Word Study for H5536 (סַל) | Strong's Concordance

çal /sal/ Ask about this word

Meaningproperly, a willow twig (as pendulous), i.e. an osier; but only as woven into abasket

KJV usagebasket.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of çal — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Hebrew word çal, represented by H5536, is defined as a basket. Derived from a term for a willow twig, it refers to an osier basket. It appears 15 times across 13 unique verses in the Bible, primarily as a vessel for carrying offerings and food.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In biblical usage, H5536 appears in two primary contexts: sacred ritual and narrative. It is central to the consecration of Aaron and his sons, where it is called the "basket of consecrations" and used to hold the bread for the offering (Leviticus 8:31, Exodus 29:32). Similarly, it is used to present the offerings associated with the Nazarite vow (Numbers 6:17, Numbers 6:19). In a narrative context, Gideon uses a basket to carry meat for an offering Judges 6:19, and it features prominently in the chief baker's dream, which Joseph interprets Genesis 40:16-18.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words are frequently associated with the contents of the basket H5536, especially in ceremonial contexts:

H4682 matstsâh (unleavened): The basket is repeatedly described as holding unleavened bread, a key element in offerings Numbers 6:15. It also refers to the festival itself Exodus 23:15.
H3899 lechem (bread): The basket is specified as the container for the bread to be eaten by the priests during their consecration Leviticus 8:31.
H2471 challâh (cake): Specific offerings taken from the basket include a cake of oiled bread Leviticus 8:26.
H7550 râqîyq (wafer): Along with cakes, thin wafers were also placed in the basket for offerings, such as those for the Nazarite Numbers 6:19.
H374 ʼêyphâh (ephah): This measure of grain is mentioned when Gideon prepares an ephah of flour to make the unleavened cakes he places in the basket Judges 6:19.

Theological Significance

The significance of H5536 is tied to its function as a vessel for holy or portentous items.

Vessel for Consecration: The basket is integral to the priestly and Nazarite ceremonies, serving as the designated container for the sacred bread and cakes to be presented before the LORD (Exodus 29:3, Numbers 6:17).
Container of Provisions: It is used to carry food for a sacred purpose, whether it is meat for Gideon's offering to the angel Judges 6:19 or the bakemeats for Pharaoh in the chief baker's dream Genesis 40:17.
Symbol of Destiny: In Joseph's interpretation of the dream, the three baskets are not merely containers but are symbolic, representing three days and foretelling the baker's fate Genesis 40:18.

Summary

In summary, H5536 çal is a term that, while simply meaning basket, carries significant weight in its scriptural applications. It is consistently linked with acts of worship and divine communication, serving as a sanctified container for offerings in the tabernacle and as a key symbol in a prophetic dream. The use of çal demonstrates how a common object is elevated to a role of ritual and symbolic importance.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Hebrew Old Testament, this word appears as a noun across 15 occurrences, inflected in 4 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form. Select any form to read what each part of its name means, and to filter the occurrence list to it.

סַּל
סַל
סַּלִּים
סַלֵּי

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

Appears in 13 verses across 5 of the 39 books. 4 books tie for most frequent (3 verses each); never once in the other 34.

Genesis

Exodus

Leviticus

Numbers

Judges

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, by grammatical form, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.