Topical Bible: Victuals

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Topical Encyclopedia

Definition and Usage:
The term "victuals" refers to food or provisions, especially as prepared for consumption. In the context of the Bible, victuals are often mentioned in relation to sustenance provided by God or prepared by individuals for themselves and others. The word is derived from the Latin "victualia," meaning provisions, and is used in various translations of the Bible to denote the necessities of life, particularly food.

Biblical References:

1. Provision in the Wilderness:
In the Old Testament, the Israelites' journey through the wilderness is marked by God's miraculous provision of victuals. In Exodus 16, God provides manna from heaven to sustain the Israelites. This daily provision underscores God's care and faithfulness. The Berean Standard Bible states, "Then the LORD said to Moses, 'Behold, I will rain down bread from heaven for you. Each day the people are to go out and gather enough for that day'" (Exodus 16:4).

2. Elijah and the Widow of Zarephath:
In 1 Kings 17, during a time of drought and famine, God commands Elijah to go to Zarephath, where a widow will provide him with food. Despite her meager resources, the widow's obedience results in a miraculous supply of flour and oil. The BSB records, "For this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: 'The jar of flour will not be exhausted and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the LORD sends rain on the face of the earth'" (1 Kings 17:14).

3. David and His Men:
In 1 Samuel 25, Abigail provides victuals to David and his men, averting potential conflict. Her generous provision of food demonstrates wisdom and hospitality. The BSB recounts, "Then Abigail hurried and took 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, and loaded them on donkeys" (1 Samuel 25:18).

4. New Testament Context:
In the New Testament, victuals are mentioned in the context of hospitality and community. In Acts 2:46, the early Christians are described as breaking bread together with gladness and sincerity of heart. The sharing of meals symbolizes fellowship and unity among believers.

Theological Significance:

Victuals in the Bible often symbolize God's provision and care for His people. They serve as a reminder of the dependence of humanity on divine sustenance. The provision of food is not merely a physical necessity but also a spiritual metaphor for God's sustaining grace. Jesus, in the New Testament, refers to Himself as the "bread of life," emphasizing that true sustenance comes from Him (John 6:35).

Practical Implications:

The biblical concept of victuals encourages believers to trust in God's provision and to practice hospitality and generosity. It calls for a recognition of God's blessings and a willingness to share with others, reflecting the communal and caring nature of the Christian faith.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary

(n. pl.) Food for human beings, esp. when it is cooked or prepared for the table; that which supports human life; provisions; sustenance; meat; viands.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

VICTUALS

vit'-'-lz.

See FOOD.

Greek

1979. episitismos -- provisions
... food, provisions. From a compound of epi and a derivative of sitos; a provisioning,
ie (concretely) food -- victuals. see GREEK epi. see GREEK sitos. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1979.htm - 6k

1033. broma -- food
... From the base of bibrosko; food (literally or figuratively), especially (ceremonially)
articles allowed or forbidden by the Jewish law -- meat, victuals. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1033.htm - 6k

Strong's Hebrew

3899. lechem -- bread, food
... 1). showbread, eat, food, fruit, loaf, meat, victuals. From lacham; food
(for man or beast), especially bread, or grain (for making ...
/hebrew/3899.htm - 6k

6718. tsayid -- hunting, game
... yid) Short Definition: catch. catch, food, hunter, that which he took in
hunting, venison, victuals From a form of tsuwd and meaning ...
/hebrew/6718.htm - 5k

737. aruchah -- a meal, allowance
... allowance, diet, dinner, victuals. Feminine passive participle of 'arach (in the
sense of appointing); a ration of food -- allowance, diet, dinner, victuals. ...
/hebrew/737.htm - 6k

4241. michyah -- preservation of life, sustenance
... 1). preserve life, quick, recover selves, reviving, sustenance, victuals.
From chayah; preservation of life; hence, sustenance; also ...
/hebrew/4241.htm - 6k

7668. sheber -- corn, grain
... corn, victuals. The same as sheber; grain (as if broken into kernels) -- corn, victuals.
see HEBREW sheber. 7667, 7668. sheber. 7669 . Strong's Numbers.
/hebrew/7668.htm - 6k

6720. tsedah -- provision, food
... meat, provision, venison, victuals. Or tsedah {tsay-daw'}; feminine of tsayid; food --
meat, provision, venison, victuals. see HEBREW tsayid. 6719b, 6720. ...
/hebrew/6720.htm - 6k

400. okel -- food
... eating, food, mealtime, meat, prey, victuals. From 'akal; food -- eating, food,
meal(-time), meat, prey, victuals. see HEBREW 'akal. 399, 400. okel. 401 . ...
/hebrew/400.htm - 6k

3557. kul -- to comprehend, contain
... bear, comprehend, contain, feed, forbearing, guide, hold(-ing in), nourish(-er),
be present, make provision, receive, sustain, provide sustenance (victuals). ...
/hebrew/3557.htm - 6k

Library

Samaria. Sychem.
... the Samaritans was clean, and their fountains clean, and their dwellings clean,
and their paths clean." But much dispute is made about their victuals, in the ...
/.../lightfoot/from the talmud and hebraica/chapter 56 samaria sychem.htm

Sabbath Observance
... and figs, and all manner of burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem on the sabbath
day: and I testified against them in the day wherein they sold victuals.16 ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture g/sabbath observance.htm

The Feeding of the Four Thousand - to Dalmanutha - the Sign from ...
... at the second, as the Son of Man,' He gave food to those Gentile multitudes which
having been with Him those days, and consumed all their victuals during their ...
/.../the life and times of jesus the messiah/chapter xxxvi the feeding of.htm

Conclusion
... came to Him, saying, This is a desert place, and the time is now past; send the
multitude away, that they may go into the villages, and buy themselves victuals ...
//christianbookshelf.org/pink/why four gospels/conclusion.htm

The Miraculous Feeding of the Five Thousand
... [3223] It would take quite what Philip had reckoned - about two hundred denarii -
if the Master meant them to go and buy victuals for all that multitude. ...
/.../the life and times of jesus the messiah/chapter xxix the miraculous feeding.htm

Here Beginneth the History of Joseph and his Brethren
... hunger. Jacob, father unto Joseph, heard tell that corn and victuals were
sold in Egypt, and said to his sons: Why be ye negligent? ...
/.../wells/bible stories and religious classics/here beginneth the history of 2.htm

Brief Outline of Ancient Jewish Theological Literature
... lead many to "righteousness.". Alms were collected at regular times every
week, either in money or in victuals. At least two were ...
/.../edersheim/sketches of jewish social life/chapter 18 brief outline of.htm

Preface.
... The Master once said "Gather up the fragments that nothing be lost." It may be that
victuals will be found here that may feed those who cannot sit down to a ...
//christianbookshelf.org/champness/broken bread/preface.htm

On Drinking.
... in too great profusion; in order that the food may not be drowned, but ground down
in order to digestion; and this takes place when the victuals are collected ...
/.../clement/the instructor paedagogus/chapter ii on drinking.htm

That the Word Instructed by the Law and the Prophets.
... "Having feasted to the full," accordingly, it is said, "they rose up to play;"
[1291] senseless repletion with victuals being called chortasma (fodder), not ...
/.../clement/the instructor paedagogus/chapter xi that the word instructed.htm

Thesaurus

Victuals (32 Occurrences)
... viands. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. VICTUALS. vit'-'-lz. See FOOD.
Multi-Version Concordance Victuals (32 Occurrences). Matthew ...
/v/victuals.htm - 17k

Usury (17 Occurrences)
... (KJV DBY YLT). Leviticus 25:37 Thou shalt not give him thy money upon usury,
nor lend him thy victuals for increase. (KJV DBY YLT). ...
/u/usury.htm - 15k

Walking (189 Occurrences)
... Romans 14:15 and if through victuals thy brother is grieved, no more dost thou walk
according to love; do not with thy victuals destroy that one for whom ...
/w/walking.htm - 37k

Corn (107 Occurrences)
... In Genesis 42:1, 2, 19, Joshua 9:14, Nehemiah 10:31 ("victuals"), the word (sheber;
ie, "broken, " ie, grist) denotes generally victuals, provisions, and corn ...
/c/corn.htm - 41k

City
... 1. Tower or Stronghold: The Tower or Stronghold was an inner fort which held a garrison
and commander, and was provisioned with "victuals, and oil and wine" (2 ...
/c/city.htm - 43k

Vie (2 Occurrences)

/v/vie.htm - 7k

Victual (6 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (n.) Food; -- now used chiefly in the plural.
See Victuals. 2. (n.) Grain of any kind. 3. (vt) To supply ...
/v/victual.htm - 8k

Victualled (1 Occurrence)

/v/victualled.htm - 6k

League (20 Occurrences)
... Joshua 9:11 Wherefore our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spake to
us, saying, Take victuals with you for the journey, and go to meet them, and ...
/l/league.htm - 14k

Lading (7 Occurrences)
... and figs, and all manner of burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem on the sabbath
day: and I testified against them in the day wherein they sold victuals. ...
/l/lading.htm - 10k

Resources

Victuals: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus

Concordance

Victuals (32 Occurrences)

Matthew 14:15
And when it was evening, his disciples came to him, saying, This is a desert place, and the time is now past; send the multitude away, that they may go into the villages, and buy themselves victuals.
(KJV WBS)

Luke 3:11
and he answering saith to them, 'He having two coats -- let him impart to him having none, and he having victuals -- in like manner let him do.'
(YLT)

Luke 9:12
And when the day began to wear away, then came the twelve, and said unto him, Send the multitude away, that they may go into the towns and country round about, and lodge, and get victuals: for we are here in a desert place.
(KJV DBY WBS)

Luke 9:13
And he said unto them, 'Give ye them to eat;' and they said, 'We have no more than five loaves, and two fishes: except, having gone, we may buy for all this people victuals;'
(YLT)

John 4:8
for his disciples were gone away to the city, that they may buy victuals;
(YLT)

John 21:5
Then Jesus saith to them, Children, have ye any victuals? They answered him, No.
(WBS)

Romans 14:15
and if through victuals thy brother is grieved, no more dost thou walk according to love; do not with thy victuals destroy that one for whom Christ died.
(YLT)

Romans 14:20
for the sake of victuals cast not down the work of God; all things, indeed, 'are' pure, but evil 'is' to the man who is eating through stumbling.
(YLT)

1 Corinthians 8:8
But victuals do not commend us to God, for neither if we may eat are we in advance; nor if we may not eat, are we behind;
(YLT)

1 Corinthians 8:13
wherefore, if victuals cause my brother to stumble, I may eat no flesh -- to the age -- that my brother I may not cause to stumble.
(YLT)

Hebrews 9:10
only in victuals, and drinks, and different baptisms, and fleshly ordinances -- till the time of reformation imposed upon 'them'.
(YLT)

Genesis 14:11
And they took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their victuals, and went their way.
(KJV JPS ASV DBY)

Genesis 40:17
And in the uppermost basket there were all manner of victuals for Pharaoh that the baker makes, and the birds ate them out of the basket upon my head.
(DBY)

Exodus 12:39
And they baked unleavened cakes of the dough which they brought forth out of Egypt; for it was not leavened, because they were thrust out of Egypt, and could not tarry, neither had they prepared for themselves any victuals.
(ASV WBS)

Leviticus 25:37
Thou shalt not give him thy money upon usury, nor lend him thy victuals for increase.
(KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS)

Deuteronomy 23:19
Thou shalt not lend upon usury to thy brother; usury of money, usury of victuals, usury of any thing that is lent upon usury:
(KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS RSV)

Joshua 1:11
Pass through the host, and command the people, saying, Prepare you victuals; for within three days ye shall pass over this Jordan, to go in to possess the land, which the LORD your God giveth you to possess it.
(KJV JPS ASV DBY)

Joshua 9:11
Wherefore our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spake to us, saying, Take victuals with you for the journey, and go to meet them, and say unto them, We are your servants: therefore now make ye a league with us.
(KJV DBY)

Joshua 9:14
And the men took of their victuals, and asked not counsel at the mouth of the LORD.
(KJV DBY)

Judges 7:8
So the people took victuals in their hand, and their trumpets: and he sent all the rest of Israel every man unto his tent, and retained those three hundred men: and the host of Midian was beneath him in the valley.
(KJV JPS ASV WBS)

Judges 17:10
And Micah said unto him, Dwell with me, and be unto me a father and a priest, and I will give thee ten shekels of silver by the year, and a suit of apparel, and thy victuals. So the Levite went in.
(KJV JPS ASV WBS)

Judges 20:10
and we will take ten men of a hundred throughout all the tribes of Israel, and a hundred of a thousand, and a thousand out of ten thousand, to fetch victuals for the people, that they may do, when they come to Gibeah of Benjamin, according to all the folly that they have wrought in Israel.
(See JPS ASV)

1 Samuel 22:10
And he inquired of the LORD for him, and gave him victuals, and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.
(KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS)

1 Kings 4:7
And Solomon had twelve officers over all Israel, which provided victuals for the king and his household: each man his month in a year made provision.
(KJV JPS ASV WBS)

1 Kings 4:27
And those officers provided victuals for king Solomon, and for all that came unto king Solomon's table, every man in his month; they let nothing be lacking.
(ASV WBS)

1 Kings 11:18
And they arose out of Midian, and came to Paran: and they took men with them out of Paran, and they came to Egypt, unto Pharaoh king of Egypt; which gave him an house, and appointed him victuals, and gave him land.
(KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS)

1 Chronicles 12:40
Moreover they that were nigh unto them, 'even' as far as Issachar and Zebulun and Naphtali, brought bread on asses, and on camels, and on mules, and on oxen, victuals of meal, cakes of figs, and clusters of raisins, and wine, and oil, and oxen, and sheep in abundance: for there was joy in Israel.
(ASV)

2 Chronicles 11:11
And he fortified the strongholds, and put captains in them, and stores of victuals, and oil and wine.
(ASV DBY)

2 Chronicles 11:23
And he dealt wisely, and dispersed of all his sons throughout all the lands of Judah and Benjamin, unto every fortified city: and he gave them victuals in abundance. And he sought 'for them' many wives.
(ASV)

Nehemiah 13:15
In those days saw I in Judah some treading wine presses on the sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and lading asses; as also wine, grapes, and figs, and all manner of burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem on the sabbath day: and I testified against them in the day wherein they sold victuals.
(KJV JPS ASV DBY)

Jeremiah 40:5
Now while he was not yet gone back, he said, Go back also to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan, whom the king of Babylon hath made governor over the cities of Judah, and dwell with him among the people: or go wheresoever it seemeth convenient unto thee to go. So the captain of the guard gave him victuals and a reward, and let him go.
(KJV ASV)

Jeremiah 44:17
But we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth forth out of our own mouth, to burn incense unto the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto her, as we have done, we, and our fathers, our kings, and our princes, in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem: for then had we plenty of victuals, and were well, and saw no evil.
(KJV ASV)

Subtopics

Victuals

Related Terms

Usury (17 Occurrences)

Walking (189 Occurrences)

Corn (107 Occurrences)

City

Vie (2 Occurrences)

Victual (6 Occurrences)

Victualled (1 Occurrence)

League (20 Occurrences)

Lading (7 Occurrences)