Original Word: צַפחַת
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: tsappachath
Pronunciation: tsap-pah'-khath
Phonetic Spelling: (tsap-pakh'-ath)
KJV: cruse
NASB: jar, jug
Word Origin: [from an unused root meaning to expand]

1. a saucer (as flat)

cruse

From an unused root meaning to expand; a saucer (as flat) -- cruse.

Word Origin
from an unused word
Definition
a jar, jug
NASB Translation
jar (4), jug (3).

צַמַּ֫חַת noun feminine jar, jug, of flat or broad shape; — absolute צַמַּ֫הַּת 1 Kings 17:12; construct צַמָּ֑חַת 1 Samuel 26:11 +; — jar or jug for water 1 Samuel 26:11,12,16; 1 Kings 19:6; for oil 1 Kings 17:12,14,16 (on masculine verb. חָסֵר see Ew^{§ 317 c}, but probably read חָסֵ֑רָה SS Albr^{ZAW xvi (1896), 89}, compare V:14).

Physical and Cultural Setting

צַפחַת denotes a small, portable vessel—typically earthenware—used for liquids such as water or oil and, by extension, for dry goods like flour. In the household economies of ancient Israel, such a jar was indispensable: it could be sealed, carried on journeys, and placed beside a sleeper for ready refreshment. Its modest size made it a personal item rather than a communal storage jar, explaining why it is twice found at the very head of a resting man (1 Samuel 26:11, 1 Samuel 26:12).

Occurrences in Scripture

• 1 Samuel 26:11, 12, 16 – Saul’s “water jug” beside his head in the wilderness of Hachilah.
• 1 Kings 17:12, 14, 16 – The widow of Zarephath’s “jar of flour” that never ran out.
• 1 Kings 19:6 – Elijah’s “jar of water” placed by the angel while he lay exhausted under the broom tree.

David and the Jug beside Saul

David’s removal of Saul’s spear and water jug dramatizes the tension between righteous restraint and legitimate power. By sparing Saul and merely taking the jug, David demonstrates that he could have taken the king’s life just as easily as the vessel. The jug thus becomes an object-lesson of mercy. “The LORD forbid that I should stretch out my hand against the LORD’s anointed. Instead, take the spear and the water jug by his head” (1 Samuel 26:11). For ministry today, the scene underscores that vindication comes from God; human revenge is out of bounds even when opportunity is perfect and provocation severe.

Elijah, the Widow, and the Ever-Replenished Jar

In Zarephath the jar re-emerges, now filled with flour. “The jar of flour will not be exhausted and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the LORD sends rain on the face of the earth” (1 Kings 17:14). Here the vessel shifts from a symbol of restraint to one of supernatural provision. The perpetual supply attested:

1. The Lord’s sovereignty over famine.
2. His regard for Gentiles who trust Him (the widow was a Sidonian).
3. The truth that obedience to the prophetic word brings life-sustaining grace.

New Testament echoes abound. As the widow surrendered the last of her resources, the Lord multiplied it, prefiguring the feeding of multitudes by Jesus Christ and the blessing promised to those who seek first the kingdom of God (Matthew 6:33).

Elijah’s Flight and the Angelic Meal

In 1 Kings 19:6 Elijah, drained and despondent, finds “a jar of water” beside a cake of bread baked on stones. Again the tsapachath appears at the prophet’s head, mirroring Saul’s earlier scene yet under a different motif—divine consolation for a faithful servant. The vessel here underscores that the God who sustains widows also sustains weary prophets, calling them back to renewed assignment.

Theological Threads

1. God’s mastery over scarcity: He extends the ordinary into the extraordinary through common vessels.
2. The sanctity of personal agency: David’s refusal to misuse power is framed by the untouched jug.
3. Prophetic authentication: Each time the jar features in Elijah narratives, it validates the prophetic word with tangible provision.
4. Sacramental anticipation: Like the cup in the upper room, the jar holds life-preserving contents that God sets apart for His redemptive ends.

Practical Ministry Applications

• Trust during scarcity: The widow’s jar invites believers facing lack to cling to God’s promise rather than visible supply.
• Integrity in conflict: David’s handling of Saul’s jug models godly self-restraint for leaders tempted to advance by force.
• Care for the fatigued: Elijah’s jar of water commends pastoral attention to the physical needs of servants who battle discouragement.

Summary

Although small and seemingly mundane, the צַפחַת consistently appears at pivotal spiritual crossroads—moments of mercy, faith, and renewal. Its unassuming form becomes a silent witness that the Lord of Israel governs every detail of His people’s lives, supplying refreshment, testing motives, and affirming His word from generation to generation.

בַּצַּפָּ֑חַת בצפחת וְצַפַּ֣חַת וְצַפַּ֥חַת וצפחת צַפַּ֤חַת צַפַּ֥חַת צפחת baṣ·ṣap·pā·ḥaṯ baṣṣappāḥaṯ batztzapPachat ṣap·pa·ḥaṯ ṣappaḥaṯ tzapPachat vetzapPachat wə·ṣap·pa·ḥaṯ wəṣappaḥaṯInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts