Topical Encyclopedia
In biblical contexts, the term "cot" is not directly mentioned in the Scriptures. However, the concept of a cot, understood as a small bed or a portable sleeping arrangement, can be related to various aspects of daily life and practices in ancient times as depicted in the Bible.
Historical and Cultural ContextIn ancient Israel, sleeping arrangements were quite different from modern Western practices. People often slept on mats or simple bedding laid on the floor. The idea of a "cot" as a raised bed or portable sleeping structure would have been more common among nomadic groups or during travel. The Israelites, during their wilderness wanderings, would have used portable sleeping arrangements, though the Bible does not specify the exact nature of these.
Biblical References and SymbolismWhile the Bible does not mention cots explicitly, it does refer to beds and sleeping arrangements in several passages. For example, in the account of the paralytic healed by Jesus, the man is told to "pick up your mat and walk" (
Mark 2:11). This "mat" could be likened to a simple form of a cot, used for sleeping and easily transportable.
In the Old Testament, beds are often mentioned in the context of rest and repose. For instance, in
2 Samuel 4:7, the assassins of Ish-bosheth find him lying on his bed. Beds in these contexts were likely simple constructions, possibly akin to what we might consider a cot today.
Spiritual ImplicationsThe concept of rest, often associated with beds or sleeping arrangements, carries significant spiritual symbolism in the Bible. Rest is a gift from God, as seen in
Psalm 127:2 : "In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for bread to eat—for He gives sleep to His beloved." This verse highlights the divine provision of rest, which can be symbolically linked to the peace and security found in God's care.
Moreover, the idea of a cot or bed can also symbolize vulnerability and dependence on God. In times of illness or weakness, individuals in the Bible are often depicted as lying on their beds, seeking healing or comfort from the Lord. This imagery underscores the human need for divine intervention and support.
Practical ApplicationsIn a modern Christian context, the notion of a cot can serve as a reminder of the transient nature of life and the importance of spiritual rest. Just as a cot is a temporary and portable sleeping arrangement, so too is our earthly life temporary. Believers are encouraged to find their ultimate rest and security in Christ, who offers eternal peace and rest for the soul.
In summary, while the Bible does not explicitly mention cots, the themes of rest, reliance on God, and the temporary nature of earthly life are woven throughout Scripture, offering rich spiritual insights for believers.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (
n.) A small house; a cottage or hut.
2. (n.) A pen, coop, or like shelter for small domestic animals, as for sheep or pigeons; a cote.
3. (n.) A cover or sheath; as, a roller cot (the clothing of a drawing roller in a spinning frame); a cot for a sore finger.
4. (n.) A small, rudely-formed boat.
5. (n.) A sleeping place of limited size; a little bed; a cradle; a piece of canvas extended by a frame, used as a bed.
Strong's Hebrew
699. arubbah -- a lattice, window, sluice... Feminine participle passive of 'arab (as if for lurking); a lattice; (by implication)
a window, dove-
cot (because of the pigeon-holes), chimney (with its
...Library
In the Children's Hospital
... Here is thecot of our orphan, our darling, our meek little maid; Empty you see
just now!... Emmie had heard him. Softly she call'd from hercot to the next,....
Skirting the Abyss
... When you tuck up your little girl in hercot, and feel her arms cling round your
neck and her kisses on your cheek, will you think of these other little girls?...
A Sight of the Crowned Christ
... "The Lord Christ passed my humblecot: I knew him, yet I knew him not; But as I
oft had done before, I hurried through my narrow door To touch His garment's hem...
The Cat came Back
... THE CAT CAME BACK. Jimmy was lying on an oldcot out in the orchard, getting
some of the nice spring sunshine on his thin body. There...
Love Thy Neighbour
... "Love thy neighbour." Perhaps he is in riches, and thou art poor, and thou livest
in thy littlecot side-by-side with his lordly mansion....
The Fixed Heart
... love, that, like some butterfly, lights now on this, now on that, sweet flower,
but which has a flight straight as a carrier pigeon to itscot, which shall...
The Underground Way into Life.
... night. So the old man rose from hiscot, and wrapped his bed-clothes
reverently about the statue, and lay down to his sleep. In...
True Love.
... She went to the hospital. She found out the number of hiscot, and she went
down the aisle, between the long rows of the wounded men....
Believe.
... did so. He leaned his elbows on thecot and clasped his hands together
and said, "That's good; won't you read it again.". I read...
Calling the Roll of Heaven.
... Calling the Roll of Heaven. A soldier, wounded during our last war, lay
dying in hiscot. Suddenly the deathlike stillness of the...
Thesaurus
Cot (3 Occurrences)... 3. (n.) A cover or sheath; as, a roller
cot (the clothing of a drawing roller in
a spinning frame); a
cot for a sore finger.
...Cot (3 Occurrences).
...Mat (17 Occurrences)
... NIV). Luke 5:18 Behold, men brought a paralyzed man on acot, and they sought
to bring him in to lay before Jesus. (See NIV). Luke...
Tiglathpileser (3 Occurrences)
... It is now practically certain that Pul, who is mentioned as taking tribute from
Menahem, is identical with Tiglath-pileser (Schrader,COT, I, 230, 231)....
Tiglath-pileser (6 Occurrences)
... It is now practically certain that Pul, who is mentioned as taking tribute from
Menahem, is identical with Tiglath-pileser (Schrader,COT, I, 230, 231)....
Rezin (11 Occurrences)
... his death, found and read by Sir Henry Rawlinson, has been irrecoverably lost, and
only the fact of its existence and loss remains (Schrader,COT, I, 252, 257...
Paralyzed (11 Occurrences)
... NIV). Luke 5:18 Behold, men brought a paralyzed man on acot, and they
sought to bring him in to lay before Jesus. (WEB NAS RSV)....
Hazael (23 Occurrences)
... that time I received the tribute of the Syrians and Sidonians and of Yahua (Jehu)
the son of Khumri (Omri)" (Ball, Light from the East, 166; Schrader,COT, 200...
Benhadad (24 Occurrences)
... LITERATURE. McCurdy, HPM, I, 267; Schrader,COT, I, 179 if; Winckler, Geschichte
Israels, Theil I, 133-55. III.... McCurdy, HPM, I, 291; Schrader,COT, I, 202-ff....
Bring (1372 Occurrences)
... Luke 5:18 Behold, men brought a paralyzed man on acot, and they sought to bring
him in to lay before Jesus. (WEB KJV WEY ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV)....
Kir (11 Occurrences)
... probably as mercenaries. See Fried. Delitzsch, Wo lag das Paradies? 233;
Schrader,COT, 425. TG Pinches. KIR OF MOAB. (qir moa'-abh...
Resources
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