Lexical Summary
gabia: Cup, Bowl, Goblet
Original Word:גְּבִיעַ
Part of Speech:Noun Masculine
Transliteration:gbiya`
Pronunciation:gah-bee'-ah
Phonetic Spelling:(gheb-ee'-ah)
KJV: house, cup, pot
NASB:cups, cup, pitchers
Word Origin:[from an unused root (meaning to be convex)]
1. a goblet
2. by analogy, the calyx of a flower
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
house, cup, pot
From an unused root (meaning to be convex); a goblet; by analogy, the calyx of a flower -- house, cup, pot.
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originfrom the same as
GebaDefinitiona cup, bowl
NASB Translationcup (5), cups (8), pitchers (1).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
Genesis 44:12 —
Genesis 44:12 2t.; construct
Genesis 44:2; suffix
Genesis 44:2; plural
Exodus 25:34,
Exodus 25:33;
Exodus 25:33 4t.; suffix
Exodus 25:31;
Exodus 37:17; —
cup (of Joseph)
Genesis 44:2,12,16,17; plural
cups (of golden candlestick in tabernacle)
Exodus 25:31,33 (twice in verse);
Exodus 25:34;
Exodus 37:17,19 (3 t. in verse);
Exodus 37:20;
bowlsJeremiah 35:5 .
Topical Lexicon
Overview of the TermThe Hebrew noun גְּבִיעַ denotes a drinking vessel of some importance—variously rendered “cup,” “goblet,” or “bowl.” Its fourteen Old-Testament occurrences cluster around three contexts: (1) Joseph’s silver cup in Egypt, (2) decorative cups on the golden lampstand of the wilderness tabernacle, and (3) Jeremiah’s hospitality test of the Rechabites. In each setting the object serves as more than tableware; it becomes a theological signpost revealing God’s providence, holiness, and call to obedience.
1. Joseph’s Silver Cup: Instrument of Providence and Disclosure
• References:Genesis 44:2, 12, 16, 17
• Narrative role: Joseph orders his steward to hide “my silver cup” (Genesis 44:2) in Benjamin’s sack, setting up the climactic revelation to his brothers.
• Theological insights
– Divine sovereignty: What appears a human ruse is God’s means of preserving the covenant family.
– Moral testing: The cup exposes the brothers’ repentance, contrasting their former betrayal of Joseph.
– Typology: A treasured cup in the governor’s hand anticipates the New-Covenant cup held by the greater Joseph, Jesus Christ, who tests and redeems His brethren.
2. Cups on the Lampstand: Symbols of Light and Life
• References:Exodus 25:31, 33-34; 37:17, 19-20
• Description: The golden menorah was fashioned with branches, knobs, blossoms, and “cups shaped like almond blossoms” (Exodus 25:33).
• Historical significance
– Artistic craftsmanship: Each goblet-shaped ornament enhanced the lampstand’s resemblance to a flourishing tree—an Edenic image inside the holy place.
– Liturgical function: While not used for drinking, the cup-like forms received and reflected the lamp oil, sustaining perpetual light before the LORD.
• Ministry implications
– Holiness: Only pure gold was acceptable, underscoring the sanctity required for any vessel serving in God’s presence.
– Witness: The lampstand’s light points forward to the church’s calling to “shine as lights in the world” (comparePhilippians 2:15).
3. Jeremiah and the Rechabites: A Cup of Obedience
• Reference:Jeremiah 35:5
• Setting: The prophet offers “bowls full of wine and cups” to the Rechabites in the temple chambers.
• Purpose: The presentation tests fidelity to their ancestral vow of abstinence.
• Lessons
– Covenant faithfulness: The Rechabites’ refusal contrasts with Judah’s covenant breach, validating imminent judgment.
– Discipleship model: Voluntary self-denial for the sake of obedience receives divine commendation (Jeremiah 35:18-19).
4. Theological and Typological Reflections
• Revelation through ordinary objects: Whether hidden in a grain sack or engraved on sacred furniture, the goblet becomes a medium for divine speech.
• Cup motif across Scripture: From “the cup of salvation” (Psalm 116:13) to “the cup of the New Covenant” (Luke 22:20), Scripture unfolds a coherent symbolism of blessing and judgment, hospitality and holiness.
• Anticipation of Christ: Joseph’s cup foreshadows the testing and reconciliation accomplished at Calvary; the menorah’s cups prefigure the light of the world; Jeremiah’s cups highlight the stark choice between obedience and defilement.
5. Application for Contemporary Ministry
• Sacramental awareness: The Lord’s Supper invites believers to approach the covenant cup with reverence, mindful of its Old-Testament background.
• Personal integrity: Hidden tests (like Joseph’s cup) still reveal hearts; leaders should cultivate transparency and repentance.
• Corporate witness: Congregations, modeled after the lampstand, are to be purified vessels that bear the Spirit’s light in a dark world.
Key Passages for Further Study
Genesis 44:2;Genesis 44:16–17
Exodus 25:31–34;Exodus 37:17-20
Jeremiah 35:5-19
Forms and Transliterations
גְ֠בִעִים גְּבִ֣יעַ גְּבִיעִ֞י גְּבִיעֶ֛יהָ גְּבִעִ֛ים גְבִעִ֑ים גְבִעִ֗ים גביע גביעי גביעיה גבעים הַגָּבִ֔יעַ הַגָּבִ֖יעַ הַגָּבִ֜יעַ הגביע gə·ḇî·‘e·hā gə·ḇî·‘î gə·ḇi·‘îm ḡə·ḇi·‘îm gə·ḇî·a‘ gəḇî‘ehā gəḇî‘î gəḇi‘îm ḡəḇi‘îm gəḇîa‘ geVia geviEiha geviI Geviim hag·gā·ḇî·a‘ haggāḇîa‘ haggaVia
Links
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