Bread: How Prepared: Cakes
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In biblical times, bread was a staple food, and its preparation varied across different cultures and contexts within the Scriptures. One particular form of bread mentioned in the Bible is cakes, which were often prepared for special occasions, offerings, or as a sign of hospitality.

Ingredients and Preparation

Cakes in the biblical context were typically made from fine flour, which was a more refined and costly ingredient compared to the coarser flour used for everyday bread. The flour was often mixed with oil, and sometimes honey, to create a richer and more flavorful dough. In some instances, leavening agents were used, while in others, the cakes were unleavened, depending on the occasion and religious requirements.

Biblical References

1. Offerings and Sacrifices: Cakes were frequently used in offerings to God. In Leviticus 2:4, the Berean Standard Bible states, "Now if you bring a grain offering of baked goods, it must be made of fine flour, either unleavened cakes mixed with oil or unleavened wafers anointed with oil." This indicates the use of cakes in sacrificial offerings, highlighting their significance in worship and religious ceremonies.

2. Hospitality and Provision: Cakes were also a symbol of hospitality and provision. In 1 Samuel 25:18, Abigail prepared a generous gift for David, which included "two hundred loaves of bread, two skins of wine, five dressed sheep, five seahs of roasted grain, a hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of pressed figs" . This demonstrates the use of cakes as a means of showing respect and generosity.

3. Celebration and Sustenance: Cakes were part of celebratory meals and sustenance during times of need. In 2 Samuel 6:19, after bringing the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem, David distributed food to the people, including "a loaf of bread, a date cake, and a raisin cake to each one in the whole multitude of Israel, both men and women" . This act of sharing cakes underscores their role in communal joy and fellowship.

Symbolism and Spiritual Significance

Cakes, as a form of bread, carry deep spiritual symbolism in the Bible. They represent God's provision and the abundance of His blessings. The preparation and offering of cakes in religious contexts signify devotion, gratitude, and the desire to honor God with the best of what one has. The use of fine flour and oil in cakes can also symbolize purity and the anointing of the Holy Spirit.

In summary, cakes in the biblical narrative are more than just a form of sustenance; they are imbued with cultural, religious, and spiritual meanings that reflect the values and beliefs of the people of that time. Through their preparation and use, cakes serve as a testament to the importance of bread in the daily and spiritual lives of the biblical communities.
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2 Samuel 6:19
And 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.
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1 Kings 17:12
And she said, As the LORD your God lives, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die.
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Library

Abigail's Sensible Advice
... my water and my meat that I have prepared for my ... Abigail quickly took two hundred
loaves of bread, two skins ... bunches of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figs ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/sherman/the childrens bible/abigails sensible advice.htm

The Holy Supper.
... been slain at the Temple, the feast prepared, and the ... last time that He would break
the bread of the ... Kingdom of God." Before Him were the cakes of unleavened ...
/.../lathbury/childs story of the bible/chapter xxxix the holy supper.htm

Book vii. On the Useful or the Ordinary
... measures of the best flour, and make little cakes. ... their hearts are like an oven
for baking bread. ... righteousness; in the gospel: and they prepared their lamps. ...
/.../eucherius/the formulae of st eucherius of lyons/book vii on the useful.htm

The Fifth Day in Passion-Week - Make Ready the Passover!'
... four Cups, the cakes of unleavened Bread, and probably ... if such was used); the unleavened
cakes, the bitter ... will; finally, the festive lamps would be prepared. ...
/.../edersheim/the life and times of jesus the messiah/chapter ix the fifth day.htm

The Argument for the Immaculate Conception.
... he shall sit in it, to eat bread before the ... parallel between Adam and Christ), and
thus prepared the way ... century, who sacrificed to Mary little cakes or loaves ...
/.../ 29 the argument for.htm

Letter xix. --(For 347. ) Coss. Rufinus, Eusebius; Pr??f. The Same ...
... to Baal; instead of the true unleavened bread, they collect ... prepare the dough, that
they may make cakes to the ... how shall he love, who is prepared beforehand to ...
/.../select works and letters or athanasius/letter xix for 347 coss rufinus.htm

Separation to God.
... move man through GOD at home, they will be the better prepared to do ... ram without
blemish for peace-offerings, and a basket of unleavened bread, cakes of fine ...
/.../taylor/separation and service/part i separation to god.htm

On Eating.
... driven them to sweetmeats, and honey-cakes, and sugar ... the righteous shall not live
by bread." [1316] But ... absorbed in pots, and exquisitely prepared niceties of ...
//christianbookshelf.org/clement/the instructor paedagogus/chap i on eating.htm

The Inexhaustible Barrel
... not diminished by what she gave, and the bread itself was ... little glazing of oil to
spread upon the meal cakes. ... She took that out and prepared it, and unbelief ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 6 1860/the inexhaustible barrel.htm

Life Amongst the Upper Ten Thousand
... honourable country," and we were helped to more tea and cakes, and begged ... I am the
bread of life ... No man present was prepared to strike a blow at the embodiment ...
/.../the fulfilment of a dream of pastor hsis/chapter xviii life amongst the.htm

Resources
What is the meaning of “Cast your bread upon the waters” in Ecclesiastes 11:1? | GotQuestions.org

What is the significance of unleavened bread? | GotQuestions.org

What does it mean to pray for our daily bread? | GotQuestions.org

Bread: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

Bible ConcordanceBible DictionaryBible EncyclopediaTopical BibleBible Thesuarus
Subtopics

Bread

Bread by Idolaters

Bread in Times of Scarcity, Sold by Weight

Bread of Christ

Bread was Baked in Ovens

Bread was Baked: On Coals of Fire

Bread was Baked: On Hearths

Bread was Formed Into: Cakes

Bread was Formed Into: Loaves

Bread was Formed Into: Wafers

Bread was Kneaded

Bread with Water, the Food of Prisons

Bread: (Eating Without Scarceness) of Plenty

Bread: (Fulness of) of Abundance

Bread: (Of Adversity) Heavy Affliction

Bread: (Of Deceit) Unlawful Gain

Bread: (Of Idleness) Sloth

Bread: (Of Tears) Sorrow

Bread: (Of Wickedness) Oppression

Bread: (Partaking of) Communion of Saints

Bread: (Seeking of Begging) Extreme Poverty

Bread: (Want of) Extreme Poverty

Bread: (When Broken) the Death of Christ

Bread: Barley

Bread: Broken for Use

Bread: Called the Staff of Life

Bread: Christ

Bread: Corn Ground for Making

Bread: Crumb of, Used to Wipe the Fingers, Thrown Under the Table

Bread: Figurative

Bread: First Fruit of, offered to God

Bread: Given by God

Bread: How Prepared in Pans

Bread: How Prepared: Baked in Ovens

Bread: How Prepared: Cakes

Bread: How Prepared: Cracknels

Bread: How Prepared: Honey

Bread: How Prepared: Kneaded

Bread: How Prepared: Made Into Loaves

Bread: How Prepared: Mixed With Oil

Bread: How Prepared: On Coals

Bread: How Prepared: On Coals of Dung

Bread: How Prepared: On Hearths

Bread: How Prepared: Wafers

Bread: Kept in Baskets

Bread: Kinds of Bread of Affliction

Bread: Kinds of Leavened (Made With Yeast)

Bread: Kinds of Unleavened (Made Without Yeast)

Bread: Made by Men

Bread: Made by Women

Bread: Made of Barley

Bread: Made of Beans, Millet

Bread: Made of Manna (In the Wilderness)

Bread: Made of Wheat

Bread: Made of Wheat Flour

Bread: Making of, a Trade

Bread: Manna

Bread: Meal

Bread: Multitudes Miraculously Fed by Christ With

Bread: Nutritious and Strengthening

Bread: Offered With Sacrifices

Bread: Often Given As a Present

Bread: Often Put for the Whole Substance of Man

Bread: Ordinary, Called Common Bread

Bread: Placed on Table of Shew Bread

Bread: Plenty of, Promised to the Obedient

Bread: Publicly Sold

Bread: Sacred, Called Hallowed Bread

Bread: Sacrificed

Bread: Scarceness of, Sent As a Punishment

Bread: Served Round After Funerals

Bread: Sometimes Unleavened

Bread: Symbolical of the Body of Christ

Bread: The Principal Food Used by the Ancients

Bread: Traffic In

Bread: Troughs Used for Kneading

Bread: Usually Leavened

Bread: when Old, Dry and Mouldy

Bread: Yielded by the Earth

Tibbath

Related Terms

Show-bread (15 Occurrences)

Bread-maker (8 Occurrences)

Bread-makers (2 Occurrences)

Bread-basin (2 Occurrences)

Bread-meal (1 Occurrence)

Bread-paste (1 Occurrence)

Bread-basins (1 Occurrence)

Bread-corn (1 Occurrence)

Bread-making (1 Occurrence)

Barley-bread (1 Occurrence)

Bread-yeast (1 Occurrence)

Shew-bread (1 Occurrence)

Bake (13 Occurrences)

Cake (25 Occurrences)

Yeast (48 Occurrences)

Baked (26 Occurrences)

Camest (27 Occurrences)

Showbread (18 Occurrences)

Cakes (65 Occurrences)

Shewbread (16 Occurrences)

Agape

Cooking (14 Occurrences)

Crust (3 Occurrences)

Arrangement (18 Occurrences)

Supply (40 Occurrences)

Supplied (22 Occurrences)

Basket (40 Occurrences)

Broke (153 Occurrences)

Containing (12 Occurrences)

Clusters (12 Occurrences)

Crumb

Abib (5 Occurrences)

Satiety (12 Occurrences)

Anxiety (24 Occurrences)

Cooked (35 Occurrences)

Buy (71 Occurrences)

Parched (37 Occurrences)

Satisfy (32 Occurrences)

Breaking (69 Occurrences)

Bit (46 Occurrences)

Blessing (357 Occurrences)

Broken (559 Occurrences)

Barley (35 Occurrences)

Succoth (18 Occurrences)

Zalmun'na (8 Occurrences)

Ate (138 Occurrences)

Bunches (7 Occurrences)

Basins (33 Occurrences)

Beans (2 Occurrences)

Baking (4 Occurrences)

Bakers (6 Occurrences)

Beggar (5 Occurrences)

Celebrated (24 Occurrences)

Crumbs (8 Occurrences)

Continuing (24 Occurrences)

Companions (58 Occurrences)

Customary (8 Occurrences)

Appalment (10 Occurrences)

Amounts (12 Occurrences)

Summer (28 Occurrences)

Shew-loaves (1 Occurrence)

Sustained (20 Occurrences)

Sop (3 Occurrences)

Scant (4 Occurrences)

Alway (26 Occurrences)

Asses (68 Occurrences)

Consecrated (101 Occurrences)

Supplies (23 Occurrences)

Zalmunna (9 Occurrences)

Spent (76 Occurrences)

Yourselves (530 Occurrences)

Ziba (13 Occurrences)

Satisfied (110 Occurrences)

Zebah (9 Occurrences)

Yea (867 Occurrences)

Aught (52 Occurrences)

Alone (232 Occurrences)

Supper (17 Occurrences)

Vowed (34 Occurrences)

Bread: How Prepared: Baked in Ovens
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