Raisins
“Dried grapes, raisins”
Summary
Raisins were dried grapes, an important preserved food in biblical lands, used for sustenance during travel and offered as gifts.
☩Common Food
Raisins (Hebrew tsimmuq, 'dried') were a staple food in ancient Israel, providing concentrated nutrition that could be stored and transported. Clusters of raisins were pressed into cakes for convenience. They appear alongside bread, wine, and figs as basic provisions, and were carried by travelers and soldiers.
☩Notable References
Abigail brought David two hundred cakes of raisins along with other provisions when seeking to pacify him regarding Nabal. An Egyptian servant revived after eating raisin cakes and figs when rescued by David's men. Ziba brought raisin cakes to David during Absalom's rebellion. The Song of Solomon mentions being sustained with raisin cakes as an expression of love.
References
- 1.John McClintock and James Strong, "Raisins," in Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, vol. VIII (Harper & Brothers, 1867–1887).
- 2.James Orr (ed.), "Raisins," in International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, vol. IV (Howard-Severance Company, 1915).
- 3.Andrew Robert Fausset, "Raisins," in The Englishman's Critical and Expository Bible Cyclopædia (Hodder & Stoughton, 1878).