Daily Archives: October 4, 2011

During a recent series of lessons on Daily Life in Bible Times I presented some material on the foods of Bible times. I emphasized that the foods ancient Israel had were those suitable to the terrain in which they lived — predominantly the mountains. One of the major biblical references about the foods is Deuteronomy 8:7-9.

 For the LORD your God is bringing you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and springs, flowing forth in valleys and hills; a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive oil and honey; a land where you will eat food without scarcity, in which you will not lack anything; a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills you can dig copper.  (Deuteronomy 8:7-9 NAU)

Later I learned that one of the ladies had prepared a Bible Land Food display to show the children during their Bible classes. I requested that Angel Sizemore allow me to use this material here. Here is her brief account.

— • —

After the September weekend lectures you presented at Centreville (Virginia) church of Christ, I had an idea for my class.  (I am teaching the 3rd & 4th graders this quarter). I thought that many of them may not have known what some of the food items you mentioned looked or tasted like. My family already eats most all of the items you mentioned, so I already had them in my kitchen. I had samples of several things cut up so they could taste them.

I showed the food to my own class first; then went over to the 5th & 6th grade class to show them; and finally to the little ones in the 1st & 2nd grade class. It was a HUGE hit with the children of all ages! I have heard from several of their parents that their kids really enjoyed it, and a couple of them had to scour the produce sections looking for their kid’s new favorite foods (like dates and pomegranates!).

Anyway, thank you for helping me to learn so much, and for inspiring me to teach more about it to our own little ones.

Bible Land Foods display by A. Sizemore.

Angel provided a list of the foods on the tray. (Click on the photo for a larger image.)

Foods included:

• Dates — some whole and some cut up so they could taste it
• Almonds — slivered
• Black olives
• Olive oil
• Lentils — some dry brown and red lentils, and cooked brown lentils to taste
• Coriander seed — threw that in because of the description of manna
• Honey
• Barley
• Red grapes — some cut up so they could eat them
• Raisins
• Figs — some whole and some cut up so they could taste it
• Cracked wheat [we also spoke of barley]
• Whole wheat flour
• Pomegranate — half of a fruit intact, some seeds so they could taste it
• Cheese — not pictured but added to display — made with mix of goat/sheep milks

The kids enjoyed tasting everything, even stuff I didn’t intend for them to eat (like the raw lentils and olive oil)!