Meaning
(a) (mekhonah): the fixed resting-place on which the lavers in Solomon's temple were set (1Ki 7:27-43, 2Ki 16:17, 2Ki 25:13, 2Ki 25:16, 2Ch 4:14, Jer 27:19, Jer 52:17, Jer 52:20; compare Ezr 3:3, Zec 5:11 the American Revised Version, margin).
(b) (ken): pedestal in the King James Version and the Revised Version (British and American) (1Ki 7:29, 1Ki 7:31) and in the Revised Version (British and American) only (Exo 30:18, Exo 30:28, Exo 31:9, Exo 35:16, Exo 38:8, Exo 39:39, Exo 40:11, Lev 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 Exo 25:31, Exo 37:17) the King James Version "shaft."
(d) (yecodh): the Revised Version (British and American) "base of altar"; the King James Version "bottom" (Exo 29:12, Exo 38:8, Lev 4:7, Lev 4:18, Lev 4:25, Lev 4:30, Lev 4:34, Lev 5:9, Lev 8:15, Lev 9:9).
(e) (gabh): the Revised Version (British and American) "elevation," i.e. basement of altar; the King James Version "higher place" (Eze 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 (2Sa 6:22): "a modest unambitious kingdom" (Eze 17:14, Eze 29:14, Eze 29:15 (BDB); Da 4:17 (the American Standard Revised Version "lowest")): compare shephelah = "lowland."
(b) (qalah): men of humble birth and station as opposed to the nobles (Isa 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 1Sa 1:16 "wicked woman"; also the English Revised Version of De 13:13, "base," which elsewhere retains the King James Version rendering.
(e) (tapeinos): "lowly," "humble or abject" (2Co 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" (1Co 1:28): "base things of the world."
(g) (agoraios): " belonging to the market-place," loafers, worthless characters (Ac 17:5): "certain lewd fellows of the baser sort"; the Revised Version (British and American) "certain vile fellows of the rabble."
T. Rees
