Baker

One who prepares food. In biblical times, the baker worked:

• in the home (Genesis 19:3),

• in the public bakery (Jeremiah 37:21), and

• in the palaces of kings and nobles (Genesis 40:1–22; 41:10, 13; 1 Samuel 8:13)

They made bread and cakes from the basic staples of oil and flour. The Israelites fleeing from Egypt baked unleavened bread for their journey (Exodus 12:39). The bread and cakes were baked in a pan or oven (Leviticus 2:4; 26:26). As Israelite society developed, professional bakers worked and formed guilds. Some have argued that Hosea was a baker because of his knowledge of baking techniques (Hosea 7:4–8).

See also Food and Food Preparation.