תֶּבֶן (H8401) — Hebrew Lexicon

תֶּבֶן

𐤕𐤁𐤍

teben

H8401 noun

SILEX Entry

Root בנה to build, construct

Definition

Plant residue left after harvesting cereal grains, specifically the stalks (straw) separated from grain heads during threshing; used primarily as fodder for livestock and occasionally for building material or fuel. The word denotes straw as an agricultural product distinct from valuable grain, emphasizing its role as a secondary byproduct rather than food.

Semantic Range

straw, stalks of grain after threshing, plant residue used as animal fodder, material for construction (in brick-making), non-edible agricultural byproduct

Root / Etymology

Root: בנה (b-n-h), 'to build, construct'—though lexical connection is debated. The derivation may relate to the use of straw as a constituent in construction (such as clay bricks), but etymological certainty is lacking.

Historical & Contextual Notes

תֶּבֶן occurs across biblical literature chiefly in agricultural contexts (e.g., Genesis 24:25; Exodus 5:7). In the context of ancient Israelite society, teben signified a crucial resource for animal husbandry, especially during seasons when fresh forage was unavailable—it was routinely collected and stored after threshing. During the Egyptian bondage narrative (Exodus 5), teben becomes significant in the account of brick-making, where it refers to straw mixed with clay to strengthen bricks. Unlike other plant wastes (e.g., מֹץ, 'chaff'), teben is not useless: it is distinct from chaff, which consists of lighter, inedible husks. In later periods, teben retained its practical, non-edible connotation but was recognized as valuable for support roles in agrarian life. Translation as 'straw' or 'stubble' is consistent across ancient versions; however, 'stubble' may misleadingly suggest the remains still attached to the field, whereas teben refers specifically to the gathered straw. The Septuagint renders it as κάλαμος and χόρτος in various passages, reflecting this nuance.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

probably from בָּנָה; properly, material, i.e. (specifically) refuse haum or stalks of grain (as chopped in threshing and used for fodder); chaff, straw, stubble.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

בנה (b-n-h) — to build, construct

Strong's	Lemma	SIBI-P1
H1004	בַּיִת	in the houses
H1005	בַּיִת	the built-house
H1006	בַּיִת	the house
H1007	בֵּית אָוֶן	house-of
H1008	בֵּית־אֵל	in house of
H1009	בֵּית אַרְבֵּאל	house of
H1010	בֵּית בַּעַל מְעוֹן	house-of
H1011	בֵּית בִּרְאִי	and in the house of
H1012	בֵּית בָּרָה	house of
H1013	בֵּית־גָּדֵר	house-of
H1014	בֵּית גָּמוּל	house of
H1015	בֵּית דִּבְלָתַיִם	house-of
H1016	בֵּית־דָּגוֹן	house-of
H1017	בֵּית הָאֱלִי	house of
H1018	בֵּית הָאֵצֶל	house of
H1020	בֵּית הַיְשִׁימוֹת	house-of
H1021	בֵּית הַכֶּרֶם	house-of
H1022	בֵּית הַלַּחְמִי	house of
H1023	בֵּית הַמֶּרְחָק	house-of
H1024	בֵּית הַמַּרְכָּבוֹת	and house of
H1025	בֵּית הָעֵמֶק	house of
H1026	בֵּית הָעֲרָבָה	house-of
H1027	בֵּית הָרָם	house-of
H1028	בֵּית הָרָן	house of
H1029	בֵּית הַשִּׁטָּה	house-of
H1030	בֵּית הַשִּׁמְשִׁי	house-of
H1031	בֵּית חׇגְלָה	house of
H1032	בֵּית חוֹרוֹן	house-of
H1033	בֵּית כַּר	to the built-house of
H1034	בֵּית לְבָאוֹת	and house-of
H1035	בֵּית לֶחֶם	in the house of
H1036	בֵּית לְעַפְרָה	in the built-house of
H1038	בֵּית מַעֲכָה	house of
H1039	בֵּית נִמְרָה	house of
H1041	בֵּית עַזְמָוֶת	house of
H1042	בֵּית עֲנוֹת	and house of
H1043	בֵּית עֲנָת	and house-of
H1044	בֵּית עֵקֶד	house-of
H1046	בֵּית פֶּלֶט	and house of
H1047	בֵּית פְּעוֹר	house of
H1048	בֵּית פַּצֵּץ	and house-of
H1049	בֵּית צוּר	house of
H1050	בֵּית רְחוֹב	house-of
H1051	בֵּית רָפָא	house of
H1052	בֵּית שְׁאָן	in the built-house of
H1053	בֵּית שֶׁמֶשׁ	in the built-house of
H1054	בֵּית תַּפּוּחַ	and house of
H1121	בֵּן	sons
H1122	בֵּן	son
H1123	בֵּן	sons of
H1124	בְּנָא	the ones building
H1125	בֶּן־אֲבִינָדָב	son
H1126	בֶּן־אוֹנִי	son
H1127	בֶּן־גֶּבֶר	son
H1128	בֶּן־דֶּקֶר	son
H1129	בָּנָה	he built
H1130	בֶּן־הֲדַד	son
H1131	בִּנּוּי	Built-Up One
H1132	בֶּן־זוֹחֵת	and son of
H1133	בֶּן־חוּר	son
H1134	בֶּן־חַיִל	to a son of
H1135	בֶּן־חָנָן	son
H1136	בֶּן־חֶסֶד	son
H1137	בָּנִי	Built-one
H1138	בֻּנִּי	Built One
H1139	בְּנֵי־בְּרַק	and sons of
H1140	בִּנְיָה	and the built-structure
H1141	בְּנָיָה	Yahweh has built
H1142	בְּנֵי יַעֲקָן	among sons of
H1145	בֶּן־יְמִינִי	son
H1146	בִּנְיָן	constructed structure
H1147	בִּנְיָן	the built structure
H1151	בֶּן־עַמִּי	son
H1323	בַּת	daughters
H1324	בַּת	daughter of
H1337	בַּת רַבִּים	daughter of
H1339	בַּת־שֶׁבַע	daughter of
H1340	בַּת־שׁוּעַ	to a daughter of
H205	אָוֶן	and building-stone
H2995	יַבְנְאֵל	and God-Builds
H2996	יַבְנֶה	Yabneh, Building-place
H2997	יִבְנְיָה	Yah Has Built
H2998	יִבְנִיָּה	Yah Builds
H358	אֵילוֹן בֵּית חָנָן	house of
H3845	לִבְנִי	to my son
H4011	מִבְנֶה	like the built-structure of
H4012	מְבֻנַּי	Built-Up One
H4996	נֹא	his son
H5524	סֻכּוֹת בְּנוֹת	daughters of
H5854	עַטְרוֹת בֵּית יוֹאָב	house of
H62	אָבֵל בֵּית־מֲעַכָה	house of
H68	אֶבֶן	your building-stones
H69	אֶבֶן	building-stone of
H72	אֶבֶן הָעֵזֶר	building-stone of
H8403	תַּבְנִית	in building-pattern of
H885	בְּאֵרֹת בְּנֵי־יַעֲקַן	sons of
H935	בּוֹא	daughter of
H956	בּוּת	and daughter of
H995	בִּין	son of
H996	בֵּין	son

Word Forms

7 distinct forms

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	Occurrences
`H8401-05`	תֶּ֥בֶן	teven	`HNcmsa`	straw	construction straw	10
`H8401-03`	לַ/תֶּֽבֶן	lateven	`HRd/Ncmsa`	for straw	for the straw	2
`H8401-04`	לְ/תֶ֣בֶן	leteven	`HR/Ncmsa`	as stubble	building-straw	1
`H8401-06`	וְ/הַ/תֶּ֔בֶן	vehateven	`HC/Td/Ncmsa`	and the straw	and the straw residue	1
`H8401-01`	הַ/תֶּֽבֶן	hateven	`HTd/Ncmsa`	the straw	the straw residue	1
`H8401-07`	וְ/תֶ֖בֶן	veteven	`HC/Ncmsa`	and straw	building straw	1
`H8401-02`	כְּ/תֶ֥בֶן	keteven	`HR/Ncmsa`	like stubble	building straw	1

Occurrences in Scripture

17 total occurrences

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1
`H8401-05`	Genesis 24:25	תֶּ֥בֶן	teven	`HNcmsa`	straw	construction straw
`H8401-05`	Genesis 24:32	תֶּ֤בֶן	teven	`HNcmsa`	straw	construction straw
`H8401-05`	Exodus 5:7	תֶּ֧בֶן	teven	`HNcmsa`	straw	construction straw
`H8401-05`	Exodus 5:7	תֶּֽבֶן	teven-2	`HNcmsa`	straw	construction straw
`H8401-05`	Exodus 5:10	תֶּֽבֶן	teven	`HNcmsa`	straw	construction straw
`H8401-05`	Exodus 5:11	תֶּ֔בֶן	teven	`HNcmsa`	straw	construction straw
`H8401-03`	Exodus 5:12	לַ/תֶּֽבֶן	lateven	`HRd/Ncmsa`	for straw	for the straw
`H8401-01`	Exodus 5:13	הַ/תֶּֽבֶן	hateven	`HTd/Ncmsa`	the straw	the straw residue
`H8401-05`	Exodus 5:16	תֶּ֗בֶן	teven	`HNcmsa`	Straw	construction straw
`H8401-07`	Exodus 5:18	וְ/תֶ֖בֶן	veteven	`HC/Ncmsa`	and straw	building straw
`H8401-05`	Judges 19:19	תֶּ֤בֶן	teven	`HNcmsa`	straw	construction straw
`H8401-06`	1 Kings 5:8	וְ/הַ/תֶּ֔בֶן	vehateven	`HC/Td/Ncmsa`	and the straw	and the straw residue
`H8401-05`	Isaiah 11:7	תֶּֽבֶן	teven	`HNcmsa`	straw	construction straw
`H8401-05`	Isaiah 65:25	תֶּ֔בֶן	teven	`HNcmsa`	straw	construction straw
`H8401-03`	Jeremiah 23:28	לַ/תֶּ֥בֶן	lateven	`HRd/Ncmsa`	to the chaff	for the straw
`H8401-02`	Job 21:18	כְּ/תֶ֥בֶן	keteven	`HR/Ncmsa`	like stubble	building straw
`H8401-04`	Job 41:19	לְ/תֶ֣בֶן	leteven	`HR/Ncmsa`	as stubble	building-straw

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