Biblical Reference:
Leeks are mentioned in the Bible in the context of the Israelites' journey through the wilderness after their exodus from Egypt. The specific reference can be found in the Book of Numbers, where the Israelites express their longing for the foods they enjoyed in Egypt. Numbers 11:5 states: "We remember the fish we ate freely in Egypt, along with the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic."

Historical and Cultural Context:
Leeks, known scientifically as Allium ampeloprasum, are a member of the onion family and have been cultivated since ancient times. In the context of the ancient Near East, leeks were a common and valued vegetable, appreciated for their flavor and nutritional benefits. They were part of the diet in Egypt, where the Israelites lived for several centuries before the Exodus. The mention of leeks, along with other vegetables, highlights the variety and abundance of food available in Egypt, contrasting with the Israelites' diet in the wilderness, which primarily consisted of manna.

Symbolism and Significance:
The longing for leeks and other foods in Numbers 11:5 symbolizes the Israelites' struggle with faith and contentment during their journey to the Promised Land. Their desire for the foods of Egypt reflects a deeper spiritual issue: a tendency to look back longingly at their past life, despite the hardships they endured there, rather than trusting in God's provision and promises for their future. This episode serves as a reminder of the human inclination to focus on immediate physical desires rather than spiritual growth and reliance on God.

Theological Implications:
From a theological perspective, the mention of leeks in the Bible can be seen as a lesson in gratitude and trust. The Israelites' complaint about the lack of variety in their diet reveals a lack of appreciation for the miraculous provision of manna, which God provided daily. This narrative encourages believers to trust in God's provision and to cultivate a spirit of thankfulness, even when circumstances seem challenging or when the past appears more appealing than the present.

Practical Application:
In practical terms, the account of the Israelites' longing for leeks and other foods serves as a caution against romanticizing the past or becoming discontent with God's current provision. It challenges believers to examine their own lives for areas where they may be tempted to grumble or express dissatisfaction, and to instead focus on the blessings and faithfulness of God in their present circumstances.Leeks

(Heb. chatsir). The leek was a bulbous vegetable resembling the onion. Its botanical name is Allium porrum. The Israelites in the wilderness longed for the leeks and onions of Egypt. (Numbers 11:5) The word chatsir , which in (Numbers 11:5) is translated leeks , occurs twenty times in the Hebrew text. The Hebrew term, which properly denotes grass , is derived from a root signifying "to be green," and may therefore stand in this passage for any green food --lettuce, endive, etc.; it would thus be applied somewhat in the same manner as we use the term "greens;" yet as the chatsir is mentioned together with onions and garlic in the text, and as the most ancient versions unanimously understand leeks by the Hebrew word, we may be satisfied with our own translation.

LEEKS

leks (chatsir; ta prasa): This word, elsewhere translated "grass," is in Numbers 11:5 rendered "leeks" in all the ancient VSS, on account of its association with garlic and onions; such a use of the word occurs in the Talmud The leek (Allium porrum) is much grown today in Palestine, while in ancient Egypt this vegetable was renowned.

2682. chatsir -- green grass, herbage
... Word Origin from an unused word Definition green grass, herbage NASB Word Usage
grass (19), leeks (1), plant (1). grass, hay, herb, leek. ...
/hebrew/2682.htm - 6k

The Panoply of God
... tastes are developed which makes the poison sweetness of evil unsavoury, and just
as the Israelites hungered for the strong, coarse-smelling leeks and garlic ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture ephesians peter/the panoply of god.htm

Heaven's Nurse Children
... The grace to eat the paschal lamb, to strike the blood upon the lintel, and to gird
up the loins, and leave the land of leeks, and garlic, and onions, is given ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 17 1871/heavens nurse children.htm

Morality and Doctrine
... is nothing in nature which has not been serviceable in taking His place; the stars,
the heavens, earth, the elements, plants, cabbages, leeks, animals, insects ...
//christianbookshelf.org/pascal/pensees/section vii morality and doctrine.htm

Proceeding to the History of Israel, Tertullian Shows that ...
... here have come into our mind the fish which in Egypt we were wont to eat freely,
and the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the ...
/.../chapter v proceeding to the history.htm

Christ Our Passover
... by the heat and frozen by the snows, yet we have never since that time gone back
to Egypt; although our hearts may sometimes have desired the leeks, the onions ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 2 1856/christ our passover.htm

The Manna
... five thousand. The palates, unaccustomed to the stinging savours of the
garlic and the leeks of Egypt, loathed the light bread. And ...
//christianbookshelf.org/maclaren/expositions of holy scripture i/the manna.htm

The System of the Egyptians, which is Appointed for the Daily ...
... expended among them in preparing food or in cooking, as they so largely make use
of dried and uncooked food, [780] and among them the leaves of leeks cut each ...
/.../cassian/the works of john cassian /chapter xxii the system of.htm

Unbelieving Belief
... 'Give us the leeks and garlics of Egypt,' said the Hebrews in the wilderness; 'our
soul loatheth this light bread.' So it is with many of us; we do not want God ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture d/unbelieving belief.htm

Description of the Symbol of the Hands among the Manich??ans.
... How then can relief be given to the divine part contained in lettuce and leeks,
unless some one pull them and bring them to the saints to be purified. ...
/.../chapter 17 name of the.htm

Prosperity under Persecution
... They seemed greatly to have appreciated what they afterwards called the luxuries
of the land"the leeks, the garlics, the onions, the melons, and the cucumbers ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 17 1871/prosperity under persecution.htm

Leeks (1 Occurrence)
... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia LEEKS. leks (chatsir; ta ... vegetable was
renowned. Multi-Version Concordance Leeks (1 Occurrence). ...
/l/leeks.htm - 7k

Leek
... Allium porrum), rendered "grass" in 1 Kings 18:5, 2 Kings 19:26, Job 40:15, etc.;
"herb" in Job 8:12; "hay" in Proverbs 27:25, and Isaiah 15:6; "leeks" only in ...
/l/leek.htm - 7k

Grass (92 Occurrences)
... fades under the scorching sun, it is used as an image of the brevity of human life
(Isaiah 40:6, 7; Psalm 90:5). In Numbers 11:5 this word is rendered "leeks.". ...
/g/grass.htm - 43k

Food (2953 Occurrences)
... melons. leeks. onions ... time. Onions (betsalim), garlic (shummim) and leeks
(chatsir) are still much used in Palestine as in Egypt. ...
/f/food.htm - 36k

Lees (3 Occurrences)

/l/lees.htm - 8k

Onions (1 Occurrence)
... Numbers 11:5 We remember the fish, which we ate in Egypt for nothing; the cucumbers,
and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlic; (WEB KJV ...
/o/onions.htm - 7k

Garlic (1 Occurrence)
... Numbers 11:5 We remember the fish, which we ate in Egypt for nothing; the cucumbers,
and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlic; (WEB KJV ...
/g/garlic.htm - 8k

Garlick (1 Occurrence)
... Numbers 11:5 We have remembered the fish which we do eat in Egypt for nought, the
cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlick ...
/g/garlick.htm - 6k

Wont (19 Occurrences)
... Numbers 11:5 We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt for nought; the cucumbers,
and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlic: (See JPS ...
/w/wont.htm - 12k

Tablets (31 Occurrences)
... She filled her basket with tablets and went home. How many she had already pulverized
and grown into leeks and cucumbers and melons will never be known. ...
/t/tablets.htm - 41k

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