עֲרִיסָה
meal
Definition
The Hebrew word עֲרִיסָה refers to a coarse, thick dough or meal, specifically the first portion of dough prepared for baking. It denotes the initial, unrefined mixture of flour and water before it is fully kneaded or baked into bread. In its four biblical occurrences, it consistently refers to this dough offering set apart as a contribution to God, particularly in Numbers 15:20-21 and Ezekiel 44:30, where it is a holy gift from the people's produce.
Biblical Usage
This word is used exclusively in cultic or religious law contexts related to offerings. It appears in the Torah (Numbers 15:20, 21) as part of the law for the dough offering (terumah) from the first of the people's coarse meal. It is also referenced in the post-exilic renewal of covenant obligations (Nehemiah 10:37) and in Ezekiel's vision of restored temple worship (Ezekiel 44:30), always as a dedicated portion given to the priests.
Etymology
Derived from an unused root meaning 'to break in pieces' or 'to comminute' (to reduce to small particles). This connects to the idea of coarse, ground grain. It is related to the concept of the 'first' or 'choicest' part of the processed grain being set apart.
Semantic Range
This word is theologically significant as it represents the 'firstfruits' principle applied to daily sustenance. The offering of the עֲרִיסָה (dough) sanctified the entire batch of bread, acknowledging God as the provider of the harvest and the daily meal. It was a tangible act of worship and dependence, reminding Israel that their daily bread was a gift from God (as seen in Numbers 15:19-21). Understanding this enriches reading by connecting ritual law to the theology of gratitude and God's provision.
In ancient Israelite culture, bread was a staple food. The act of separating the first portion of dough was a practical religious ritual integrated into the daily or weekly work of food preparation. This 'dough offering' differed from tithes on harvested grain; it was an offering from the processed, ready-to-bake food in the home, making holiness a part of domestic life.
קָמַח (qemach, H7058) — fine flour, the ground grain product before mixing. סֹלֶת (solet, H5560) — fine flour, often of higher quality for offerings. תְּרוּמָה (terumah, H8641) — the general term for a contribution or offering lifted up, which includes the dough offering.
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
Full methodology & sources →