Base

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

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Bibliography Information

Orr, James, M.A., D.D. General Editor. "Entry for 'BASE'".  "International Standard Bible Encyclopedia".  1915.