1 Chronicles 16:3

Each little clause of this verse is replete with interest. The royal giver, who now dealt to every one of Israel , was, after all, but a channel; yes, and only one channel, through which the fulness and the bounty of the royal Giver of every good and perfect gift, of all good whatsoever, of all things necessary to life and godliness, are supplied to every one of his creature-subjects. But it is highest honour, as servant and instrument alone, to figure forth him in any way. The second little clause tells us either that women took a recognized place on occasion of this joyous festival, or that the hospitality of such an occasion did not forget them and their homes. And the following three little clauses require closer examination. The word here translated "loaf" in the expression loaf of bread is כִּכַּר , for which in this sense we may turn to Exodus 29:23 ; 8:5 ; 1 Samuel 2:36 ; 1 Samuel 10:3 ; Proverbs 6:26 ; Jeremiah 37:21 . The corresponding word, however, in the parallel place is חַלַח (for which see Exodus 29:2 , Exodus 29:23 ; Le Exodus 2:4 ; Exodus 7:12 , Exodus 7:13 ; Exodus 8:26 ; Exodus 24:5 ; Numbers 6:15 , Numbers 6:19 ; Numbers 15:20 ). The essential meaning of the former word is a circle , hence applied to the cake because of its shape, and of the latter word perforation , hence applied to the cake because it was perforated. A good piece of flesh . This is the Authorized Version rendering of אֶשְׁפָּר , which occurs only in the parallel place and here. The Vulgate translates assatura bubulae carnis ; the Septuagint, ἐσχαρίτη . The imagined derivation of the word from פָּר (ox) and אֵשׁ (fire), or from שָׁפַד (to burn), seems to be what has led to these translations, helped, perhaps, by the apparent convenience of adapting meat from the sacrifice to the bread. But Gesenius, Rodiger, Keil, and others prefer the derivation שָׁפַר (to measure), and they would render "a measure" of wine. And a flagon . This is the Authorized Version rendering of the original אֲשִׁישָׁה , found in the parallel place as well as here, and also in the only other places (two in number, and in the plural) where it occurs ( Song of Solomon 2:5 ; Hosea 3:1 ). But there is no doubt, or but little, that the rendering should rather be "dried, pressed cakes of raisins or grapes." It is then to be derived from the root אָשַׁשׁ (to press). The substantive has both masculine and feminine form in plural. The Vulgate translates similam frixam oleo , which means a "baked cake of flour and oil;" and the Septuagint, λάγανον ἀπὸ τηγάνου in the parallel places. But here the Septuagint reads ἄρτον ἐ͂να ἀρτοκοπικὸν καὶ ἀμορίτην as the whole account of the loaf, the good piece of flesh, and the flagon.