Lexical Summary
tene: Basket
Original Word:טֶנֶא
Part of Speech:Noun Masculine
Transliteration:tene'
Pronunciation:TEH-neh
Phonetic Spelling:(teh'-neh)
KJV: basket
NASB:basket
Word Origin:[from an unused root probably meaning to weave]
1. a basket (of interlaced osiers)
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
basket
From an unused root probably meaning to weave; a basket (of interlaced osiers) -- basket.
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originfrom an unused word
Definitiona basket
NASB Translationbasket (4).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
Deuteronomy 28:5 (Late Hebrew is a large metal vessel) — absolute
Deuteronomy 26:4,
Deuteronomy 26:2; suffix
Deuteronomy 28:5,17; in all a receptacle for products of soil (in last two "" ).
Topical Lexicon
Meaning and Cultural Settingטֶנֶא designates a woven basket used for gathering and transporting agricultural produce. Light enough to be carried on a pilgrimage yet sturdy enough to protect grain or figs, it represents the farmer’s link between field and sanctuary. The word’s confinement to Deuteronomy places it in the heart of Israel’s covenant life, where ordinary tools become vehicles of worship and covenant blessing.
Biblical Occurrences
•Deuteronomy 26:2 – firstfruits placed “in a basket” for presentation at the chosen sanctuary.
•Deuteronomy 26:4 – the priest receives the basket and sets it “before the altar of the LORD your God.”
•Deuteronomy 28:5 – obedience secures the promise, “Blessed shall be your basket and kneading bowl”.
•Deuteronomy 28:17 – disobedience reverses the promise, “Your basket and kneading bowl will be cursed”.
These four texts anchor the basket in two covenant rituals: the presentation of firstfruits and the pronouncement of blessings and curses.
Firstfruits and Covenant Worship
InDeuteronomy 26 the worshiper fills the טֶנֶא with “the first of all your produce.” Carrying it to the sanctuary, he recites the historical creed that traces God’s faithfulness from the patriarchs through the Exodus to life in the land. The basket thus becomes a portable testimony that everything harvested belongs first to the LORD. By lifting it from the worshiper’s hands, the priest tangibly declares divine ownership and covenant gratitude.
Symbol of Household Provision
When Moses pronounces blessings and curses, the basket functions as shorthand for the entire food-production cycle. A blessed basket signifies fields that yield and kitchens that supply daily bread; a cursed basket points to empty granaries, drought, or invasion. The image embeds a theological lesson: covenant obedience safeguards provision, while rebellion imperils it.
Historical Background
Excavations in the Levant reveal palm-leaf and rush baskets from the late Bronze and early Iron Ages, matching the period of Israel’s settlement. Such baskets were typically cylindrical, equipped with a looped handle, and capable of holding several liters of grain. By specifying a commonplace container rather than a costly vessel, Deuteronomy underscores the participation of every household—rich or poor—in presenting firstfruits.
Ministry and Devotional Applications
• Gratitude: The filled basket calls believers to acknowledge every increase—salary, harvest, or spiritual gift—as a trust from God (James 1:17).
• Stewardship: Just as Israel brought firstfruits, Christians are urged to honor God “from the firstfruits of all your harvest” (Proverbs 3:9).
• Dependence: The curse on an empty basket warns against self-reliance and disobedience.
• Christological Fulfillment: Jesus, “the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep” (1 Corinthians 15:20), fulfills the pattern; in Him the curse on provision is decisively lifted.
Echoes in Later Scripture
Although טֶנֶא itself does not appear beyond Deuteronomy, its themes re-emerge when Jesus feeds the multitudes and “the disciples picked up twelve baskets full of broken pieces” (Matthew 14:20). In the miracle, the Messiah not only supplies bread but surpasses the Deuteronomic blessings, offering abundance that overflows. Paul’s teaching on generosity—“whoever sows generously will also reap generously” (2 Corinthians 9:6)—continues the covenant principle embodied by the basket.
Theological Summary
The טֶנֶא weaves together worship, work, gratitude, and covenant faithfulness. Filled with firstfruits, it proclaims that “the earth is the LORD’s, and the fullness thereof” (Psalm 24:1). Blessed or cursed, full or empty, the basket in Deuteronomy confronts every generation with the choice between obedient dependence and rebellious scarcity, ultimately pointing to the One who fills all with His grace.
Forms and Transliterations
בַטֶּ֑נֶא בטנא הַטֶּ֖נֶא הטנא טַנְאֲךָ֖ טנאך ḇaṭ·ṭe·ne ḇaṭṭene haṭ·ṭe·ne hatTene haṭṭene ṭan’ăḵā ṭan·’ă·ḵā tanaCha vatTene
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