Zxvpls is a smaller and round and shallow basket. ^apydvT] is a long bag, knitted by {i.e. of) rope, which is in one way very like the SiKTvov of fish, but is different from it in other way(s).'
One might ask whether the cTup!; of Ac 92= is not an error of memory on the part of St. Luke. St. Paul in his own account of his escape would surely use the right word. If so, the sup- posed need for a impit being big enough to hold a person dis- appears, and we may accept the decision of those who consider it the smaller of the two kinds mentioned in the Gospels.
George Farmer. BASON* {fiTTTTip only in Jn 13^ elra j3aX\« ijdoip (is Tov viiTTijpa : Vul^. dcinde mittit aqiiam in pelvim : AV ' after that lie poureth water into a bason ' : RV ' then he pouretu water into the bason ').
The Gr. .i-rrr/> is not found elsewhere in XT, nor in LXX, nor in Gr. profane literature (except in Eccl. writers dealing with this passage). Hence Liddell and Scott, s.v., refer only to this instance. The Vulg. peh-is, though found in Juvenal, etc., occurs in the Bible only in Jer 5219.
The general sense of rnvryp is, of course, plain, both from tlie context and from tlie cognate verbs vIttuv and pll^eiv both in the Bible and in profane Greek. (The former is the Biblical form, 17 times in NT, including our passage (8 times), and 25 times in LXX). It is usually ' to wash a part of the body ' —e.ff. the face, Mt 6" ; the hatids, Mt 15= = Mk 7' ; the feet, 1 Ti 51",— so Ex SO'^- '» etc. Ju 9'- "• >= seem to be exceptions, because the washing was in the Pool of Siloani ; but here it is only the eyes that are concerned, and therefore we need not assume that the man ' bathed.' A real exception is Lv 15'-, where the wooden vessel vKpijaeTai ; but note con- trasted use of viTTuv, 7c\vvnv, aud Xoiitadai. in 15".
The noun viin-rip therefore denotes an article (not necessarily a vessel) specially suitable or intended for use in washing jonr< of the body. We note the article rbv fnr-njpa, neglected b^ AV (« bason) but noticed by RV {the bason). Was it the ordinary viTTTrip of the house ? In that case the use of the article is like that in rbv ti.ddioi>, ttjk ^vxi'ia.v in Mt 5" etc. Or was it a vessel sot apart for ceremonial ablution, such as would be required by the religious feast in which thej- were engaged ?
But, in spite of the Vulg. and modem versions, it is doubtful if the word ' bason ' conveys to us a good idea of the article and of the scene.
The Eastern mode of washing either hands or feet, when performed by an attendant, seems to have been always by the attendant pouring water 01) the member, not by dipping the member in the water. Cf. 2 K 3" ' Elislia tlie son of Shaphat, which poured water on the hands of Elijah.' Kitto's note in Pictorial Bible-, ii. 330, with two illustrations, is convincing on this jxiint.
'The Hebrews were accustomed to wash their hands in the manner which is now universal in the East, and which, what- ever may be thought of its convenience, is unquestionably more refreshing and cleanly than \\ashing in the water as it stands in a basin— which is a process regarded by Orientals with great disgust. The hands are therefore held over a basin, the use of which is only to receite the water which has been poured upon the hands from the jug or ewer which is held above them. This cannot very conveniently be managed without the aid of a servant or some other person.'
Of course, this extract refers only to tlie washing of hands.
(1) The incident of the sinful woman who wept over our Lord's feet, and iviped them with the hairs of her head (Lk 7''-^), is much better ex- plained by comparing her action with that of the host or his servant pmtring water on a guest's feet, tlian by supposing that the guest immersed his feet in a footbath (Lk 7"). (2) It is true that iroSanTmip is found in Pollux, Onoin. x. 78, but here
• I- " •••'•- ' ' Revised OT of ' Readings and Render-
iii„'- ; American Revisers,' § viii., we read:
• TI I- preferred for the following words:
"I • tc, but no such note appears in the
BASON
a definition of the nirri)/) is contained in tlie word. ' Basins ' are such common articles, that if St. John liad meant to name one he need not have used an unique word. (3) The position of the Apostles and of the guests at the feast of Lk 7 was a re- clining one. This would not he compatible with the use of a basin or footbath in the ordinary sense of even partially immersing the foot. (4) Dr. A. R. S. Kennedy (art. ' Bath, Bathing ' in Hastings' DB i. 257'') sliows that ' atl'usion, pouring on ' of water, was probably meant in many cases where we read ' bathe ' or ' wash.'