טֶנֶא
𐤈𐤍𐤀
ṭeneʼ
H2935 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A basket, particularly one used for carrying or presenting produce such as firstfruits. The term indicates a woven container, likely constructed from branches or twigs, and is often associated with ritual or ceremonial use in biblical contexts, especially in relation to agricultural offerings.
Semantic Range
basket (especially for firstfruit offerings), woven container for agricultural products, ritual receptacle
Root / Etymology
Derived from an unused root, probably טנא, tentatively connected with the idea 'to weave' or 'to interlace.' The noun likely denotes an object fashioned by interlacing plant materials, but the verbal root is not attested elsewhere in Biblical Hebrew. Etymology uncertain beyond this reconstruction.
Historical & Contextual Notes
טֶנֶא appears notably in texts relating to offerings of firstfruits (Deuteronomy 26:2, 26:4), where the Israelite is instructed to place the initial yield of the land in a basket for presentation at a central sanctuary. Its use in biblical narrative is highly specific, set apart from other basket terms such as סַל (sal), which has broader applications. טֶנֶא is limited to ritual contexts, especially in the framework of demonstrating gratitude for land productivity and Israelite identity as agriculturalists. Later translations, including the Septuagint and classical English versions, render טֶנֶא variously as 'basket,' but do not always convey its specific ceremonial function in ancient Israelite agricultural practice. There is no evidence linking טֶנֶא with post-exilic or Hellenistic container types or religious usage. The biblical semantic field distinguishes טֶנֶא as a container linked to symbolic and ritual presentation, rather than general everyday utility. It does not reflect the later term for a more generic or commercial basket, and is not associated with the term 'Jew' or the later religious identity. The term's rarity and specificity also suggest it retained a narrow, specialized meaning throughout biblical literature.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from an unused root probably meaning to weave; a basket (of interlaced osiers); basket.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
טנא (ṭ-n-ʾ) — to weave, to interlace
Word Forms
3 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2935-02 |
טַנְאֲ/ךָ֖ | taneakha | HNcmsc/Sp2ms |
your basket | your woven basket | 2 |
H2935-03 |
בַ/טֶּ֑נֶא | vatene | HRd/Ncmsa |
in a basket | in a woven basket | 1 |
H2935-01 |
הַ/טֶּ֖נֶא | hatene | HTd/Ncmsa |
the basket | the woven basket | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
4 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2935-03 |
Deuteronomy 26:2 | בַ/טֶּ֑נֶא | vatene | HRd/Ncmsa |
in a basket | in a woven basket |
H2935-01 |
Deuteronomy 26:4 | הַ/טֶּ֖נֶא | hatene | HTd/Ncmsa |
the basket | the woven basket |
H2935-02 |
Deuteronomy 28:5 | טַנְאֲ/ךָ֖ | taneakha | HNcmsc/Sp2ms |
your basket | your woven basket |
H2935-02 |
Deuteronomy 28:17 | טַנְאֲ/ךָ֖ | taneakha | HNcmsc/Sp2ms |
your basket | your woven basket |