Topical Bible: Bread: when Old, Dry and Mouldy

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In biblical times, bread was a staple food, essential for daily sustenance and often symbolizing life and provision. However, the condition of bread—whether fresh or stale—could carry significant implications in the biblical narrative. The state of bread as old, dry, and moldy is notably mentioned in the context of deception and covenant-making.

Joshua 9:4-5, 12-13 :
The Gibeonites, seeking to make a treaty with Israel, resorted to deception by presenting themselves as ambassadors from a distant land. To support their ruse, they took "worn-out sacks on their donkeys, and old wineskins, cracked and mended. They put worn and patched sandals on their feet and wore old clothes. All the bread of their provision was dry and moldy" (Joshua 9:4-5). Later, they explained to Joshua, "This bread of ours was warm when we packed it at home on the day we left to come to you. But now, behold, it is dry and moldy" (Joshua 9:12-13).

The Gibeonites' use of old, dry, and moldy bread was a strategic element in their plan to deceive the Israelites into believing they had traveled from a far-off land. This deception led to the Israelites making a covenant with them without seeking the counsel of the LORD, as noted in Joshua 9:14. The condition of the bread served as a tangible, albeit misleading, sign of the Gibeonites' supposed long journey.

Symbolism and Implications:

1. Deception and Appearance: The state of the bread highlights the theme of deception based on appearances. The Gibeonites' strategy relied on the Israelites' judgment based on what they saw and heard, rather than seeking divine guidance. This incident underscores the biblical warning against relying solely on human perception and the importance of seeking God's wisdom in decision-making.

2. Covenant and Consequences: The moldy bread became a symbol of the hasty and unwise covenant made by Israel. Despite the deception, the Israelites honored their oath to the Gibeonites, demonstrating the seriousness with which covenants were regarded, even when entered under false pretenses. This reflects the biblical principle of faithfulness to one's word and the complexities of upholding justice and mercy.

3. Provision and Trust: In contrast to the fresh manna provided by God during the Israelites' wilderness journey, the moldy bread of the Gibeonites serves as a reminder of human manipulation versus divine provision. It calls believers to trust in God's provision and timing, rather than resorting to deceitful means to secure one's needs.

The account of the Gibeonites and their moldy bread serves as a cautionary tale within the biblical narrative, illustrating the potential pitfalls of relying on appearances and the importance of seeking divine guidance in all matters.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Joshua 9:5,12
And old shoes and clouted on their feet, and old garments on them; and all the bread of their provision was dry and moldy.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

The Mission of the Son of Man
... Is the water-bottle dry, and doth the bread fail you? Have you consumed the last
of your dry dates, and drunk ... by Christ, while he was spiting his old mother by ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 4 1858/the mission of the son.htm

Fellowship with God
... have eaten angels' food, when you have forgotten the dry bread and mouldy crusts
that ... declaring that God was a faithful God, my good old grandfather, who ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 7 1861/fellowship with god.htm

Christian Graces.
... Though thou hast no bread to feed the belly, nor ... Therefore he removed his old, stale,
mouldy church of the ... There are abundance of dry-eyed Christians in the ...
//christianbookshelf.org/bunyan/the riches of bunyan/xviii christian graces.htm

The Heart: a Gift for God
... The debtor's little children were crying for bread. ... there was a musty, fussy thing
within it, as dry and dead as the kernel of a walnut seven years old. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/spurgeon/sermons on proverbs/the heart a gift for.htm

Salvation by Knowing the Truth
... A mere notional knowledge or a dry doctrinal knowledge is ... has begun, which will fight
against the old life of ... Where does all the bread come from, and all the ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 26 1880/salvation by knowing the truth.htm

A Discourse Upon the Pharisee and the Publican
... in his approach to God, but as stubble fully dry in the ... hand of a brother his estate;
yea, his bread and livelihood. ... in them: For if a Pharisee of old could do ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/a discourse upon the pharisee.htm

The Pharisee and the Publican
... a great many such prayers made, especially in pulpits and public meetings, without
the breathing of the Holy Ghost in them; for if a Pharisee of old could do so ...
/.../bunyan/the pharisee and publican/the pharisee and the publican.htm