Pitcher
Pitcher
in the A.V. represents the following words in the original:
1. כִּד, kad; Sept. ὑδρία; Vulg. hydria, lagena; akin to Sanscrit kut and κάδος; rendered "barrel" (1Ki 17:12; 1Ki 18:33).
⇒Bible concordance for PITCHER.
2. נֵבֶל and נֶיֶל, nebel; Sept. ἀγγεῖον; Vulg. vas; A.V. "bottle," only once a "pitcher" (La 4:2); where it is joined with חֶרֶשׁ, an earthen vessel (Gesen. Thesaur. p. 522).
3. In the N.T. κεράμιον, twice only (Mr 14:13; Lu 22:10). It denotes the water-jars or pitchers with one or two handles, used chiefly by women for carrying water, as in the story of Rebecca (Ge 24:15-20; but see Mr 14:13; Lu 22:10). This practice has been and is still usual both in the East and elsewhere. The vessels used for the purpose are generally carried on the head or on the shoulder. The Bedawin women commonly use skin-bottles. Such was the "bottle" carried by Hagar (Ge 21:14; Harmer, Obs. 4:246; Layard, Nin. and Bab. p. 578; Roberts, Sketches, pl. 164; Arvieux, Trav. p. 203; Burckhardt, Notes on Bed. 1, 351; Thomson, Lend and Book, 2, 379). The same word kad is used of the pitchers employed by Gideon's 300 men (Jg 7:16), where the use made of them marks the material. Also the vessel (A.V. barrel) in which the meal of the Sareptan widow was contained (1
Kings 17:12), and the "barrels" of water used by Elijah at Mount Carmel (1Ki 18:33). It is also used figuratively of the life of man (Ec 12:6). It is thus probable that earthen vessels were used by the Jews as they were by the Egyptians for containing both liquids and dry provisions (Birch, Anc. Pottery, 1, 43). At the Fountain of Nazareth may be seen men and women with pitchers which scarcely differ from those in use in Egypt and Nubia (Roberts, Sketches, pi. 29, 164). The water-pot of the woman of Samaria was probably one of this kind, to be distinguished from the much larger amphorae of the marriage-feast at Cana. SEE BOTTLE; SEE CRUSE; SEE EWER; SEE FLAGON; SEE POT.
