Lexical Summary labibah or lebibah: Cake, Pancake Original Word: לָבִיבָה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance cake Or rather lbibah {leb-ee-baw'}; from labab in its original sense of fatness (or perhaps of folding); a cake (either as fried or turned) -- cake. see HEBREW labab NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom the same as lebab Definition cakes NASB Translation cakes (3). Brown-Driver-Briggs [לְבִבָה] noun plural cakes (probably pancakes, from shape ?) לְבִבוֺת 2 Samuel 13:6,8,10. Topical Lexicon Overviewלָבִיבָה designates a simple cake or pancake prepared from kneaded dough and cooked on a griddle or in a pan. Although commonplace in the daily fare of ancient Israel, Scripture mentions the item only in the tragic narrative of Amnon and Tamar (2 Samuel 13:6, 8, 10). Its rarity in the biblical text lends weight to the episode, making the humble cake a silent witness to the dynamics of family, hospitality, sin, and redemption. Biblical Occurrences 2 Samuel 13 recounts how the crown prince Amnon feigned illness and requested that his half-sister Tamar “come and prepare a couple of cakes in my sight, so that I may eat from her hand” (verse 6). Verse 8 notes Tamar’s meticulous care: “She took dough, kneaded it, made cakes in his sight, and baked them.” In verse 10 Amnon demands, “Bring the cakes to the bedroom so that I may eat from your hand.” In each verse the same culinary term is employed, highlighting the progressive steps by which lust masquerades as appetite and hospitality is twisted into predation. Cultural and Historical Setting 1. Everyday Food: Simple grain cakes were a staple for agrarian households. Prepared quickly with minimal ingredients, they provided sustenance for laborers, travelers, and royal families alike. 2. Gesture of Care: Preparing food in another’s presence expressed personal attention and affection. Within patriarchal households, a sister’s act of cooking for a brother embodied familial tenderness and purity. 3. Domestic Space: The narrative unfolds in confined spaces—sickbed, kitchen, and inner chamber—demonstrating how sin often exploits ordinary settings. The movement of the לָבִיבָה from public preparation to a private chamber parallels Amnon’s descent from feigned innocence to violent violation. Theological Significance 1. Hospitality Corrupted: Throughout Scripture, shared bread symbolizes covenant fellowship (Genesis 18:6–8; Acts 2:46). By turning Tamar’s cake into a snare, Amnon desecrates the sanctity of table fellowship, foreshadowing how Judas later “shared the bread” yet betrayed the Lord (John 13:18). 2. Innocence and Defilement: Tamar’s painstaking preparation contrasts with Amnon’s impatience and deceit. The pure, warm cake becomes an emblem of Tamar’s own innocence, which Amnon defiles. The account underscores that sin not only harms people but also distorts God-given gifts such as food, family, and hospitality. 3. Justice Delayed, Sovereignty Maintained: While David fails to punish Amnon, the ultimate unfolding of events—Absalom’s vengeance and the turmoil that follows—demonstrates that divine justice is never thwarted, even when earthly authorities falter. Lessons for Ministry 1. Guarding the Heart: The episode warns leaders and congregants alike to examine motives beneath seemingly benign requests. Lust, envy, or bitterness can cloak itself in ordinary activities. 2. Safeguarding the Vulnerable: Tamar’s plight calls the Church to protect those who serve, especially within family and ministry contexts where trust can be exploited. 3. Redeeming the Table: Believers are encouraged to restore meals as places of gospel grace—breaking bread in sincerity, honoring one another, and reflecting Christ, who offers Himself as the true Bread of Life (John 6:35). Christological Reflections Just as Tamar offered cakes to nourish her brother, Jesus offers His body to nourish the world. Where Amnon consumed and destroyed, Christ is consumed yet gives life. The corrupted hospitality of 2 Samuel 13 finds its remedy in the Lord’s Supper, where bread signifies sacrificial love, not selfish desire. Practical Application • In personal devotion: Confess any misuse of God’s gifts and recommit to serving others with purity of heart. Conclusion Though mentioned only three times, לָבִיבָה highlights how the mundane can become a stage for either righteousness or sin. The episode urges believers to handle every task—even baking a simple cake—with integrity, vigilance, and love that points to Christ, who sanctifies both the servant and the service. Forms and Transliterations הַלְּבִבֽוֹת׃ הַלְּבִבוֹת֙ הלבבות הלבבות׃ לְבִב֔וֹת לבבות hal·lə·ḇi·ḇō·wṯ halləḇiḇōwṯ halleviVot lə·ḇi·ḇō·wṯ ləḇiḇōwṯ leviVotLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance 2 Samuel 13:6 HEB: לְעֵינַי֙ שְׁתֵּ֣י לְבִב֔וֹת וְאֶבְרֶ֖ה מִיָּדָֽהּ׃ NAS: me a couple of cakes in my sight, KJV: me a couple of cakes in my sight, INT: my sight A couple of cakes may eat her hand 2 Samuel 13:8 2 Samuel 13:10 3 Occurrences |
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