BASE - International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

BASE

bas:

(1) Substantive from Latin basis, Greek basis, a foundation. (a) (mekhonah): the fixed resting-place on which the lavers in Solomon's temple were set (1 Kings 7:27-43; 2 Kings 16:17; 25:13,16; 2 Chronicles 4:14; Jeremiah 27:19; 52:17,20; compare Ezra 3:3; Zechariah 5:11 the American Revised Version, margin). (b) (ken): pedestal in the King James Version and the Revised Version (British and American) (1 Kings 7:29,31) and in the Revised Version (British and American) only (Exodus 30:18,28; 31:9; 35:16; 38:8; 39:39; 40:11; Leviticus 8:11) of

the base of the laver of the tabernacle (the King James Version "foot"). (c) (yarekh): "base of candlestick" (the Revised Version (British and American) of Exodus 25:31; 37:17) the King James Version "shaft." (d) (yecodh): the Revised Version (British and American) "base of altar"; the King James Version "bottom" (Exodus 29:12; 38:8; Leviticus 4:7,18,25,30,34; 5:9; 8:15; 9:9). (e) (gabh): the Revised Version (British and American) "elevation," i.e. basement of altar; the King James Version "higher place" (Ezekiel 43:13).

(2) Adjective from French bas--low, or Welsh bas--"shallow": of lowly birth or station, of voluntary humility and of moral depravity. (a) (shaphal, shephal): of David's self-humiliation (2 Samuel 6:22): "a modest unambitious kingdom" (Ezekiel 17:14; 29:14-15 (BDB); Daniel 4:17 (the American Standard Revised Version "lowest")): compare shephelah = "lowland." (b) (qalah): men of humble birth and station as opposed to the nobles (Isaiah 3:5). (c) (beli-shem): "nameless," "of no account": "children of fools, yea, children of base men" (Job 30:8). (d) the King James Version men, sons, daughters, children of Belial; literally "worthless persons"; in the American Standard Revised Version "base," except 1 Samuel 1:16 "wicked woman"; also the English Revised Version of Deuteronomy 13:13, "base," which elsewhere retains the King James Version rendering. (e) (tapeinos): "lowly," "humble or abject" (2 Corinthians 10:1); the Revised Version (British and American), "lowly"; so Paul's enemies said he appeared when present in the church at Corinth. (f) (agenes): "of low birth," "of no account" (1 Corinthians 1:28): "base things of the world." (g) (agoraios): " belonging to the market-place," loafers, worthless characters (Acts 17:5): "certain lewd fellows of the baser sort"; the Revised Version (British and American) "certain vile fellows of the rabble."

T. Rees

From the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
Edited by James Orr, published in 1939 by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.