How Did the Ancient Hebrews Eat?
Food and Medicine
​
​Foods and Medicines​
Eating a traditional diet according to the location in which they lived, the Hebrew nomad's diet consisted of breads, fruits (when available), milk, cheese and meat. Vegetarianism was more out of need, and not for any religious or philosophical reason. Grains, such as barley and wheat, were gathered and ground into a flour and mixed with water and placed on hot rocks to make bread. All flour wasn't ground, some was parched which was a process by which ripe ears of grain would be toasted over a fire for a short time, and then eaten. Although both wheat and barley were grown and eaten, (Way. 2:14) ​wheat was preferred because of its superior flavor and ability to rise when leavened, barley was more often sown since it was easier to grow in Palestine's poor soil and dry climate.
​While wheat and barley were the principle grains cultivated in Palestine, they were not the only ones. As noted in the story of Ezekiel, millet and spelt were also grown (Yeh. 4:9). Spelt is mentioned in Shmot 9:32; it is similar to wheat in appearance and taste, but has larger kernels or "berries." Spelt is better tolerated by allergic individuals than wheat, and it contains more protein, fat, fiber, as well as monopolysaccharide carbohydrates which are thought to stimulate the body's immune system.
​
Sweetness in the ancient Hebrew diet was provided mainly by fruit. Figs, dates, grapes, and pomegranates were the most important fruits eaten in the Middle East during Scripture times. Dates and figs were prized foods, eaten fresh or dried and pressed into cakes. Some of the fruits available were grapes, pomegranates, olives and dates. These were often dried for later use and sometimes mixed with flour for a cake type bread. Grapes were also dried, as well as eaten fresh in season--but their principle use was for wine-making. Raisins and fig-cakes are mentioned in Shemuel Aleph (I Sam.) 25:18, Shemuel Beit (II Sam. 16:1-2 ("summer fruits" are figs), and Divrei-HaYamim Aleph (II Chron.) 12:40. In the B'rit Chadasha, Y'shua uses the ripening fig tree as a metaphor (Matt. 24:32), and also curses one (Matt. 21:19).
Wine first appears in B'rasheit 9:21 when Noach gets drunk, (therefore wine is clearly fermented) and it receives its final mention in Revelation when the "vintage of the earth" is gathered by an angel and cast into the "great winepress"--the wrath of Elohim. The ceremonial drinking of wine or "strong drink" is prescribed in Debarym 14:23-26. Wine is described in Tanak as both that which "maketh glad the heart" (Teh. 104:15), and as a "mocker" (Mish. 20:1). Y'shua's first miracle was making wine from water at the wedding in Cana (Yoch. 2:19). He referred to Himself metaphorically as the "new wine" (Matt. 9:17), and as the "true wine" (Yoch. 15:1). Wine became the mystical symbol of Moshiach's blood at the Last Supper, and He also implies that wine would be drunk in the Malchut (Matt. 26:27-29). Vineyards are mentioned in several of Y'shua's parables (Matt. 20:1; 21:33; Mark 12:1; Luke 20:19).
Sha'ul also mentions wine: "be not drunken with wine" (Ephesians 5:18); "take a little wine for thy stomach's sake" (1 Timothy 5:23). Wine vinegar, diluted with water, was widely drunk as a beverage in ancient Palestine (Bmid. 6:3; Ruth 2:14). Milk was taken from the sheep and goats and also used to make cheese. Animals from the flock were occasionally butchered especially for special events such as when guests arrived, but not on a regular basis.
Meat was usually reserved for holiday feasts or receptions when enough people would be present to eat all of the meat. Size may also have had something to do with the Hebrew partiality for veal -- the "fatted calf" mentioned on several occasions (Brsh. 18:7; Shml Aleph 28:24; Amos 6:4; Luke 15:25-32). A calf is a smaller, more manageable amount of meat to consume without waste. Goats were also eaten, as noted in the story of Ya'acov and Esaw; and lamb was a fairly common meal since it was the preferred sacrificial offering. While meat was eaten sparingly in ancient Palestine, at least by regular folk, dairy products were widely consumed. Camels (Brsh 32:15), sheep (Deb 32:14; 1 Corinthians 9:7), and goats (Mish 27:27) were all milked. Goats were reared principally for their milk, which was preferred to that of any other animal. The Hebrews made butter from milk (Proverbs 30: 33) and leben, a runny yogurt. Cheese is mentioned at least three times in the Writings (Shml beit 17:29; Shml aleph 17:18; and Iyov 10:10). As in most traditional cultures to this day, the Hebrews didn't customarily drink milk as a liquid after infancy (1 Corinthians 3:2; Hebrews 5:12-13; 1 Peter 2:2).
Consumption of fowl was permitted under the Levitical code, except for birds of prey and carrion eaters (Way. 11:13-19). Hebrews ate quail (Shm. 16: 12-13; Bmd. 11:31-32), and partridge (Shml aleph 26:20). They also kept domesticated fowl (Mel aleph 4:23), perhaps ducks or peacocks, but probably not chickens. Fowling is mentioned in Teh. 91:3, 124:7, Mish. 6:5, Yir. 5:26, and Hoshea 9:8. Chickens were introduced to Palestine by the Romans c. 60 B.C. A rooster played a central role in the poignant story of Kepha's multiple denials of Y'shua. (Matt. 26:74-75).
Under Jewish dietary laws, fish are permitted as food provided they have fins and scales. Y'shua's first talmidim were fishermen whom He promised He would make "fishers of men." Fish appear many times in the Besorah narratives, eg: Y'shua's feeding of the 5,000 (Matt. 14:19); the feeding of the multitude (Matt. 14:36); and the fish with the coin in its mouth (Matt. 17:27). Twice Y'shua leads the talidim to, or miraculously causes, great catches of fish (Luke 5:6; Yoch. 21:6-8). Vegetarians promoting the "Bible Diet" as the "original will of YHWH" should consider that Y'shua ate fish at least once after His Resurrection (Luke 24:42-43), and perhaps again (Yoch. 21:9-13).
​​
Olives were not only used as a food source but for medicinal purposes as well. It was drunk for stomach and intestinal problems and applied to wounds as an antiseptic. The fat of animals were made into a soap for washing.
_____________________________________________________
1. Jeff A. Benner http://www.ancient-hebrew.org