סַל (sal)
sal
basket
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 13 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Definition
Definition
Brown-Driver-Briggs
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word sal simply means 'basket,' appearing thirteen times in the Hebrew Scriptures. It is a humble object, often made of woven reeds or wood, used to carry bread or grain. While it might seem like a minor detail, these baskets appear in moments that define identity, priesthood, and divine provision.
In Genesis, Joseph interprets Pharaoh’s dream involving three baskets of bread, linking the container to a timeline of judgment and mercy. Later, the Law commands specific unleavened breads to be placed in baskets for offerings, marking them as holy set-apart items for God. Even Gideon uses a basket to offer food to an angel, showing that ordinary vessels can hold extraordinary encounters.
For your faith, this word reminds us that God often works through the everyday. You do not need grand or expensive tools to serve Him; He blesses what is offered in sincerity. Whether carrying sustenance for a journey or presenting a gift at the altar, your simple acts of obedience are seen and valued by the Lord.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 13 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- the/ basket2×
- in the/ basket2×
- [the] basket of2×
- the/ baskets1×
- from/ [the] basket of1×
- baskets of1×
- and/ from/ [the] basket of1×
- and/ a basket of1×
- and/ [was] in the/ basket1×
- a basket1×
- [is] in/ [the] basket of1×
- [is] in the/ basket1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- סַ֣ל2×
- בַּ/סָּ֑ל2×
- סַלֵּ֥י1×
- סַ֥ל1×
- מִ/סַּל֙1×
- וּ/מִ/סַּ֨ל1×
- וּ/בַ/סַּ֣ל1×
- וְ/סַ֣ל1×
- הַ/סַּלִּ֔ים1×
- הַ/סַּ֖ל1×
- הַ/סַּ֔ל1×
- בַּ/סַּ֔ל1×
Key Verses
-
Genesis 40:16
When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was good, he said to Joseph, “I also was in my dream, and behold, three baskets of white bread were on my head.
This verse introduces the basket in a dream narrative where it symbolizes impending judgment, showing how ordinary objects can carry prophetic weight.
-
Exodus 29:3
You shall put them into one basket, and bring them in the basket, with the bull and the two rams.
Here the basket is central to the consecration ritual, holding the unleavened bread that sets Aaron and his sons apart for holy service.
-
Judges 6:19
Gideon went in and prepared a young goat and unleavened cakes of an ephah of meal. He put the meat in a basket and he put the broth in a pot, and brought it out to him under the oak, and presented it.
Gideon places meat in a basket to offer to the angel of the Lord, demonstrating how humble vessels are used in pivotal moments of divine encounter.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Hebrew word sal mean?
Why are baskets mentioned so often in the Law?
Is there a spiritual lesson about baskets in the Bible?
Every Occurrence (13 verses across 5 books)
Genesis 3 verses
When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was good, he said to Joseph, “I also was in my dream, and behold,…
Genesis 40:17In the uppermost basket there were all kinds of baked food for Pharaoh, and the birds ate them out of the basket on my…
Genesis 40:18Joseph answered, “This is its interpretation. The three baskets are three days.