Hebrew word · H4518

מְנַקִּיָּה

menakiyotav

bowl

A sacrificial bowl for libations. It occurs only in Exodus 25:29; 37:16; Numbers 4:7 and Jeremiah 52:19, where it is among the temple vessels the Babylonians carried off. HALOT links it to a root meaning 'pour out a libation' (Aramaic nqy, Akkadian naqû, 'to libate, sacrifice').

Appears 4 times in 4 verses of the Hebrew Old Testament. ·

What it means

sacrificial bowl or cup

Abridged from Brown, Driver and Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (1906), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of Exodus 25:29

Range of meaning

A sacrificial bowl for libations. It occurs only in Exodus 25:29; 37:16; Numbers 4:7 and Jeremiah 52:19, where it is among the temple vessels the Babylonians carried off. HALOT links it to a root meaning 'pour out a libation' (Aramaic nqy, Akkadian naqû, 'to libate, sacrifice').

Against the English

Most versions just say 'bowls'. That is accurate but loses the fact that the word names a pouring bowl, not a general serving bowl.

Used elsewhere in the period

Akkadian naqû is the normal verb for pouring offerings in Mesopotamian ritual texts. The Septuagint uses kyathos (a ladle or cup for drawing wine), and the Vulgate uses cyathus.

From the study of Exodus 37:16

Range of meaning

A sanctuary bowl, almost certainly used for libations. Probably from nqh, 'to be emptied out, cleared', so a bowl that is emptied in pouring.

Against the English

KJV, BSB, NASB, WEB: 'bowls'. YLT: 'cups'. Most versions do not signal that these are cultic pouring bowls, not ordinary kitchen bowls.

Used elsewhere in the period

Only four times in the Hebrew Bible: Exod 25:29; 37:16; Num 4:7; Jer 52:19 (taken from the temple by the Babylonians). In 25:29 the Greek translation uses spondeia, 'libation vessels'.

From the study of Jeremiah 52:19

Range of meaning

A vessel for pouring out a drink offering, usually wine (Exodus 25:29: 'its jugs and its mənaqqiyyōt, with which to pour out'). The derivation is uncertain. A link with nāqâ, 'to be clean or emptied out', is often suggested. It is found only four times (Exodus 25:29; 37:16; Numbers 4:7; Jeremiah 52:19).

Against the English

BSB 'drink offering bowls' gives the use. KJV and YLT 'cups' and WEB 'bowls' are vaguer.

Used elsewhere in the period

In every other place the word appears among the utensils of the table of the bread of the Presence, so these vessels belong to that table.

Where it appears

Exodus · 2

  1. Exodus 25:29 וּמְנַקִּיֹּתָ֔יו and bowls its

    You are also to make the plates and dishes, as well as the pitchers and bowls for pouring drink offerings. Make them out of pure gold.

    Here: Bowls used for pouring. The root most likely matches Aramaic and Akkadian words meaning 'to pour a libation' (Akkadian naqû). Together with the jugs, they make up the drinking side of the table set.

  2. Exodus 37:16 מְנַקִּיֹּתָ֔יו bowls its

    He also made the utensils for the table out of pure gold: its plates and dishes, as well as its bowls and pitchers for pouring drink offerings.

    Here: A rare word, used only of sanctuary vessels (Exod 25:29; Num 4:7; Jer 52:19). Most connect it with the root nqh, 'to be emptied, cleared out', so it probably means a bowl that is emptied out in pouring: a libation bowl.

Numbers · 1

  1. Numbers 4:7 הַמְּנַקִּיֹּ֔ת the bowls

    Over the table of the Presence they are to spread a blue cloth and place the plates and cups on it, along with the bowls and pitchers for the drink offering. The regular bread offering is to remain on it.

    Here: Bowls that belong with the libation vessels (Exod 25:29; Jer 52:19). The name may come from a root meaning 'to empty out.' Their exact shape is uncertain.

Jeremiah · 1

  1. Jeremiah 52:19 הַמְּנַקִי֔וֹת the bowls

    The captain of the guard also took away the basins, censers, sprinkling bowls, pots, lampstands, pans, and drink offering bowls—anything made of pure gold or fine silver.

    Here: Vessels for pouring out drink offerings. Exodus 25:29 and 37:16 list them with the jugs of the bread table, 'with which to pour out'. A rare word, found only in Exodus, Numbers 4:7 and here.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.