The Ark of Bulrushes
The ExodusMeaning: “A papyrus basket sealed with pitch”
God preserving his deliverer through the waters of death.
The papyrus basket in which the infant Moses was hidden among the reeds of the Nile.
What It Was
To save her son from Pharaoh’s order to drown the Hebrew boys, Moses’ mother made “an ark of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime and with pitch,” and laid the child among the reeds by the river (Exodus 2:3). Pharaoh’s daughter found him and he was raised in the palace.
Biblical Significance & Symbolism
Like Noah’s ark, this little ark carried God’s chosen safely through the waters of death — the same Hebrew word, tebah, links the two. God preserved the deliverer of Israel in the very river meant to be his grave.
Timeline
Moses is hidden in the ark of bulrushes
Scripture References
1 verseExodus1 verse
Exodus 2:3
And when she could not longer hide him, she took for him an ark of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime and with pitch, and put the child therein; and she laid it in the flags by the river's brink.
Topics & Symbolism
Biblical themes this object points to and helps interpret.
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Frequently asked about The Ark of Bulrushes
What was The Ark of Bulrushes in the Bible?
The papyrus basket in which the infant Moses was hidden among the reeds of the Nile.
What does The Ark of Bulrushes symbolize?
God preserving his deliverer through the waters of death.
What does the name The Ark of Bulrushes mean?
The name The Ark of Bulrushes means “A papyrus basket sealed with pitch”.
What was The Ark of Bulrushes made of?
The Ark of Bulrushes was made of bulrushes, daubed with slime and pitch.
Who made The Ark of Bulrushes?
The Ark of Bulrushes was made by Jochebed (Moses’ mother).
Where was The Ark of Bulrushes kept?
The Ark of Bulrushes was kept at Among the reeds of the Nile.
Where is The Ark of Bulrushes first mentioned in the Bible?
The Ark of Bulrushes is first mentioned in Exodus 2:3.
How often is The Ark of Bulrushes mentioned in the Bible?
The Ark of Bulrushes is mentioned in 1 verse across 1 book: Exodus.
What was the ark of bulrushes?
The waterproofed papyrus basket in which the baby Moses was hidden among the reeds of the Nile to escape Pharaoh’s death order (Exodus 2:3).
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