Lexical Summary biryah: Creation, creature Original Word: בִּרְיָה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance meat Feminine from barah; food -- meat. see HEBREW barah NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom barah Definition food NASB Translation food (3). Brown-Driver-Briggs בִּרְיָה noun feminine food 2 Samuel 13:5,7,10; Ezekiel 34:20 see בָּרִיא. Topical Lexicon General Sense and Range of Meaning בִּרְיָה (biryah) denotes prepared sustenance—food fashioned by human hands for immediate consumption. The word suggests more than raw ingredients; it points to a cooked or specially composed dish whose very presentation is part of its appeal. Occurrences in Scripture The term appears only three times, all within the tragic episode of Amnon and Tamar (2 Samuel 13:5, 7, 10). Its sparing use concentrates attention on the intimate and deceptive setting in which it is requested and served. • 2 Samuel 13:5 – “Please let my sister Tamar come and give me something to eat, and let her prepare the food in my sight so that I may watch and eat it from her hand.” Narrative Significance In 2 Samuel 13 the king’s household is depicted at a moment of apparent domestic simplicity—bread being baked for an ailing son—yet the scene masks manipulation and concealed sin. The request for biryah is Amnon’s stratagem, exploiting the normal rhythms of family care and feminine service in order to isolate Tamar. Food, normally a symbol of fellowship, becomes a tool of predation. The text therefore turns an otherwise ordinary culinary term into a literary device that underscores deceit and the inversion of covenantal kinship. Cultural Background Ancient Israelite meals were relational events, markers of honor and trust. Inviting someone to prepare or serve biryah implied vulnerability and welcome: the preparer entered private space, handled grain and oil provided by the host, and offered the finished dish by hand. Tamar’s kneading and baking reflect common Near Eastern techniques that required proximity and time—further emphasizing the intimacy Amnon wrongfully sought. Theological Reflections 1. Abuse of Hospitality: God’s law repeatedly guards table fellowship (Genesis 18; Exodus 12). Amnon violates this sacred social boundary, showing that sin distorts even the most benign customs. Practical Applications for Ministry • Discernment in Service: Believers who serve—especially in caregiving roles—should exercise wisdom, establishing safeguards that protect both giver and recipient. Foreshadowing Christ’s Table Where Amnon weaponized bread for selfish ends, Jesus Christ sanctifies bread for self-giving love (Luke 22:19). The contrast magnifies the Gospel: the ultimate biryah is the broken bread that unites rather than violates, offered by the sinless Son who lays down His life for His siblings. Summary בִּרְיָה is a minor word with major implications. Its limited use captures a pivotal moment when the ordinary function of food is subverted by sin, thereby illuminating biblical themes of hospitality, purity, and the human heart. Through careful reading, the Church is warned against the corruption of good gifts and pointed toward the redemptive meal of the New Covenant. Forms and Transliterations הַבִּרְיָ֔ה הַבִּרְיָֽה׃ הַבִּרְיָה֙ הבריה הבריה׃ hab·bir·yāh habbirYah habbiryāhLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance 2 Samuel 13:5 HEB: לְעֵינַי֙ אֶת־ הַבִּרְיָ֔ה לְמַ֙עַן֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר NAS: and let her prepare the food in my sight, KJV: and dress the meat in my sight, INT: her prepare my sight the food that i 2 Samuel 13:7 2 Samuel 13:10 3 Occurrences |
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