אַרְגָּז
𐤀𐤓𐤂𐤆
ʼargâz
H712 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A container or chest, typically a wooden box, used for storage or conveyance. In biblical usage, designates a receptacle for items including offerings, objects of value, or ritual paraphernalia. The primary sense is a large, portable storage box, often with the nuance of durability or security.
Semantic Range
storage box, chest, coffer, container, box for transporting offerings or valuables
Root / Etymology
ארגז is generally understood to derive from the root רגע (ר-ג-ז), though the connection is debated. While רָגַז primarily means 'to be agitated, to shake,' some lexicographers suggest the sense 'to be suspended or to hang' may connect metaphorically to a container that is carried or shakes in transport, but this etymology remains speculative. It is possible that the word is a borrowing or a secondary formation unrelated to the core meaning of the root.
Historical & Contextual Notes
Appearing rarely in the Hebrew Bible (e.g., 1 Samuel 6:8, 11, 15), אַרְגָּז refers specifically to a storage chest or coffer. In 1 Samuel it describes a box used to carry golden offerings alongside the Ark of the Covenant. The object is distinct from other storage terms like תֵּבָה (box, ark), אָרוֹן (ark, chest), and סַל (basket), which differ in form, function, or ritual status. The word is not attested outside these select passages, and it does not acquire specialized ritual significance in later Hebrew. English translations often render it as 'coffer' or 'box,' sometimes as 'chest,' reflecting the object's generic function rather than a unique shape or function. There is no evidence in the biblical period for this term carrying the later nuances of specialized ritual furniture. The use in 1 Samuel may connect to the practice of transporting tribute or offerings, but does not itself specify religious vs. secular use.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
perhaps from רָגַז (in the sense of being suspended),; a box (as a pannier); coffer.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
ארגז (ʾ-r-g-z) — to shake, to be agitated (debated); possibly to hang or be suspended
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H712-01 |
הָ/אַרְגַּ֗ז | haaregaz | HTd/Ncmsa |
the box | the storage chest | 2 |
H712-02 |
בָ/אַרְגַּ֖ז | vaaregaz | HRd/Ncmsa |
in a box | storage chest | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
3 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H712-02 |
1 Samuel 6:8 | בָ/אַרְגַּ֖ז | vaaregaz | HRd/Ncmsa |
in a box | storage chest |
H712-01 |
1 Samuel 6:11 | הָ/אַרְגַּ֗ז | haaregaz | HTd/Ncmsa |
the box | the storage chest |
H712-01 |
1 Samuel 6:15 | הָ/אַרְגַּ֤ז | haaregaz | HTd/Ncmsa |
the coffer | the storage chest |