Bible Dictionary

Chest

Objects & Symbols • Both

A chest in Scripture may be a wooden box used for temple offerings, a coffin, a treasure chest, or a receptacle for gifts. In the New Testament, chests in the temple received monetary offerings.

Definition

A chest is a rectangular receptacle, generally understood in these passages as wooden. Scripture uses the term for a money chest, coffin, treasure chest, and other boxes or coffers; the same Hebrew word can also denote the ark. In the New Testament, chests received monetary gifts in the temple.

Biblical Usage

A chest beside the temple altar received contributions for repairs, and another received the tax appointed for the temple. Joseph’s body was placed in a coffin. In the temple court, chests received offerings, including the widow’s two mites.

Historical Background

Temple offering chests in the court of the women were described as trumpet-shaped, broad below and narrowing upward. The Philistines placed golden objects in a small coffer. A different word in Ezekiel refers to chests of rich apparel, though that rendering is considered uncertain.

Scripture References

2 Kings 12:9 2 Kings 12:10 2 Chronicles 24:8 2 Chronicles 24:10 2 Chronicles 24:11 Genesis 50:26 Ezekiel 27:24 2 Chronicles 24:8-11

Related Figures

Historical Bible Dictionaries

Easton's Bible Dictionary

(Heb. ’aron, generally rendered “ark”), the coffer into which the contributions for the repair of the temple were put (2 Kings 12:9, 10; 2 Chr. 24:8, 10, 11). In Gen. 50:26 it is rendered “coffin.” In Ezek. 27:24 a different Hebrew word, genazim (plur.), is used. It there means “treasure-chests.”

Smith's Bible Dictionary

By this word are translated in the Authorized Version two distinct Hebrew terms:

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE)

chest ('aron, genazim; kibotos):(1) The ark of the covenant in Old Testament is invariably denoted by the word 'aron, elsewhere rendered the King James Version and the Revised Version (British and American) "chest."See ARK.(2) 'Aron is also the word rendered "coffin" (Ge 50:26: "and he was put in a coffin in E.").See COFFIN.(3) In Kings and Chronicles (2Ki 12:9,10; 2Ch 24:8,10,11) 'aron stands uniformly for a money chest. It is the "chest" that Jehoiada, the priest, placed in the court "beside the altar" and "bored a hole in the lid of" that the priests might "put therein all the money that was brought into the house of Yahweh" (2Ki 12:9); and "the chest" that King Joash commanded to be made and set "without at the gate of the house of Yahweh" to receive "the tax that Moses the servant of God laid upon Israel" (2Ch 24:8,10,11). One feature is common to the thing meant in all these applications--the c. was rectangular in shape, and, most probably in every instance, made of wood.(4) Josephus (Ant., VI, 1,2) uses the equivalent of the word to denote the "coffer" (1Sa 6:8 ff English Versions), or small chest, in which the princes of Philistia deposited the gold mice.(5) In New Testament times the "chests" that were provided in the court of the women, in the temple of Herod, to receive the various kinds of money gifts had the exceptional shape of a trumpet (if Sheqalim, vi.5 may be trusted)--wide at the bottom and gradually narrowing toward the top, hence, called shopharoth. It was into these that the Master was watching the multitude casting in their money when He saw the poor widow cast in her two mites (Mr 12:41,42).(6) In Eze 27:24, where the prophet is giving an inventory of the merchandise of Tyre, another word entirely is used (genazim), and it is rendered in the King James Version and the Revised Version (British and American) "chests" ("chests of rich apparel, bound with cords and made of cedar"). According to Cornill, Davidson, Smend and others this rendering is without sufficient support (see Smith, Dictionary of the Bible and commentary in the place cited.).George B. Eager

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