{"id":45127,"date":"2020-11-26T20:20:33","date_gmt":"2020-11-26T17:20:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wingulamashahidi.org\/?p=45127"},"modified":"2025-05-09T13:58:14","modified_gmt":"2025-05-09T10:58:14","slug":"what-is-roasted-grain-bisi-in-the-bibleleviticus-2314-ruth-214","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wingulamashahidi.org\/en\/2020\/11\/26\/what-is-roasted-grain-bisi-in-the-bibleleviticus-2314-ruth-214\/","title":{"rendered":"What Is \u201cRoasted Grain\u201d (Bisi) in the Bible?(Leviticus 23:14, Ruth 2:14)"},"content":{"rendered":"
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When <\/span>we <\/span>hear <\/span>the <\/span>word <\/span>bisi<\/span><\/em> in <\/span>our <\/span>local <\/span>context <\/span>today, <\/span>many <\/span>of <\/span>us <\/span>think <\/span>of <\/span>popcorn\u2014<\/span>puffed <\/span>corn <\/span>kernels <\/span>that <\/span>are <\/span>roasted <\/span>until <\/span>they <\/span>pop <\/span>and <\/span>turn <\/span>white. <\/span>However, <\/span>the <\/span>biblical <\/span>term <\/span>translated <\/span>as <\/span>bisi<\/span><\/em> (<\/span>in <\/span>Swahili <\/span>Bibles) <\/span>actually <\/span>refers <\/span>to <\/span>something <\/span>quite <\/span>different.<\/span><\/p>\n

In <\/span>the <\/span>Middle <\/span>East, <\/span>especially <\/span>among <\/span>the <\/span>Jewish <\/span>people <\/span>of <\/span>the <\/span>Old <\/span>Testament, \u201c<\/span>bisi\u201d <\/span>referred <\/span>not <\/span>to <\/span>corn (<\/span>maize), <\/span>which <\/span>was <\/span>unknown <\/span>in <\/span>that <\/span>region <\/span>at <\/span>the <\/span>time, <\/span>but <\/span>to <\/span>roasted <\/span>grain<\/span><\/strong>, <\/span>typically <\/span>wheat <\/span>or <\/span>barley<\/span><\/strong>. <\/span>These <\/span>grains <\/span>would <\/span>be <\/span>lightly <\/span>roasted <\/span>and <\/span>eaten, <\/span>much <\/span>like <\/span>a <\/span>simple <\/span>snack <\/span>or <\/span>meal, <\/span>especially <\/span>during <\/span>harvest <\/span>seasons. <\/span>Unlike <\/span>popcorn, <\/span>the <\/span>appearance <\/span>of <\/span>roasted <\/span>grain <\/span>does <\/span>not <\/span>change <\/span>dramatically\u2014<\/span>it <\/span>simply <\/span>becomes <\/span>toasted.<\/span><\/p>\n

You <\/span>can <\/span>watch <\/span>how <\/span>roasted <\/span>grain <\/span>is <\/span>prepared <\/span>in <\/span>traditional <\/span>Jewish <\/span>customs <\/span>here:<\/span>
Watch <\/span>Video <\/span>on <\/span>Roasted <\/span>Grain <\/span>Preparation<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

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Roasted <\/span>Grain <\/span>in <\/span>the <\/span>Bible<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n

Wherever <\/span>you <\/span>encounter <\/span>the <\/span>word <\/span>bisi<\/span><\/em> in <\/span>Swahili <\/span>Bibles, <\/span>it <\/span>is <\/span>referring <\/span>to <\/span>this <\/span>type <\/span>of <\/span>roasted <\/span>wheat <\/span>or <\/span>barley<\/span><\/strong>, <\/span>not <\/span>to <\/span>popped <\/span>corn. <\/span>Below <\/span>are <\/span>key <\/span>biblical <\/span>references <\/span>that <\/span>highlight <\/span>the <\/span>importance <\/span>of <\/span>roasted <\/span>grain <\/span>in <\/span>Israelite <\/span>culture <\/span>and <\/span>worship:<\/span><\/p>\n

1. <\/span>Leviticus <\/span>23:<\/span>14 (<\/span>NIV)<\/span><\/strong><\/h4>\n
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\u201c<\/span>You <\/span>must <\/span>not <\/span>eat <\/span>any <\/span>bread, <\/span>or <\/span>roasted <\/span>or <\/span>new <\/span>grain, <\/span>until <\/span>the <\/span>very <\/span>day <\/span>you <\/span>bring <\/span>this <\/span>offering <\/span>to <\/span>your <\/span>God. <\/span>This <\/span>is <\/span>to <\/span>be <\/span>a <\/span>lasting <\/span>ordinance <\/span>for <\/span>the <\/span>generations <\/span>to <\/span>come, <\/span>wherever <\/span>you <\/span>live.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

God <\/span>gave <\/span>the <\/span>Israelites <\/span>a <\/span>command: <\/span>when <\/span>they <\/span>enter <\/span>the <\/span>Promised <\/span>Land <\/span>and <\/span>begin <\/span>harvesting, <\/span>they <\/span>were <\/span>not <\/span>to <\/span>eat <\/span>any <\/span>part <\/span>of <\/span>the <\/span>harvest<\/span><\/strong>, <\/span>including <\/span>roasted <\/span>grain, <\/span>until <\/span>they <\/span>had <\/span>first <\/span>offered <\/span>a <\/span>portion <\/span>to <\/span>the <\/span>Lord\u2014<\/span>the <\/span>firstfruits<\/span><\/strong>. <\/span>This <\/span>teaches <\/span>the <\/span>principle <\/span>of <\/span>honoring <\/span>God <\/span>first<\/span><\/strong> before <\/span>enjoying <\/span>the <\/span>blessings <\/span>He <\/span>provides.<\/span><\/p>\n

2. <\/span>Ruth <\/span>2:<\/span>14 (<\/span>NIV)<\/span><\/strong><\/h4>\n
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\u201c<\/span>At <\/span>mealtime <\/span>Boaz <\/span>said <\/span>to <\/span>her, \u2018<\/span>Come <\/span>over <\/span>here. <\/span>Have <\/span>some <\/span>bread <\/span>and <\/span>dip <\/span>it <\/span>in <\/span>the <\/span>wine <\/span>vinegar.\u2019 <\/span>When <\/span>she <\/span>sat <\/span>down <\/span>with <\/span>the <\/span>harvesters, <\/span>he <\/span>offered <\/span>her <\/span>some <\/span>roasted <\/span>grain. <\/span>She <\/span>ate <\/span>all <\/span>she <\/span>wanted <\/span>and <\/span>had <\/span>some <\/span>left <\/span>over.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

In <\/span>this <\/span>verse, <\/span>we <\/span>see <\/span>roasted <\/span>grain <\/span>being <\/span>shared <\/span>as <\/span>part <\/span>of <\/span>a <\/span>simple, <\/span>generous <\/span>meal <\/span>during <\/span>harvest <\/span>time. <\/span>It <\/span>shows <\/span>the <\/span>hospitality <\/span>of <\/span>Boaz <\/span>and <\/span>his <\/span>kindness <\/span>toward <\/span>Ruth. <\/span>This <\/span>was <\/span>a <\/span>common <\/span>food\u2014<\/span>nourishing, <\/span>easy <\/span>to <\/span>prepare, <\/span>and <\/span>widely <\/span>accessible.<\/span><\/p>\n

3. <\/span>1 <\/span>Samuel <\/span>17:<\/span>17 (<\/span>NIV)<\/span><\/strong><\/h4>\n
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\u201c<\/span>Now <\/span>Jesse <\/span>said <\/span>to <\/span>his <\/span>son <\/span>David, \u2018<\/span>Take <\/span>this <\/span>ephah <\/span>of <\/span>roasted <\/span>grain <\/span>and <\/span>these <\/span>ten <\/span>loaves <\/span>of <\/span>bread <\/span>for <\/span>your <\/span>brothers <\/span>and <\/span>hurry <\/span>to <\/span>their <\/span>camp.\u2019\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

4. <\/span>1 <\/span>Samuel <\/span>25:<\/span>18 (<\/span>NIV)<\/span><\/strong><\/h4>\n
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\u201c<\/span>Abigail <\/span>acted <\/span>quickly. <\/span>She <\/span>took <\/span>two <\/span>hundred <\/span>loaves <\/span>of <\/span>bread, <\/span>two <\/span>skins <\/span>of <\/span>wine, <\/span>five <\/span>dressed <\/span>sheep, <\/span>five <\/span>seahs <\/span>of <\/span>roasted <\/span>grain, <\/span>a <\/span>hundred <\/span>cakes <\/span>of <\/span>raisins <\/span>and <\/span>two <\/span>hundred <\/span>cakes <\/span>of <\/span>pressed <\/span>figs, <\/span>and <\/span>loaded <\/span>them <\/span>on <\/span>donkeys.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

5. <\/span>Joshua <\/span>5:<\/span>11 (<\/span>NIV)<\/span><\/strong><\/h4>\n
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\u201c<\/span>The <\/span>day <\/span>after <\/span>the <\/span>Passover, <\/span>that <\/span>very <\/span>day, <\/span>they <\/span>ate <\/span>some <\/span>of <\/span>the <\/span>produce <\/span>of <\/span>the <\/span>land: <\/span>unleavened <\/span>bread <\/span>and <\/span>roasted <\/span>grain.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

These <\/span>passages <\/span>reveal <\/span>that <\/span>roasted <\/span>grain <\/span>was <\/span>a <\/span>common <\/span>provision<\/span><\/strong>, <\/span>a <\/span>source <\/span>of <\/span>sustenance, <\/span>and <\/span>sometimes <\/span>a <\/span>gift<\/span><\/strong> during <\/span>times <\/span>of <\/span>peace <\/span>or <\/span>reconciliation.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Spiritual <\/span>Insight<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n

Roasted <\/span>grain <\/span>was <\/span>not <\/span>just <\/span>food\u2014<\/span>it <\/span>carried <\/span>spiritual <\/span>symbolism<\/span><\/strong>. <\/span>It <\/span>was <\/span>something <\/span>easy <\/span>and <\/span>quick <\/span>to <\/span>prepare<\/span><\/strong>, <\/span>representing <\/span>the <\/span>immediate <\/span>temptation <\/span>to <\/span>consume <\/span>what <\/span>we <\/span>harvest<\/span><\/strong>. <\/span>But <\/span>God <\/span>commanded <\/span>that <\/span>even <\/span>something <\/span>that <\/span>simple <\/span>should <\/span>not <\/span>be <\/span>eaten <\/span>until <\/span>His <\/span>share\u2014<\/span>the <\/span>firstfruits\u2014<\/span>was <\/span>presented.<\/span><\/p>\n

This <\/span>teaches <\/span>us <\/span>a <\/span>crucial <\/span>truth:<\/span><\/p>\n

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We <\/span>should <\/span>never <\/span>prioritize <\/span>our <\/span>own <\/span>consumption <\/span>or <\/span>comfort <\/span>over <\/span>honoring <\/span>God <\/span>first.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Today, <\/span>this <\/span>principle <\/span>applies <\/span>to <\/span>everything <\/span>God <\/span>blesses <\/span>us <\/span>with\u2014<\/span>whether <\/span>it\u2019s <\/span>income, <\/span>food, <\/span>time, <\/span>or <\/span>talents. <\/span>We <\/span>are <\/span>called <\/span>to <\/span>honor <\/span>God <\/span>first<\/span><\/strong>, <\/span>before <\/span>using <\/span>it <\/span>for <\/span>ourselves.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201c<\/span>Honor <\/span>the <\/span>Lord <\/span>with <\/span>your <\/span>wealth, <\/span>with <\/span>the <\/span>firstfruits <\/span>of <\/span>all <\/span>your <\/span>crops; <\/span>then <\/span>your <\/span>barns <\/span>will <\/span>be <\/span>filled <\/span>to <\/span>overflowing\u2026\u201d<\/span>
\u2014 <\/span>Proverbs <\/span>3:<\/span>9\u2013<\/span>10 (<\/span>NIV)<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Even <\/span>if <\/span>it’s <\/span>something <\/span>small <\/span>like <\/span>airtime, <\/span>snacks, <\/span>or <\/span>salary, <\/span>the <\/span>believer <\/span>is <\/span>invited <\/span>to <\/span>pause <\/span>and <\/span>acknowledge <\/span>the <\/span>source <\/span>of <\/span>all <\/span>blessings<\/span><\/strong>\u2014<\/span>God. <\/span>That\u2019s <\/span>how <\/span>true <\/span>worship <\/span>and <\/span>dependence <\/span>on <\/span>Him <\/span>are <\/span>demonstrated.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Conclusion<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n

Whenever <\/span>you <\/span>read <\/span>about “<\/span>roasted <\/span>grain” <\/span>or <\/span>bisi<\/span><\/em> in <\/span>the <\/span>Bible, <\/span>remember:<\/span><\/p>\n