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Baking and Cooking The grain was freshly ground each day in a hand mill consisting of two round flat stones (Deut.24:6), or pounded into meal with mortar and pestle. Baking was one of the women’s household tasks and when Samuel forecast the consequences of Israel having a king to reign over them he included the warning that "he will take your daughters to be...bakers." (1 Sam.8:13) Most bread was leavened but unleavened bread was prepared and cooked not only for ceremonial purposes as a symbol of purity, but also when there was not sufficient time to be able to wait for the dough to rise. (See Exodus 12:34) "Ye shall burn no leaven...as an offering made by fire unto the LORD." (Lev.2:11 RV) but leavened bread as an offering was specified when it was eaten by the priests. (Lev 23:17,20) When menfolk were on a military campaign or long travels they would prepare unleavened bread. Gideon, for example, "made ready...unleavened cakes" for the angel. (Judges 6:19 RV) These would be baked in a depression in the soil from which the hot ashes of the fire had been raked. Ovens used at home were earthenware and almost conical in shape. They were placed over a fire which "the baker...ceaseth to stir...from the kneading of the dough until it be leavened." (Hosea 7:4 RV) Thus when the inside had become hot and the fire was no longer smoking the flat batches of dough were slapped on to the inner sides to cook. Lighting a fire was a slow job so there was a practice of taking fire embers from one hearth to another. (Isa.30:14). They Lived in Israel
Bible Students Hymnal, 192 |
