Cream, a rich, fatty component of milk, is mentioned in the Bible as a symbol of abundance and blessing. In the ancient Near Eastern context, cream was a valued food product, often associated with prosperity and the provision of God. It is derived from milk, which was a staple in the diet of the Israelites and other ancient peoples, and it played a significant role in their agrarian society.

Biblical References:

1. Genesis 18:8 : "Then Abraham brought curds and milk and the calf that had been prepared, and set them before the men. He served them while they ate under the tree." In this passage, Abraham offers cream (curds) along with milk and meat to the three visitors, who are later revealed to be divine messengers. This act of hospitality underscores the importance of cream as a luxurious and generous offering.

2. Deuteronomy 32:14 : "with curds from the herd and milk from the flock, with fat of lambs, rams of Bashan and goats, with the finest kernels of wheat, and the blood of grapes you drank as wine." Here, cream is listed among the blessings provided by God to the Israelites, highlighting the richness and variety of the land's produce. It signifies God's abundant provision and care for His people.

3. Proverbs 30:33 : "For as the churning of milk produces butter, and the twisting of the nose draws blood, so stirring up anger brings forth strife." This proverb uses the process of churning milk into butter, which involves the separation of cream, as a metaphor for the natural consequences of certain actions. It illustrates the transformation and outcome of persistent effort or agitation.

Cultural and Theological Significance:

In biblical times, cream was not only a dietary staple but also a symbol of wealth and divine favor. The presence of cream in a household indicated a level of prosperity, as it required a surplus of milk and the means to process it. The consumption of cream and other dairy products was a sign of God's blessing upon the land and its people.

Theologically, cream can be seen as a representation of God's nurturing and sustaining power. Just as cream rises to the top of milk, God's blessings are abundant and rise to meet the needs of His people. The imagery of cream in the Bible serves to remind believers of the richness of God's provision and the importance of gratitude for His gifts.

In summary, cream in the Bible is more than just a food item; it is a symbol of hospitality, abundance, and divine blessing. Its presence in the biblical narrative underscores the themes of provision, prosperity, and the nurturing care of God for His people.1. (n.) The rich, oily, and yellowish part of milk, which, when the milk stands unagitated, rises, and collects on the surface. It is the part of milk from which butter is obtained.

2. (n.) The part of any liquor that rises, and collects on the surface.

3. (n.) A delicacy of several kinds prepared for the table from cream, etc., or so as to resemble cream.

4. (n.) A cosmetic; a creamlike medicinal preparation.

5. (n.) The best or choicest part of a thing; the quintessence; as, the cream of a jest or story; the cream of a collection of books or pictures.

6. (v. t.) To skim, or take off by skimming, as cream.

7. (v. t.) To take off the best or choicest part of.

8. (v. t.) To furnish with, or as with, cream.

9. (v. i.) To form or become covered with cream; to become thick like cream; to assume the appearance of cream; hence, to grow stiff or formal; to mantle.

8194. shaphah -- perhaps cream
... 8193, 8194. shaphah. 8195 . perhaps cream. Transliteration: shaphah Phonetic
Spelling: (shaw-faw') Short Definition: cheese. Word ...
/hebrew/8194.htm - 6k

A Spirit Illumined Mind.
... She will spend hours chewing the cud, and then give us the rich milk and
cream and butter which she has extracted from her food. ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/gordon/quiet talks on prayer/a spirit illumined mind.htm

we have not only so high a pattern, but so excellent a motive
... It is a bond of perfection, as it were, a bundle of graces, and chain of virtues,
even the very cream and flower of many graces combined. ...
/.../binning/the works of the rev hugh binning/chapter ii i .htm

From John Yeardley's Conversion to the Commencement of his Public ...
... His parents, Joel and Frances Yeardley, farmed some land, chiefly pasture, and his
mother is said to have been famous for her cream-cheeses, which she carried ...
/.../chapter i from john yeardleys.htm

Love
... Matthew 10:37. We may give the creature the milk of our love, but God must have
the cream. The spouse keeps the juice of her pomegranates for Christ. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/watson/the ten commandments/1 2 love.htm

Conflicts with Giant Mistake
... Over there on the left of Love is a group of flowers of different species.
That large cream-colored flower is called Patience. That ...
/.../berry/adventures in the land of canaan/chapter eight conflicts with giant.htm

Hymn Before Meat
... Foaming milkpails bubble o'er With the udders' snowy stream, Which in thickening
churns we pour Or in wicker baskets store, As the cheese is pressed from cream ...
/.../prudentius/the hymns of prudentius/iii hymn before meat.htm

Preface
... details of some one incident. The prologue is a miniature Bible. The whole
Bible story is there in its cream. And on the other hand ...
//christianbookshelf.org/gordon/quiet talks on johns gospel/preface.htm

A Preliminary Discourse to Catechising
... It is his excellence. When the milk is settled it turns to cream; now he will be
zealous for the truth, and walk in close communion with God. And his honour. ...
/.../watson/a body of divinity/1 a preliminary discourse to.htm

The Battle of the Books, 1749-1755.
... minutes of German Synods; and here the Brethren showed what they meant by such phrases
as "Sinnership" and "Blood and Wounds Theology." But the cream of the ...
/.../hutton/history of the moravian church/chapter xiii the battle of.htm

Joy
... Holy Ghost. Joy is setting the soul upon the top of a pinnacle - it is
the cream of the sincere milk of the word. Spiritual joy ...
//christianbookshelf.org/watson/a body of divinity/8 joy.htm

Cream (5 Occurrences)
... 3. (n.) A delicacy of several kinds prepared for the table from cream, etc., or
so as to resemble cream. 4. (n.) A cosmetic; a creamlike medicinal preparation. ...
/c/cream.htm - 8k

Butter (10 Occurrences)
... (Hebrews hemah), curdled milk (Genesis 18:8; Judges 5:25; 2 Samuel 17:29), or butter
in the form of the skim of hot milk or cream, called by the Arabs kaimak ...
/b/butter.htm - 10k

Churn (1 Occurrence)
... 1. (n.) A vessel in which milk or cream is stirred, beaten, or otherwise agitated
(as by a plunging or revolving dasher) in order to separate the oily globules ...
/c/churn.htm - 7k

Create (15 Occurrences)

/c/create.htm - 11k

Whip (7 Occurrences)
... as, to whip wheat. 6. (vt) To beat (eggs, cream, or the like) into a froth,
as with a whisk, fork, or the like. 7. (vt) To conquer ...
/w/whip.htm - 11k

Ice (20 Occurrences)
... ice floats. 2. (n.) Concreted sugar. 3. (n.) Water, cream, custard, etc.,
sweetened, flavored, and artificially frozen. 4. (n.) Any ...
/i/ice.htm - 13k

Fool (95 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (n.) A compound of gooseberries scalded and
crushed, with cream; -- commonly called gooseberry fool. ...
/f/fool.htm - 47k

Fleet (7 Occurrences)
... the Fleet (now filled up). 13. (vi) To take the cream from; to skim.
Multi-Version Concordance Fleet (7 Occurrences). 1 Kings 9:26 ...
/f/fleet.htm - 9k

Raised (267 Occurrences)
... 3. (a.) Leavened; made with leaven, or yeast; -- used of bread, cake, etc., as
distinguished from that made with cream of tartar, soda, etc. See Raise, vt, 4. ...
/r/raised.htm - 35k

Rich (140 Occurrences)
... of food or drink which are high-seasoned or abound in oleaginous ingredients, or
are sweet, luscious, and high-flavored; as, a rich dish; rich cream or soup ...
/r/rich.htm - 37k

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