עֲרִיסָה (a.ri.sah)
a.ri.sah
dough
H:N-FQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-F
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun arisah refers to a mass of food in preparation, most commonly translated as "dough." However, the sources note that its precise meaning is somewhat uncertain, with some scholars suggesting it may originally have denoted coarse meal or even the kneading trough itself. This ambiguity reflects the close physical relationship between the raw grain, the mixture, and the vessel used to prepare it in ancient households.
In Scripture, the word appears only twice, both in the book of Numbers (Numbers 11:8; 15:20). In these passages, it describes the unleavened dough that the Israelites took from Egypt or the portion set aside for the priest. The context emphasizes its tangible, physical nature as a staple ingredient rather than a finished loaf, highlighting its role in daily sustenance and ritual obligation.
Its limited usage underscores how specific ancient culinary terms can be. While modern translations often settle on "dough" for clarity, the underlying Hebrew concept likely encompassed the entire process of preparation, from the coarse grain to the kneaded mass. This single word captures a moment in the food chain that was central to both survival and worship in the wilderness.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word arisah points to the raw, unformed stage of bread-making. In ancient Israel, this was not just a culinary step but a spiritual checkpoint. Before the dough became a loaf, it represented potential and obedience. God instructed His people to set aside a portion of this early mixture for the priest, linking daily survival with sacred duty.
This practice reminds us that our everyday actions carry weight. The act of offering the first part of the dough acknowledged that all provision comes from God. It was a tangible way to remember His faithfulness during their journey through the wilderness. Even in simple meals, there is room for reverence and gratitude.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- dough<s>/ your2×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- עֲרִסֹ֣תֵי/כֶ֔ם1×
- עֲרִסֹ֣תֵ/כֶ֔ם1×
Key Verses
-
Numbers 15:20
Of the first of your dough you shall offer up a cake for a wave offering. As the wave offering of the threshing floor, so you shall heave it.
This verse establishes the principle that a portion of the raw dough must be offered as a wave offering, linking daily sustenance directly to ritual worship.
-
Numbers 15:21
Of the first of your dough, you shall give to Yahweh a wave offering throughout your generations.
Here the command is extended as a perpetual statute, showing that this act of giving from the first of the dough was meant to be a lasting habit for all generations.