 Chronicles 28:15 2 Chronicles 26:19 Nehemiah 4:23 Esther 1:7 Job 28:17 Psalms 2:9 Psalms 22:15 Psalms 31:12 Psalms 71:22 Psalms 126:6 Proverbs 20:15 Proverbs 25:4 Proverbs 25:13 Proverbs 26:23 Proverbs 27:22 Ecclesiastes 12:6 Isaiah 2:16 Subtopics Related Terms Washing-vessels (4 Occurrences) Drinking-vessels (1 Occurrence) Washing-vessel (8 Occurrences) |