Topical Bible: Herbs: Beans

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Topical Encyclopedia

Beans, as a category of herbs, are mentioned in the Bible primarily in the context of food and sustenance. They are part of the broader category of legumes, which were a staple in the ancient Near Eastern diet. The cultivation and consumption of beans are indicative of the agricultural practices and dietary customs of biblical times.

Biblical References

One of the primary references to beans in the Bible is found in the book of Ezekiel. In Ezekiel 4:9 , God instructs the prophet Ezekiel to make bread using a variety of grains and legumes, including beans: "Take wheat, barley, beans, lentils, millet, and spelt; put them in a single vessel and make them into bread for yourself." This verse highlights the use of beans as a component of a mixed-grain bread, which was to serve as a symbol of the coming siege of Jerusalem. The inclusion of beans in this recipe underscores their role as a nutritious and sustaining food source.

Cultural and Historical Context

In ancient Israel, beans were a common food item, valued for their protein content and ability to be stored for long periods. They were often grown alongside other grains and legumes, contributing to a balanced diet. The agricultural practices of the time involved crop rotation and intercropping, which helped maintain soil fertility and provided a diverse diet.

Beans were typically prepared by boiling or roasting and could be eaten alone or mixed with other ingredients. They were an essential part of the diet for many, especially during times of scarcity or famine, as they were relatively easy to grow and harvest.

Symbolism and Spiritual Significance

While beans themselves do not carry a specific symbolic meaning in the Bible, their inclusion in Ezekiel's bread can be seen as part of a larger prophetic message. The bread made from various grains and legumes was a sign of the hardships that would befall Jerusalem, symbolizing the scarcity and rationing that would occur during the siege.

In a broader spiritual context, beans, like other foods mentioned in the Bible, can be seen as a representation of God's provision. The ability to cultivate and harvest beans reflects the divine order and the sustenance provided by God to His people. The dietary laws and practices surrounding food in the Bible often serve to remind the faithful of their dependence on God's bounty and the importance of gratitude for His gifts.

Conclusion

Beans, as mentioned in the Bible, provide insight into the dietary habits and agricultural practices of ancient Israel. They serve as a reminder of God's provision and the sustenance He provides to His people. Through their inclusion in biblical narratives, beans highlight the importance of food as both a physical necessity and a spiritual symbol.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

2 Samuel 17:28
Brought beds, and basins, and earthen vessels, and wheat, and barley, and flour, and parched corn, and beans, and lentils, and parched vegetables,
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Some Towns Upon the Very Limits of the Land. Out of the Jerusalem ...
... In the place cited, discourse is had about the tithing of some herbs and seeds,
namely, of rice, nuts, onions, Egyptian beans, &c.; and inquiry is made, what ...
/.../lightfoot/from the talmud and hebraica/chapter 95 some towns upon.htm

What Should be the Character of the Monk's Food.
... be obtained among them; nor have we seen that any one who has rejected this rule
and given up the use of bread and taken to a diet of beans or herbs or fruits ...
/.../cassian/the works of john cassian /chapter xxiii what should be.htm

Of the Nature of Tithes.
... clover grass when made into hay, wood, underwood and beans and pease. Predial small
tithes are flax, hemp, madder, hops, garden roots, and herbs, as potatoes ...
/.../prideaux/directions to church-wardens/1 of the nature of.htm

Of Removing Tithes.
... Beans."See Pease ... Gardens are titheable as lands, and therefore tithes, in kind are
due for all herbs, plants, and seeds, sown in them; but money is generally ...
/.../prideaux/directions to church-wardens/8 of removing tithes.htm

Ephesians iv. 17-19
... And their only meal is in the evening, a meal not even of herbs nor of bread,
but of flour and beans and pulse and olives and figs. ...
/.../homily xiii ephesians iv 17-19.htm

La Brea
... Tropics great flowers grow on tall trees, as they do here on herbs; size, which ... raw,
for the acrid oil blisters the lips; and even while the beans are roasting ...
//christianbookshelf.org/kingsley/at last/chapter viii la brea.htm

Ancient Chaldaea
... of deep narrow fissures, from which the shrubs and wild herbs shoot forth ... were ten
or twelve different species of pulse to choose from"beans, 'lentils, chick ...
/.../chapter iancient chaldaea.htm

Spiritual Appetite
... rye or barley cakes, and often had to be content with bread made of beans, peas,
tares ... if you have an appetite for Christ you will eat the bitter herbs as well ...
//christianbookshelf.org/spurgeon/sermons on proverbs/spiritual appetite.htm

The Nile and Egypt
... trees and sycamores, square patches of barley or of wheat, fields of beans or of ...
A half-veiled woman, bearing a bundle of herbs upon her head, is driving her ...
/.../chapter i the nile and egypt.htm

Concerning the Unity of God . On the Article, I Believe in one God ...
... For if he who crops herbs or any vegetable is changed into the same ... describes these
transformations: "Reapers must be transformed into hay, or beans, or barley ...
/.../cyril/lectures of s cyril of jerusalem/lecture vi concerning the unity.htm