Leaven:
(1.) Heb. seor (Exd 12:15,19; 13:7; Lev 2:11), the remnant of dough from the preceding baking which had fermented and become acid.
(2.) Heb. hamets, properly "ferment." In Num 6:3, "vinegar of wine" is more correctly "fermented wine." In Exd 13:7, the proper rendering would be, "Unfermented things [Heb. matstsoth] shall be consumed during the seven days; and there shall not be seen with thee fermented things [hamets], and there shall not be seen with thee leavened mass [seor] in all thy borders." The chemical definition of ferment or yeast is "a substance in a state of putrefaction, the atoms of which are in a continual motion."
The use of leaven was strictly forbidden in all offerings made to the Lord by fire (Lev 2:11; 7:12; 8:2; Num 6:15). Its secretly penetrating and diffusive power is referred to in 1Cr 5:6. In this respect it is used to illustrate the growth of the kingdom of heaven both in the individual heart and in the world (Mat 13:33). It is a figure also of corruptness and of perverseness of heart and life (Mat 16:6,11; Mar 8:15; 1Cr 5:7,8).
The Blue Letter Bible ministry and the BLB Institute hold to the historical, conservative Christian faith, which includes a firm belief in the inerrancy of Scripture. Since the text and audio content provided by BLB represent a range of evangelical traditions, all of the ideas and principles conveyed in the resource materials are not necessarily affirmed, in total, by this ministry.
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