What does תֶּבֶן (teben) mean in the Bible?
תֶּבֶן (teben): Waste grain byproduct transformed into sustenance; metaphorically represents worthlessness or insubstantial value.
Hebrew · H8401
תֶּבֶן
Properly, material , i.e. (specifically) refuse haum or stalks of grain (as chopped in threshing and used for fodder)
Reading a lexicon entry
What this page is: Each lexicon entry shows the original Hebrew or Greek word behind the English translation: its meaning, its range of use, and where it appears in Scripture.
Strong's number: The Strong's code (H- or G-) is the standard reference number for this word. It connects this entry to chapter and passage language tabs.
Where it appears: The witness passages show where this word is used in context. Click any to open the study page for that passage.
This lexicon entry is part of our ongoing editorial review. If you notice missing content, unclear wording, or a possible correction, please send us a note through the Connect page. Screenshots are helpful.
תֶּבֶן H8401
Pronunciation teben
What does תֶּבֶן (teben) mean in the Bible?
תֶּבֶן (teben): Waste grain byproduct transformed into sustenance; metaphorically represents worthlessness or insubstantial value.
Full entry for תֶּבֶן (H8401) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H8401?
The BSB source-word alignment has 17 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include Straw (10), and straw (1), as straw (1), for straw (1), is straw (1).
Where does תֶּבֶן (teben) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 24:25. Its strongest book concentrations include Exodus (8), Genesis (2), Isaiah (2), Job (2).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders It Straw 10× Genesis 24:32, Exodus 5:7, Exodus 5:10, Exodus 5:11
and straw 1× 1 Kings 4:28
as straw 1× Job 41:27
for straw 1× Exodus 5:12
is straw 1× Jeremiah 23:28
of straw 1× Genesis 24:25
they like straw 1× Job 21:18
with straw 1× Exodus 5:7
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 24:25 תֶּ֥בֶן to of straw Noun - masculine singular Genesis 24:32 תֶּ֤בֶן to Straw Noun - masculine singular Exodus 5:7 תֶּ֧בֶן to with straw Noun - masculine singular Exodus 5:7 תֶּֽבֶן׃ to straw Noun - masculine singular Exodus 5:10 תֶּֽבֶן׃ to straw Noun - masculine singular Exodus 5:11 תֶּ֔בֶן to straw Noun - masculine singular Exodus 5:12 לַתֶּֽבֶן׃ to for straw Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine singular Exodus 5:13 הַתֶּֽבֶן׃ to straw Article | Noun - masculine singular Exodus 5:16 תֶּ֗בֶן to straw Noun - masculine singular Exodus 5:18 וְתֶ֖בֶן to straw Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Genesis 24:25
Aligned rows 17
Books represented 7
Genesis 2 Exodus 8 Judges 1 1 Kings 1 Job 2 Isaiah 2 Jeremiah 1
Source forms
תֶּֽבֶן׃ 3x te·ḇen Exodus 5:7, Exodus 5:10, Isaiah 11:7
תֶּ֤בֶן 2x te·ḇen Genesis 24:32, Judges 19:19
תֶּ֔בֶן 2x te·ḇen Exodus 5:11, Isaiah 65:25
הַתֶּֽבֶן׃ 1x hat·te·ḇen Exodus 5:13
וְהַתֶּ֔בֶן 1x wə·hat·te·ḇen 1 Kings 4:28
וְתֶ֖בֶן 1x wə·ṯe·ḇen Exodus 5:18
כְּתֶ֥בֶן 1x kə·ṯe·ḇen Job 21:18
לְתֶ֣בֶן 1x lə·ṯe·ḇen Job 41:27
Parsing patterns
Noun - masculine singular 10x Genesis 24:25, Genesis 24:32, Exodus 5:7, Exodus 5:10
Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine singular 2x Exodus 5:12, Jeremiah 23:28
Article | Noun - masculine singular 1x Exodus 5:13
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular 1x Exodus 5:18
Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine singular 1x 1 Kings 4:28
Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular 1x Job 21:18
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular 1x Job 41:27
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Waste grain byproduct transformed into sustenance; metaphorically represents worthlessness or insubstantial value.
Source Gloss
properly, material , i.e. (specifically) refuse haum or stalks of grain (as chopped in threshing and used for fodder)
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Waste grain byproduct transformed into sustenance; metaphorically represents worthlessness or insubstantial value.
properly, material, i.e. (specifically) refuse haum or stalks of grain (as chopped in threshing and used for fodder) BDB: straw Usage: chaff, straw, stubble.
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
Selected Scripture Witness
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Biblical Witnesses
Grain stalks used as fodder for brick-making labor, withheld as Egyptian oppression
Showing 1 selected witness from 17 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
תֶּבֶן is built from this root:
Sources
MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0
Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain