In the context of the Bible, "bakes" refers to the process of preparing bread or other baked goods, a staple in the diet of ancient Near Eastern cultures, including the Israelites. The act of baking is mentioned in various passages, highlighting its significance in daily life, religious rituals, and as a metaphor in spiritual teachings.

Biblical References:

1. Daily Life and Provision:
Baking was a common domestic activity, essential for providing sustenance. In Genesis 18:6, when Abraham receives three visitors, he instructs Sarah to quickly prepare bread: "So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah and said, 'Quick, prepare three seahs of fine flour, knead it, and bake some bread.'" This passage illustrates the hospitality and the importance of bread in ancient times.

2. Religious Rituals:
Bread played a crucial role in religious ceremonies. In Leviticus 24:5-9, the instructions for the showbread, or "bread of the Presence," are given: "You are to take fine flour and bake twelve loaves of bread, using two-tenths of an ephah for each loaf." These loaves were placed in the Tabernacle as an offering to God, symbolizing His provision and the covenant with Israel.

3. Metaphorical Usage:
Baking is also used metaphorically in the Bible. In Hosea 7:4, the prophet compares the people's sinful behavior to a baker's oven: "They are all adulterers, like an oven heated by a baker who ceases to stir the fire from the kneading of the dough until it is leavened." This imagery conveys the intensity and persistence of their sin.

4. Miraculous Provision:
The miracle of the feeding of the five thousand, as recorded in the Gospels, underscores the significance of bread as a symbol of God's provision. In John 6:11, Jesus takes the loaves, gives thanks, and distributes them to the people, demonstrating His power to provide abundantly.

Cultural and Historical Context:

In ancient Israel, bread was a primary food source, often made from wheat or barley. The process of baking involved grinding grain into flour, kneading it with water, and baking it in an oven or on a heated stone. The simplicity of ingredients and the daily necessity of bread made it a powerful symbol of life and sustenance.

The role of women in baking is evident, as they were typically responsible for preparing meals. This task was not only a domestic duty but also a means of expressing hospitality and care for family and guests.

Spiritual Significance:

Bread, and by extension the act of baking, holds deep spiritual significance in the Bible. It represents God's provision, as seen in the manna provided to the Israelites in the wilderness (Exodus 16). Jesus refers to Himself as the "bread of life" in John 6:35, emphasizing that just as bread sustains physical life, He sustains spiritual life.

In the Lord's Prayer, believers are taught to pray for "our daily bread" (Matthew 6:11), acknowledging dependence on God for daily needs. This request encompasses not only physical sustenance but also spiritual nourishment.

Overall, the concept of baking in the Bible is rich with meaning, reflecting both the practical aspects of ancient life and profound spiritual truths.

I Shall Explain to You Also How it is that the Soul is Transfused ...
... be reaped; and so, too, if one casts grain into the mill, he will be cast in himself
in like manner, or if he kneads he will be kneaded, or if he bakes he will ...
/.../the acts of the disputation with the heresiarch manes/9 i shall explain to.htm

That the Ultimate Reason for Believing Miracles is the Omnipotence ...
... so heating that it forces apples to ripen; the glowing fire, which, in accordance
with its glowing appearance, whitens the stones it bakes, while, contrary to ...
/.../augustine/city of god/chapter 7 that the ultimate reason.htm

Family Habits.
... Milton, therefore, makes his hell an ice-house, as well as an oven, and freezes
his devils at one period, but bakes them at another. ...
/.../philips/the christian home/chapter xvii family habits.htm

Diamond and his Mother Sat Down Upon the Edge of the Rough Grass ...
... to build his nest. for her he loves best. with the nicest cakes. which the sunshine
bakes. all for their merry children. all so callow. with beaks that follow. ...
/.../macdonald/at the back of the north wind/chapter 13 diamond and his.htm

The Last Words of the Old and New Testaments
... As it was in the Lord's first coming, 'He is set for the rise and the fall of many
in Israel.' The same heat softens some substances and bakes others into ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture a/the last words of the.htm

Bakes (1 Occurrence)
... Multi-Version Concordance Bakes (1 Occurrence). Isaiah 44:15 Then it ... and
warms himself. Yes, he burns it, and bakes bread. Yes, he ...
/b/bakes.htm - 6k

Bake (13 Occurrences)
... 2. (vt) To dry or harden (anything) by subjecting to heat, as, to bake bricks;
the sun bakes the ground. 3. (vt) To harden by cold. ...
/b/bake.htm - 12k

Warms (3 Occurrences)
... Isaiah 44:15 Then it will be for a man to burn; and he takes some of it,
and warms himself. Yes, he burns it, and bakes bread. Yes ...
/w/warms.htm - 7k

Worships (7 Occurrences)
... Isaiah 44:15 Then it will be for a man to burn; and he takes some of it,
and warms himself. Yes, he burns it, and bakes bread. Yes ...
/w/worships.htm - 8k

Baker's (1 Occurrence)

/b/baker's.htm - 6k

Baketh (2 Occurrences)

/b/baketh.htm - 7k

Biscuit (3 Occurrences)
... 1. (n.) A kind of unraised bread, of many varieties, plain, sweet, or fancy,
formed into flat cakes, and bakes hard; as, ship biscuit. ...
/b/biscuit.htm - 7k

Burns (34 Occurrences)
... (WEB NAS RSV NIV). Isaiah 44:15 Then it will be for a man to burn; and he takes
some of it, and warms himself. Yes, he burns it, and bakes bread. ...
/b/burns.htm - 17k

Warm (25 Occurrences)
... Isaiah 44:15 Then it will be for a man to burn; and he takes some of it,
and warms himself. Yes, he burns it, and bakes bread. Yes ...
/w/warm.htm - 15k

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