### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **çôleth**, represented by `{{H5560}}`, denotes **(fine) flour** or **meal**. It is derived from a root meaning to strip, suggesting a refined, high-quality product. It appears 53 times across 52 unique verses, primarily in contexts of worship and distinguished provision.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In scripture, `{{H5560}}` is most frequently specified as the primary ingredient for the **meat offering** `{{H4503}}` brought to the Lord [[Leviticus 2:1]]. These offerings consistently required specific preparations, such as being mingled with **oil** `{{H8081}}` [[Exodus 29:40]] or used to make unleavened cakes [[Leviticus 2:4]]. Beyond general offerings, it was used in specific acts of worship, including the consecration of priests [[Exodus 29:2]] and for the twelve cakes of shewbread [[Leviticus 24:5]]. It also served as a sign of blessing and sustenance, used by Abraham to prepare a meal for his honored guests [[Genesis 18:6]] and listed among the daily provisions for King Solomon's court [[1 Kings 4:22]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words help clarify the role and quality of **fine flour**:
* `{{H7058}}` **qemach** (flour, meal): This word often refers to ordinary flour or meal. Its use alongside `çôleth` in [[Genesis 18:6]] ("fine meal") highlights that `çôleth` is a grade above, a specially prepared, fine flour.
* `{{H4503}}` **minchâh** (gift, oblation, (meat) offering): This term describes the sacrificial offering for which **fine flour** was the foundational component. The `minchâh` was a voluntary, bloodless gift to God, and the quality of the `çôleth` reflected the honor being given [[Leviticus 2:1]].
* `{{H8081}}` **shemen** (oil): **Oil** is the most common ingredient paired with `çôleth` in the Bible. Offerings of **fine flour** were almost always to be mingled or tempered with **oil**, a combination that signified richness and sanctification [[Numbers 15:4]].
* `{{H3899}}` **lechem** (food, especially bread): While `lechem` is the general term for **bread**, `çôleth` was mandated for specific, holy **bread**, such as the loaves of the firstfruits offering [[Leviticus 23:17]] and the items for the sanctuary service [[1 Chronicles 23:29]].
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of `{{H5560}}` is demonstrated in its consistent application:
* **Offering the Best:** The requirement of **fine flour** for offerings underscores the principle of giving one's best to God. It was not common meal but a refined product, signifying a costly and deliberate act of worship.
* **Divine Provision:** God's covenant blessing is symbolized by provision of the finest foods. In Ezekiel, God describes how He nourished Jerusalem with **fine flour**, oil, and honey, representing the richness of His care [[Ezekiel 16:13]]. The prophetic promise of affordable **fine flour** after a siege shows God's power to restore abundance [[2 Kings 7:1]].
* **Sanctification and Purity:** The use of **fine flour** in purification rites, such as the offering for a cleansed leper [[Leviticus 14:10]] and in perpetual offerings [[Leviticus 6:20]], establishes it as an element of holiness, fit for drawing near to God. For a sin offering for the poor, it was notably offered without oil or frankincense, marking it as distinct [[Leviticus 5:11]].
### Summary
In summary, `{{H5560}}` is far more than a simple foodstuff. As **fine flour**, it is a symbol of quality, purity, and honor. Its central role in the sacrificial system, especially the **meat offering** `{{H4503}}`, establishes a standard for giving the best to God. It functions as a tangible expression of both human devotion and divine blessing, connecting the sacred altar to the provision of the royal table.
TRV