תֶּ֫בֶן (te.ven)
te.ven
straw
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 14 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew word teven refers to the dry stalks and husks left over after harvesting grain, commonly translated as straw or stubble. In the ancient Near East, this material was not merely waste; it served practical purposes as fodder for livestock and as a binding agent in construction when mixed with mud or clay to form bricks.
Its biblical usage highlights its fragility and transience. Because teven is light and easily scattered by wind, it becomes a powerful metaphor for the fleeting nature of human plans or the fate of the wicked. This imagery appears vividly in Isaiah 5:24, where the words of the Lord are described like fire consuming dry stubble, illustrating how quickly opposition to divine authority can be destroyed.
While often associated with humble agricultural settings, its literary weight lies in what it represents: something without substance that cannot withstand judgment. The sources note its frequent appearance in prophetic literature, particularly Isaiah, where it underscores the contrast between the enduring word of God and the ephemeral nature of earthly power.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
Straw in the ancient world was far more than discarded waste; it was a vital resource for binding mud into bricks and feeding livestock. Yet, because it is dry, light, and easily scattered by the wind, it serves as a stark image of fragility. When Scripture uses this word, it often contrasts the fleeting nature of human efforts with the enduring stability of God’s promises.
In Exodus, the removal of straw from brick-making symbolizes the intensification of oppression, showing how quickly resources can vanish under pressure. Conversely, in Isaiah, the lion eating straw points to a future peace where even predators find sustenance without violence. This duality reminds us that while earthly circumstances may shift like chaff before the wind, God’s word remains firm and reliable.
Reflecting on this imagery helps ground our faith in what truly lasts. When challenges feel overwhelming or our plans seem fragile, we can look to the Creator who sustains both the lion and the lamb. Our hope rests not in the temporary materials of this world, but in the unshakable character of God.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 14 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- straw10×
- the/ straw1×
- like/ straw1×
- for the/ straw1×
- and/ straw1×
- [belongs] to the/ straw1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- תֶּֽבֶן\׃3×
- תֶּ֤בֶן2×
- תֶּ֔בֶן2×
- תֶּ֧בֶן1×
- תֶּ֥בֶן1×
- תֶּ֗בֶן1×
- לַ/תֶּֽבֶן\׃1×
- לַ/תֶּ֥בֶן1×
- כְּ/תֶ֥בֶן1×
- וְ/תֶ֖בֶן1×
- הַ/תֶּֽבֶן\׃1×
Key Verses
-
Exodus 5:18
Go therefore now, and work; for no straw shall be given to you; yet you shall deliver the same number of bricks!”
This verse captures the cruel irony of Pharaoh’s demand to produce the same brick quota without providing straw, highlighting how oppression often increases burdens while removing support.
-
Isaiah 11:7
The cow and the bear will graze. Their young ones will lie down together. The lion will eat straw like the ox.
Here, straw represents a transformed creation where natural hostility ceases, as even lions find peace in eating straw like oxen, signaling the harmony of God’s future kingdom.
-
Jeremiah 23:28
The prophet who has a dream, let him tell a dream; and he who has my word, let him speak my word faithfully. What is the straw to the wheat?” says Yahweh.
The prophet uses straw to sharply contrast false messages with divine truth, asking what straw has in common with wheat to emphasize the vast difference between empty words and God’s word.