In biblical times, the concept of a "stove" as understood in modern terms did not exist. However, the ancient peoples of the Bible had various methods and implements for cooking and heating, which served similar purposes. The Bible provides insights into the domestic life and culinary practices of the Israelites and surrounding cultures, offering a glimpse into how food was prepared and homes were warmed.

Biblical References and Context

While the term "stove" is not directly mentioned in the Bible, several passages refer to ovens, hearths, and fire-related activities that align with the function of a stove. For instance, in Leviticus 2:4, the preparation of grain offerings is described: "When you present an offering of grain baked in the oven, it must consist of fine flour, unleavened cakes mixed with oil, or unleavened wafers anointed with oil." This indicates the use of an oven-like structure for baking, which would have been a common household feature.

In 1 Kings 17:12, the widow of Zarephath mentions her limited resources for cooking: "As surely as the LORD your God lives, she replied, I do not have any bread—only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat it and die." This passage highlights the use of a simple fire, fueled by gathered sticks, for cooking purposes.

Cultural and Historical Insights

The ancient Israelites and their neighbors typically used clay ovens, known as "tannur" or "tabun," for baking bread and other foods. These ovens were often dome-shaped and constructed from clay or mud, with an opening at the top or side. They were heated by burning wood or dried dung inside, and once the desired temperature was reached, the embers were removed, and the food was placed inside to cook.

Hearths, or open fire pits, were also common in ancient homes. These were used not only for cooking but also for heating living spaces, especially during colder months. The hearth served as a central gathering place for families, providing warmth and light.

Symbolic and Spiritual Significance

Fire, as used in stoves and ovens, holds significant symbolic meaning in the Bible. It represents God's presence, purification, and judgment. In Exodus 3:2, Moses encounters the burning bush, where "the Angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire from within a bush." This divine fire signifies God's holy presence and His call to Moses.

Moreover, the process of refining metals with fire is used metaphorically to describe spiritual purification. In Malachi 3:2-3, the prophet speaks of the coming of the Lord: "But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He will be like a refiner’s fire, like a launderer’s soap. And He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; He will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver."

Practical Applications

Understanding the historical and cultural context of cooking and heating methods in biblical times enriches the study of Scripture. It provides a deeper appreciation for the daily lives of biblical figures and the resourcefulness required to sustain their families. The imagery of fire and its uses in the Bible also serves as a powerful reminder of God's refining work in the lives of believers, calling them to holiness and devotion.1. (p. p.) of Stave.

2. (v.) imp. of Stave.

3. (n.) A house or room artificially warmed or heated; a forcing house, or hothouse; a drying room; -- formerly, designating an artificially warmed dwelling or room, a parlor, or a bathroom, but now restricted, in this sense, to heated houses or rooms used for horticultural purposes or in the processes of the arts.

4. (n.) An apparatus, consisting essentially of a receptacle for fuel, made of iron, brick, stone, or tiles, and variously constructed, in which fire is made or kept for warming a room or a house, or for culinary or other purposes.

5. (v. t.) To keep warm, in a house or room, by artificial heat; as, to stove orange trees.

6. (v. t.) To heat or dry, as in a stove; as, to stove feathers.

8574. tannur -- (portable) stove, firepot
... 8573, 8574. tannur. 8575 . (portable) stove, firepot. Transliteration:
tannur Phonetic Spelling: (tan-noor') Short Definition: oven. ...
/hebrew/8574.htm - 6k

3600. kir -- cooking furnace
... 3599, 3600. kir. 3601 . cooking furnace. Transliteration: kir Phonetic
Spelling: (keer) Short Definition: stove. Word Origin from ...
/hebrew/3600.htm - 6k

Cast Your Eye Round the Room in which You Sit...
... The object of an electric light is merely to light (a despicable modesty);
and the object of an asbestos stove . . . I wonder what ...
/.../chesterton/whats wrong with the world/chapter 17 cast your eye.htm

xxxvi.
... We do not put a lamp upon the table to show it a special favor or because it is
more excellent than chair or stove; but simply because thus it serves its ...
//christianbookshelf.org/kuyper/the work of the holy spirit/xxxvi.htm

1872 the Need of a Home Further West --Burning of the Marchmont ...
... "Here we called over the names of the children; some were here, some in another
house, sitting over the stove with bare legs and only their little shirts on. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/lowe/gods answers/chapter iv 1872 the need.htm

The Little Match Girl
... It really seemed to the little girl as if she sat before a great polished stove,
with bright brass feet and a brass cover. How the fire burned! ...
/.../wells/bible stories and religious classics/the little match girl.htm

Letter vii. Tact --Unobtrusiveness.
... You may have seen one of these enter a room where perhaps a circle of people
were seated around a stove or open fire. Puss wants ...
/.../letter vii tactunobtrusiveness.htm

Letter i. To Eusebius.
... whole of the straw. Now, it so happened that part of the straw which he
had thus removed fell upon the stove. He himself, in the ...
/.../severus/life and writings of sulpitius severus /letter i to eusebius.htm

"He Has Trusted Me," Said the Cardinal, -- "I have Found Him...
... And there is a woman living near me who has a warm house, with a stove in it," and
blankets to cover her, and a bit of money put by, and I envy her her ...
//christianbookshelf.org/corelli/the master-christian/v he has trusted me.htm

Various Experiences in Gospel Work
... One cold night some one put red pepper on the stove. The stove was in the center
of the room, and the fumes from the pepper almost stifled the people. ...
/.../cole/trials and triumphs of faith/chapter xiv various experiences in.htm

The Right to Live with the People of My Choice
... Some were sprawled on the beds, one was seated on the floor, and another two were
presiding over the concoction simmering on a tiny, smoky kerosene stove. ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/williamson/have we no rights/chapter 9 the right to.htm

Thou Shalt Sanctify the Holy Day. [Remember the Sabbath Day to ...
... Not in this manner, that [with folded hands] we sit behind the stove and do no rough
[external] work, or deck ourselves with a wreath and put on our best ...
/.../luther/the large catechism/thou shalt sanctify the holy.htm

Stove (4 Occurrences)
... 5. (vt) To keep warm, in a house or room, by artificial heat; as, to stove orange
trees. 6. (vt) To heat or dry, as in a stove; as, to stove feathers. ...
/s/stove.htm - 8k

Jehu'di (3 Occurrences)
... to pass, when Jehudi readeth three or four leaves, he cutteth it out with the scribe's
knife, and hath cast unto the fire, that 'is' on the stove, till the ...
/j/jehu'di.htm - 7k

Firepot (4 Occurrences)
... to pass, when Jehudi readeth three or four leaves, he cutteth it out with the scribe's
knife, and hath cast unto the fire, that 'is' on the stove, till the ...
/f/firepot.htm - 7k

Range (9 Occurrences)
... 17. (n.) An extended cooking apparatus of cast iron, set in brickwork, and affording
conveniences for various ways of cooking; also, a kind of cooking stove. ...
/r/range.htm - 13k

Readeth (19 Occurrences)
... to pass, when Jehudi readeth three or four leaves, he cutteth it out with the scribe's
knife, and hath cast unto the fire, that 'is' on the stove, till the ...
/r/readeth.htm - 12k

Consumption (20 Occurrences)
... to pass, when Jehudi readeth three or four leaves, he cutteth it out with the scribe's
knife, and hath cast unto the fire, that 'is' on the stove, till the ...
/c/consumption.htm - 14k

Cutteth (37 Occurrences)
... to pass, when Jehudi readeth three or four leaves, he cutteth it out with the scribe's
knife, and hath cast unto the fire, that 'is' on the stove, till the ...
/c/cutteth.htm - 18k

Kiln (5 Occurrences)
... 1. (n.) A large stove or oven; a furnace of brick or stone, or a heated chamber,
for the purpose of hardening, burning, or drying anything; as, a kiln for ...
/k/kiln.htm - 8k

Oven (22 Occurrences)
... heating, or drying; hence, any structure, whether fixed or portable, which may be
heated for baking, drying, etc.; esp., now, a chamber in a stove, used for ...
/o/oven.htm - 15k

Warm (25 Occurrences)
... 9. (v.) To communicate a moderate degree of heat to; to render warm; to supply
or furnish heat to; as, a stove warms an apartment. 10. ...
/w/warm.htm - 15k

Did God create the universe? | GotQuestions.org

What does the Bible say about pain? | GotQuestions.org

Stove: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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