Topical Encyclopedia
In biblical times, the concept of a treasury was integral to both religious and royal institutions, serving as a repository for wealth, offerings, and valuable items. The term "treasury" is used in various contexts throughout the Bible, reflecting its importance in the economic, religious, and social life of ancient Israel and surrounding nations.
Old Testament ContextIn the Old Testament, the treasury is often associated with the Temple in Jerusalem. The Temple treasury was a place where offerings and tithes were stored, including silver, gold, and other valuable items dedicated to the service of God. The treasury played a crucial role in maintaining the Temple's operations and supporting the Levitical priesthood.
One of the earliest references to a treasury is found in
1 Kings 7:51, where it is recorded that Solomon brought in the dedicated things of his father David, along with silver and gold, and placed them in the treasuries of the house of the LORD. This indicates the practice of dedicating wealth to God and storing it in a sacred place.
The treasuries were also used to store the spoils of war and other contributions made by the people. In
2 Kings 12:18, King Jehoash took all the sacred objects dedicated by his predecessors and himself, along with the gold found in the treasuries of the house of the LORD and the royal palace, to pay off Hazael, king of Aram, to withdraw from Jerusalem.
New Testament ContextIn the New Testament, the treasury is mentioned in the context of the Temple in Jerusalem. Jesus observed the practices surrounding the treasury and used them to teach important spiritual lessons. In
Mark 12:41-44 , Jesus sat opposite the treasury and watched people putting money into it. He highlighted the offering of a poor widow who contributed two small coins, emphasizing that her gift was greater than those of the wealthy because she gave out of her poverty.
The treasury is also referenced in the account of Judas Iscariot, who was responsible for the money bag, which can be seen as a form of a treasury for Jesus and His disciples. In
John 12:6 , it is noted that Judas, who was a thief, used to help himself to what was put into it.
Symbolic and Spiritual SignificanceThe concept of a treasury extends beyond its physical manifestation to carry symbolic and spiritual significance. In
Matthew 6:19-21 , Jesus teaches about the importance of storing up treasures in heaven rather than on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and thieves break in and steal. This passage underscores the transient nature of earthly wealth and the eternal value of spiritual riches.
The treasury, therefore, serves as a metaphor for the heart's priorities. It challenges believers to consider where they invest their resources and affections, urging them to focus on eternal treasures that align with God's kingdom.
ConclusionThe biblical concept of the treasury reflects the intersection of material wealth and spiritual devotion. It serves as a reminder of the importance of dedicating resources to God's service and the eternal perspective that should guide the stewardship of one's possessions.
Smith's Bible Dictionary
Treasury(Mark 12:41;Luke 21:1) a name given by the rabbins to thirteen chests in the temple, called trumpets from their shape. They stood in the court of the women. It would seem probable that this court was sometimes itself called "the treasury" because it contained these repositories.
Easton's Bible Dictionary
(
Matthew 27:6;
Mark 12:41;
John 8:20). It does not appear that there was a separate building so called. The name was given to the thirteen brazen chests, called "trumpets," from the form of the opening into which the offerings of the temple worshippers were put. These stood in the outer "court of the women." "Nine chests were for the appointed money-tribute and for the sacrifice-tribute, i.e., money-gifts instead of the sacrifices; four chests for freewill-offerings for wood, incense, temple decoration, and burnt-offerings" (Lightfoot's Hor. Hebrews).
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (
n.) A place or building in which stores of wealth are deposited; especially, a place where public revenues are deposited and kept, and where money is disbursed to defray the expenses of government; hence, also, the place of deposit and disbursement of any collected funds.
2. (n.) That department of a government which has charge of the finances.
3. (n.) A repository of abundance; a storehouse.
4. (n.) Hence, a book or work containing much valuable knowledge, wisdom, wit, or the like; a thesaurus; as, Maunder's Treasury of Botany.
5. (n.) A treasure.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
TREASURE; TREASURER; TREASURYtrezh'-ur, trezh'-ur-er, trezh'-ur-i (otsar, genaz, genez, ganzakh, chocen matmon, mickenah, mikhman, `athudh, saphan; gaza, thesauros):
I. In the Old Testament.
1. Treasure
The English word "treasure" has in the Old Testament at least five somewhat distinct meanings as expressed in the words: "treasure," genaz (Aramaic) or genez (Hebrew), usually meaning "the thing stored"; translated "treasures" inEzra 6:1, but in 5:17 and 7:20 translated "treasure-house": "search made in the king's treasure-house." InEsther 3:9;Esther 4:7 the Hebrew form is translated "treasury," as is ganzakh in1 Chronicles 28:11.
2. Storehouse:
"Storehouse," not the thing stored but the place of storage; 'otsar means depository, cellar, garner, armory, store or treasure-house. In several places it ought to be translated by some of these words. It is the most frequent word for treasure. the English Revised Version and the American Standard Revised Version both translate in some instances by other words, e.g.1 Kings 7:51, "treasuries of the house of Yahweh," so also2 Chronicles 5:1; "treasury" inNehemiah 7:70, 71, "gave to the treasury a thousand darics of gold"; inJob 38:22, "treasuries of the snow" (compareProverbs 8:21Jeremiah 10:13;Jeremiah 51:16Ezra 2:69).
3. Hidden Riches:
"Treasure" or something concealed. There are 3 Hebrew words with this meaning and all in the King James Version translated "treasure." (1) Matmon, which literally means "a secret storehouse" and so a secreted valuable, usually money buried, and so hidden riches of any kind, hid treasures: "treasure in your sacks" (Genesis 43:23); "dig for it more than for hid treasures" (Job 3:21); "search for her as for hid treasures" (Proverbs 2:4); "We have stores hidden in the field, of wheat," etc. (Jeremiah 41:8). (2) Mikhman, treasure as hidden, used only inDaniel 11:43: "have power over the treasures of gold and silver." (3) Saphan, meaning hidden treasure or valuables concealed: "hidden treasures of the sand" (Deuteronomy 33:19).
4. Strength:
Perhaps the strength of riches and so treasure, the Hebrew word being chocen, from a root meaning to hoard or lay up: "In the house of the righteous is much treasure" (Proverbs 15:6); "They take treasure and precious things" (Ezekiel 22:25).
5. Something Prepared:
"Something prepared," made ready, the Hebrew word being `athudh, meaning "prepared," "ready," therefore something of value and so treasure: "have robbed their treasures," fortifications or other things "made ready" (Isaiah 10:13).
In the Old Testament the Hebrew word most often translated "treasure" is 'otsar. It occurs in the sing. as follows:Deuteronomy 28:121 Chronicles 29:8;Nehemiah 10:38Psalm 17:14;Psalm 135:4Proverbs 15:16;Proverbs 21:20Ecclesiastes 2:8Isaiah 33:6;Daniel 1:2Hosea 13:15; in the pl.:Deuteronomy 32:341 Kings 14:26;1 Kings 15:18;2 Kings 12:18;2 Kings 14:14;2 Kings 16:8;2 Kings 18:15;2 Kings 20:13, 15; 24:13, etc.
The same word is in the King James Version translated "treasuries" in1 Chronicles 9:26;1 Chronicles 28:122 Chronicles 32:27;Nehemiah 13:12, 13Psalm 135:7; and "treasury" inJoshua 6:19, 24Jeremiah 38:11.
II. In the New Testament.
1. Gaza:
There are two words translated "treasure": Gaza is of Persian origin, meaning "treasure." Found only once inActs 8:27 concerning the Ethiopian "who was over all her (Queen Candace's) treasure." In the compound gazophulakion, "guarding of gaza," the same word appears and the compound is translated "treasury" inMark 12:41, 43 parallelLuke 21:1John 8:20.
SeeTEMPLE;TREASURY (OF TEMPLE).
2. Thesauros:
The word thesauros means literally, a "deposit," so wealth and treasure. Evidently throughout the New Testament it has a twofold usage as describing
(1) material treasure, either money or other valuable material possession, and
(2) spiritual treasure, e.g. "like unto treasure hid in a field" (Matthew 13:44); "good treasure of the heart" (Matthew 12:35).
Other references to material treasure areMatthew 6:21;Matthew 13:52Luke 12:21, 34, etc. References to spiritual treasure areMatthew 19:21Mark 10:21Luke 6:45;Luke 12:33;Luke 18:22; pluralMatthew 6:20Colossians 2:3.
InMatthew 27:6 the word for "treasury" is korbanas; compare the Revised Version margin.
SeeCORBAN.
TREASURY, (OF TEMPLE)
trezh'-ur-i ('otsar, usually; ganzakh,1 Chronicles 28:11; gazophulakion, korbanas):
1. Origin of the Treasury:
The need of a "treasury" in connection with the house of Yahweh would early be felt for the reception of the offerings of the people, of tithes, and of the spoils of war dedicated to Yahweh. Already inJoshua 6:19, 24, therefore, we read of a "treasury of the house of Yahweh," into which "the silver and gold, and vessels of brass and iron," taken at Jericho, were brought. In the reign of David, and in his plans for the future temple, great prominence is given to the "treasuries." In1 Chronicles 26:20; are given the names of those who were over "the treasures of the house of God," and over "the treasures of the dedicated things" ("the spoil won in battles," 26:27), the latter being applied "to repair the house of Yahweh."
2. The Solomonic Temple:
In David's plans for Solomon the "treasuries" (ganzakkim) are mentioned with the "porch," "the houses," the "upper rooms," the "inner chambers" of the Temple (1 Chronicles 28:11); and the same distinction is made of "the treasuries ('otsroth) of the house of God," and "the treasuries of the dedicated things" (1 Chronicles 28:12). In the accounts of the actual building of the Temple, "treasuries" are not mentioned, but subsequent notices give ample evidence of their existence. In the narratives of the repeated plunderings of the Temple (see TEMPLE), constant allusion is made to the carrying away of "the treasures of the house of Yahweh" and "the treasures of the king's house" or palace (1 Kings 14:26;1 Kings 15:15, 182 Kings 12:18;2 Kings 14:14;2 Kings 16:8;2 Kings 18:15;2 Kings 24:13). In the episode of Jehoash's repair of the Temple (2 Kings 122 Chronicles 24), we have a refreshing glimpse of the presence and uses of the treasury; but this brighter gleam is soon swallowed up again in darkness. Of the larger store-chambers we get a glance in Jeremiah, where we are told that "the house of the king" was "under the treasury" (38:11), i.e. on a lower level under the south wall.
3. The Second Temple:
The Book of Ne introduces us to treasury-chambers in the second temple-now used for the voluntary offerings (tithes) of the people-grain, and wine, and oil (Nehemiah 13:4;; compareMalachi 3:10). A certain Meshullam had repaired the city wall "over against his chamber" (Nehemiah 3:30), and he, with other Levites, kept "the watch at the storehouses of the gates" (Nehemiah 12:25). These gates were probably gates of exit on the southern side, as in the Herodian temple.
4. Herod's Temple in the New Testament:
In Herod's temple the name "treasury" was specially given to the "court of the women" (see TEMPLE, HEROD'S), where were 13 trumpet-shaped boxes for the reception of the offerings of the worshippers. It was here that Jesus saw the poor widow cast in her two mites (Mark 12:41Luke 21:1-4), and the court is expressly named the "treasury" inJohn 8:20: "These words spake he in the treasury, as he taught in the temple." It is a legitimate deduction that this court was the ordinary scene of the Lord's ministry when teaching in the temple.
See alsoTREASURE, TREASURER, TREASURY.
W. Shaw Caldecott
Greek
1049. gazophulakion --treasury...treasury. Part of Speech: Noun, Neuter Transliteration: gazophulakion Phonetic Spelling:
(gad-zof-oo-lak'-ee-on) Short Definition: a
treasury Definition: a
...2878b. korbanas --treasury
...treasury. Transliteration: korbanas Short Definition:treasury. Word Origin of Hebrew
origin qorban Definitiontreasury NASB Word Usage templetreasury (1)....
2878. korban -- an offering
... duty to God to care for aged parents (etc.). gift to God, corban,treasury.
Korbanas (kor-ban-as') of Hebrew and Chaldee origin...
2855. kollubistes -- a moneychanger
... kol-loo-bis-tace') Short Definition: a money-changer Definition: a money-changer,
who changed heathen into Jewish money, for payment into the Templetreasury....
1047. gaza -- treasure
... treasure. Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: gaza Phonetic Spelling:
(gad'-zah) Short Definition: treasure Definition: treasure,treasury....
5009. tameion -- an inner chamber
... Word Origin later form of tamieion (treasury) Definition an inner chamber NASB
Word Usage inner room (1), inner rooms (2), storeroom (1)....
Strong's Hebrew
1597. ganzak --treasury... 1596, 1597. ganzak. 1598 .
treasury. Transliteration: ganzak Phonetic
Spelling: (ghin-zak') Short Definition: storehouses.
...treasury.
...214. otsar -- treasure, store, atreasury, storehouse
... 213, 214. otsar. 215 . treasure, store, atreasury, storehouse. Transliteration:
otsar Phonetic Spelling: (o-tsaw') Short Definition: treasures....
1595. genez --treasury, perhaps chests
... 1594, 1595. genez. 1596 .treasury, perhaps chests. Transliteration: genez
Phonetic Spelling: (gheh'-nez) Short Definition: treasuries.... chest,treasury....
674. appethom -- perhapstreasury
... 673, 674. appethom. 675 . perhapstreasury. Transliteration: appethom
Phonetic Spelling: (ap-pe-thome') Short Definition: revenue....
1596. genaz -- a treasure
... Word Origin (Aramaic) corresponding to genez Definition a treasure NASB Word
Usage treasure (1), treasures (1),treasury (1). treasure....
1004. bayith -- a house
... places (1), prison* (15), residence (1), room (6), rooms (1), shrine* (1), temple
(36), temple to the house (1), temples (2), tomb (1),treasury* (1), turned...
1005. bayith -- a house
... Aramaic) corresponding to bayith Definition a house NASB Word Usage archives* (1),
hall (1), house (30), houses (2), residence (1), temple (7),treasury (1)....
5232. nekas -- riches, property
... goods. Word Origin (Aramaic) corresponding to nekes Definition riches, property
NASB Word Usage goods (1),treasury (1). goods. (Aramaic...
Library
TheTreasury of Sacred Song
TheTreasury of Sacred Song. <. TheTreasury of Sacred Song Francis
Turner Palgrave. Table of Contents. Title Page. EXTREMUM...
The Householder and hisTreasury.
... Book X. 15. The Householder and HisTreasury. Now since "every scribe who
has been made a disciple to the kingdom of heaven is like...
TheTreasury must Restore Lands, Gardens, and Houses to the...
... Book II. Chapter XXXIX."TheTreasury must restore Lands, Gardens, and Houses
to the Churches. "Nor shall thetreasury itself, should...
TheTreasury of Sacred Song
TheTreasury of Sacred Song. <.... Title Page. THETREASURY OF SACRED
SONG FT PALGRAVE. LONDON: HENRY FROWDE. OXFORD UNIVERSITY...
How Constantius his Father, Being Reproached with Poverty by...
... Book I. Chapter XIV."How Constantius his Father, being reproached with Poverty by
Diocletian, filled hisTreasury, and afterwards restored the Money to those...
Death was Weeping for Her, Even for Sheol, when He Saw Her...
... Hymn XXXVII. Death was weeping for her, even for Sheol, when he saw her
treasury that it was emptied. 1. Death was weeping for her...
To the Right Hon. Henry Pelham, First Lord Commissioner of the...
... TO THE RIGHT HON. HENRY PELHAM, FIRST LORD COMMISSIONER OF THETREASURY,
AND CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER. PREFACE. Few ages have...
Observing the Offerings and Widow's Mites.
... b 41 And he sat down over against thetreasury [It is said that... c 1 And he looked
up, and saw the rich men that were casting their gifts into thetreasury....
How Sweet the Name of Jesus Sounds
TheTreasury of Sacred Song. <.... TheTreasury of Sacred Song. Book First
CCXXVI How sweet the Name of JESUS sounds. In a believer's ear!...
Christ's Nativity
TheTreasury of Sacred Song. <.... TheTreasury of Sacred Song. Book First I CHRIST'S
NATIVITY. W. Dunbar. Now gladdeth every living cre?�ture,....
Thesaurus
Treasury (25 Occurrences)... 4. (n.) Hence, a book or work containing much valuable knowledge, wisdom, wit, or
the like; a thesaurus; as, Maunder's
Treasury of Botany. 5. (n.) A treasure.
...Treasurer (6 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (n.) One who has the care of a treasure or treasure or
treasury; an officer... Standard Bible Encyclopedia. TREASURE; TREASURER;TREASURY....
Treasure (66 Occurrences)
... with up; as, to treasure up gold. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. TREASURE;
TREASURER;TREASURY. trezh'-ur, trezh'-ur-er, trezh'-ur...
Casting (54 Occurrences)
... Mark 12:41 And Jesus, having sat down opposite thetreasury, saw how the crowd was
casting money into thetreasury; and many rich cast in much. (DBY)....
Rich (140 Occurrences)
... 2. (superl.) Hence, in general, well supplied; abounding; abundant; copious; bountiful;
as, a richtreasury; a rich entertainment; a rich crop....
Darics (5 Occurrences)
... Ezra 2:69 they gave after their ability into thetreasury of the work sixty-one
thousand darics of gold, and five thousand minas of silver, and one hundred...
Putting (278 Occurrences)
... Mark 12:41 And Jesus having sat down over-against thetreasury, was beholding how
the multitude do put brass into thetreasury, and many rich were putting in...
Taxing (3 Occurrences)
... Josephus speaks of the large amounts accruing to the temple-treasury from this source
(Ant., XIV, vii, 2). It was still collected as the distinctive temple-tax...
Tax (43 Occurrences)
... Josephus speaks of the large amounts accruing to the temple-treasury from this source
(Ant., XIV, vii, 2). It was still collected as the distinctive temple-tax...
Opposite (137 Occurrences)
... (WEB BBE NAS RSV). Mark 12:41 Jesus sat down opposite thetreasury, and saw how
the multitude cast money into thetreasury. Many who were rich cast in much....
Resources
What is the treasury of merit? | GotQuestions.orgWhat are indulgences and plenary indulgences and is the concept biblical? | GotQuestions.orgWhat does Jesus want us to learn from what He said about the widow's mite? | GotQuestions.orgTreasury: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
Bible Dictionary •
Bible Encyclopedia •
Topical Bible •
Bible Thesuarus
