Bread.

From: The New Topical Textbook By: Reuben Archer Torrey

• 2 min. read • grade level: 12

Given by God. Ruth 1:6⁶Then she arose with her daughters in law, that she might return from the country of Moab: for she had heard in the country of Moab how that the Lord had visited his people in giving them bread. (Ruth 1:6). Mat. 6:11.

Yielded by the earth. Job 28:5⁵As for the earth, out of it cometh bread: and under it is turned up as it were fire. (Job 28:5). Isa. 55:10¹⁰For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: (Isaiah 55:10).

MADE OF

Wheat. Exe. 29:2. Psa. 81:16¹⁶He should have fed them also with the finest of the wheat: and with honey out of the rock should I have satisfied thee. (Psalm 81:16).

Barley. Jud. 7:13. John. 6:9.

Beans, millet, &c. Eze. 4:9⁹Take thou also unto thee wheat, and barley, and beans, and lentiles, and millet, and fitches, and put them in one vessel, and make thee bread thereof, according to the number of the days that thou shalt lie upon thy side, three hundred and ninety days shalt thou eat thereof. (Ezekiel 4:9).

Manna (in the wilderness). Num. 11:8⁸And the people went about, and gathered it, and ground it in mills, or beat it in a mortar, and baked it in pans, and made cakes of it: and the taste of it was as the taste of fresh oil. (Numbers 11:8).

Corn ground for making. Isa. 28:28²⁸Bread corn is bruised; because he will not ever be threshing it, nor break it with the wheel of his cart, nor bruise it with his horsemen. (Isaiah 28:28).

Was kneaded. Gen. 18:6⁶And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said, Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes upon the hearth. (Genesis 18:6). Jer. 7:18¹⁸The children gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead their dough, to make cakes to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto other gods, that they may provoke me to anger. (Jeremiah 7:18). Hos. 7:4⁴They are all adulterers, as an oven heated by the baker, who ceaseth from raising after he hath kneaded the dough, until it be leavened. (Hosea 7:4).

Troughs used for kneading. Exo. 12:34³⁴And the people took their dough before it was leavened, their kneadingtroughs being bound up in their clothes upon their shoulders. (Exodus 12:34).

Usually leavened. Lev. 23:17¹⁷Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals: they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven; they are the firstfruits unto the Lord. (Leviticus 23:17). Mat. 13:33.

Sometimes unleavened. Exo. 12:18¹⁸In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at even, ye shall eat unleavened bread, until the one and twentieth day of the month at even. (Exodus 12:18). 1 Cor. 5:8⁸Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. (1 Corinthians 5:8).

WAS FORMED INTO

Loaves. 1 Sam. 10:3, 4³Then shalt thou go on forward from thence, and thou shalt come to the plain of Tabor, and there shall meet thee three men going up to God to Beth-el, one carrying three kids, and another carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a bottle of wine: ⁴And they will salute thee, and give thee two loaves of bread; which thou shalt receive of their hands. (1 Samuel 10:3‑4). Mat. 14:17.

Cakes. 2 Sam. 6:19¹⁹And he dealt among all the people, even among the whole multitude of Israel, as well to the women as men, to every one a cake of bread, and a good piece of flesh, and a flagon of wine. So all the people departed every one to his house. (2 Samuel 6:19). 1 Kin. 17:13.

Wafers. Exo. 16:31³¹And the house of Israel called the name thereof Manna: and it was like coriander seed, white; and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey. (Exodus 16:31). Exo. 29:23²³And one loaf of bread, and one cake of oiled bread, and one wafer out of the basket of the unleavened bread that is before the Lord: (Exodus 29:23).

WAS BAKED

On hearths. Gen. 18:6⁶And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said, Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes upon the hearth. (Genesis 18:6).

On coals of fire. Isa. 44:19¹⁹And none considereth in his heart, neither is there knowledge nor understanding to say, I have burned part of it in the fire; yea, also I have baked bread upon the coals thereof; I have roasted flesh, and eaten it: and shall I make the residue thereof an abomination? shall I fall down to the stock of a tree? (Isaiah 44:19). John. 21:9.

In ovens. Lev. 26:26²⁶And when I have broken the staff of your bread, ten women shall bake your bread in one oven, and they shall deliver you your bread again by weight: and ye shall eat, and not be satisfied. (Leviticus 26:26). Hos. 7:4-7⁴They are all adulterers, as an oven heated by the baker, who ceaseth from raising after he hath kneaded the dough, until it be leavened. ⁵In the day of our king the princes have made him sick with bottles of wine; he stretched out his hand with scorners. ⁶For they have made ready their heart like an oven, whiles they lie in wait: their baker sleepeth all the night; in the morning it burneth as a flaming fire. ⁷They are all hot as an oven, and have devoured their judges; all their kings are fallen: there is none among them that calleth unto me. (Hosea 7:4‑7).

Making of, a trade. Gen. 40:2²And Pharaoh was wroth against two of his officers, against the chief of the butlers, and against the chief of the bakers. (Genesis 40:2). Jer. 37:21²¹Then Zedekiah the king commanded that they should commit Jeremiah into the court of the prison, and that they should give him daily a piece of bread out of the bakers' street, until all the bread in the city were spent. Thus Jeremiah remained in the court of the prison. (Jeremiah 37:21).

Ordinary, called common bread. 1 Sam. 21:4⁴And the priest answered David, and said, There is no common bread under mine hand, but there is hallowed bread; if the young men have kept themselves at least from women. (1 Samuel 21:4).

Sacred, called hallowed bread. 1 Sam. 21:4, 6⁴And the priest answered David, and said, There is no common bread under mine hand, but there is hallowed bread; if the young men have kept themselves at least from women. (1 Samuel 21:4)
⁶So the priest gave him hallowed bread: for there was no bread there but the showbread, that was taken from before the Lord, to put hot bread in the day when it was taken away. (1 Samuel 21:6).

Nutritious and strengthening. Psa. 104:15¹⁵And wine that maketh glad the heart of man, and oil to make his face to shine, and bread which strengtheneth man's heart. (Psalm 104:15).

When old, dry and moldy. Jos. 9: 5, 12.

Often put for the whole sustenance of man. Gen 3:19¹⁹In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return. (Genesis 3:19). Gen. 39:6⁶And he left all that he had in Joseph's hand; and he knew not ought he had, save the bread which he did eat. And Joseph was a goodly person, and well favored. (Genesis 39:6). Mat. 6:11.

The principal food used by the ancients. Gen. 18:5⁵And I will fetch a morsel of bread, and comfort ye your hearts; after that ye shall pass on: for therefore are ye come to your servant. And they said, So do, as thou hast said. (Genesis 18:5). Gen. 21:14¹⁴And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread, and a bottle of water, and gave it unto Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, and the child, and sent her away: and she departed, and wandered in the wilderness of Beer-sheba. (Genesis 21:14). Gen. 27:17¹⁷And she gave the savory meat and the bread, which she had prepared, into the hand of her son Jacob. (Genesis 27:17). Jud. 19:5.

Broken for use. Lam. 4:4⁴The tongue of the sucking child cleaveth to the roof of his mouth for thirst: the young children ask bread, and no man breaketh it unto them. (Lamentations 4:4). Mat. 14:19.

Kept in baskets. Gen. 40:16¹⁶When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was good, he said unto Joseph, I also was in my dream, and, behold, I had three white baskets on my head: (Genesis 40:16). Exo. 29:32³²And Aaron and his sons shall eat the flesh of the ram, and the bread that is in the basket, by the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. (Exodus 29:32).

Publicly sold. Mat. 14:15, with Mat. 15:33.

In times of scarcity, sold by weight. Lev. 26:26²⁶And when I have broken the staff of your bread, ten women shall bake your bread in one oven, and they shall deliver you your bread again by weight: and ye shall eat, and not be satisfied. (Leviticus 26:26). Eze. 4:16¹⁶Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, behold, I will break the staff of bread in Jerusalem: and they shall eat bread by weight, and with care; and they shall drink water by measure, and with astonishment: (Ezekiel 4:16).

Scarceness of, sent as a punishment. Psa. 105:16¹⁶Moreover he called for a famine upon the land: he brake the whole staff of bread. (Psalm 105:16). Isa. 3:1¹For, behold, the Lord, the Lord of hosts, doth take away from Jerusalem and from Judah the stay and the staff, the whole stay of bread, and the whole stay of water, (Isaiah 3:1). Eze. 5:16¹⁶When I shall send upon them the evil arrows of famine, which shall be for their destruction, and which I will send to destroy you: and I will increase the famine upon you, and will break your staff of bread: (Ezekiel 5:16).

Plenty of, promised to the obedient. Lev. 26:5⁵And your threshing shall reach unto the vintage, and the vintage shall reach unto the sowing time: and ye shall eat your bread to the full, and dwell in your land safely. (Leviticus 26:5).

Often given as a present. 1 Sam. 25:18¹⁸Then Abigail made haste, and took two hundred loaves, and two bottles of wine, and five sheep ready dressed, and five measures of parched corn, and an hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figs, and laid them on asses. (1 Samuel 25:18). 2 Sam. 16:2²And the king said unto Ziba, What meanest thou by these? And Ziba said, The asses be for the king's household to ride on; and the bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat; and the wine, that such as be faint in the wilderness may drink. (2 Samuel 16:2). 1 Chr. 12:40⁴⁰Moreover they that were nigh them, even unto Issachar and Zebulun and Naphtali, brought bread on asses, and on camels, and on mules, and on oxen, and meat, meal, cakes of figs, and bunches of raisins, and wine, and oil, and oxen, and sheep abundantly: for there was joy in Israel. (1 Chronicles 12:40).

Served round after funerals. Eze. 24:17-22¹⁷Forbear to cry, make no mourning for the dead, bind the tire of thine head upon thee, and put on thy shoes upon thy feet, and cover not thy lips, and eat not the bread of men. ¹⁸So I spake unto the people in the morning: and at even my wife died; and I did in the morning as I was commanded. ¹⁹And the people said unto me, Wilt thou not tell us what these things are to us, that thou doest so? ²⁰Then I answered them, The word of the Lord came unto me, saying, ²¹Speak unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I will profane my sanctuary, the excellency of your strength, the desire of your eyes, and that which your soul pitieth; and your sons and your daughters whom ye have left shall fall by the sword. ²²And ye shall do as I have done: ye shall not cover your lips, nor eat the bread of men. (Ezekiel 24:17‑22).

With water, the food of prisons. 1 Kin. 22:27.

Crumb of, used to wipe the fingers, thrown under the table. Mat. 15: 27. Luke 16:21²¹And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. (Luke 16:21).

First fruit of, offered to God. Num. 15:19, 20¹⁹Then it shall be, that, when ye eat of the bread of the land, ye shall offer up an heave offering unto the Lord. ²⁰Ye shall offer up a cake of the first of your dough for an heave offering: as ye do the heave offering of the threshingfloor, so shall ye heave it. (Numbers 15:19‑20).

Offered with sacrifices. Exo. 29:2, 23²And unleavened bread, and cakes unleavened tempered with oil, and wafers unleavened anointed with oil: of wheaten flour shalt thou make them. (Exodus 29:2)
²³And one loaf of bread, and one cake of oiled bread, and one wafer out of the basket of the unleavened bread that is before the Lord: (Exodus 29:23). Num. 28:2²Command the children of Israel, and say unto them, My offering, and my bread for my sacrifices made by fire, for a sweet savor unto me, shall ye observe to offer unto me in their due season. (Numbers 28:2).

Placed on table of show bread. Exo. 25:30³⁰And thou shalt set upon the table showbread before me alway. (Exodus 25:30).

Multitudes miraculously fed by Christ with. Mat. 14:19-21. Mat. 15:34-37.

ILLUSTRATIVE

Of Christ. John. 6:33-35.

(When broken,) of the death of Christ. Mat. 26:26, with 1 Cor. 11:23, 24²³For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: ²⁴And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. (1 Corinthians 11:23‑24).

(Partaking of,) of communion of saints. Acts 2:46⁴⁶And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, (Acts 2:46). 1 Cor. 10:17¹⁷For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread. (1 Corinthians 10:17).

(Want of,) of extreme poverty. Pro. 12:9⁹He that is despised, and hath a servant, is better than he that honoreth himself, and lacketh bread. (Proverbs 12:9). Isa. 3:7⁷In that day shall he swear, saying, I will not be an healer; for in my house is neither bread nor clothing: make me not a ruler of the people. (Isaiah 3:7).

(Seeking or begging,) of extreme poverty. 1 Sam. 2:36³⁶And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left in thine house shall come and crouch to him for a piece of silver and a morsel of bread, and shall say, Put me, I pray thee, into one of the priests' offices, that I may eat a piece of bread. (1 Samuel 2:36). Psa. 37: 25. Lam. 1:11¹¹All her people sigh, they seek bread; they have given their pleasant things for meat to relieve the soul: see, O Lord, and consider; for I am become vile. (Lamentations 1:11).

(Fullness of,) of abundance. Eze. 16:49⁴⁹Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. (Ezekiel 16:49).

(Eating without scarceness,) of plenty. Deu. 8:9.

(Of adversity,) of heavy affliction. Isa. 30:20²⁰And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity, and the water of affliction, yet shall not thy teachers be removed into a corner any more, but thine eyes shall see thy teachers: (Isaiah 30:20).

(Of tears,) of sorrow. Psa. 80:5⁵Thou feedest them with the bread of tears; and givest them tears to drink in great measure. (Psalm 80:5).

(Of deceit,) of unlawful gain. Pro. 20:17¹⁷Bread of deceit is sweet to a man; but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel. (Proverbs 20:17).

(Of wickedness,) of oppression. Pro. 4:17¹⁷For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence. (Proverbs 4:17).

(Of idleness,) of sloth. Pro 31:27²⁷She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness. (Proverbs 31:27).

Click here to show subject links in the text for more information.

The New Topical Textbook

• Boldness, Holy.

• Bondage, Spiritual.

• Bread.

• Burnt Offering, the.

• Calves of Jeroboam.

• Character of Saints.

• Character of the Wicked.