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These shall ye eat of all that are in the waters: whatsoever hath fins and scales in the waters, in the seas, and in the rivers, them shall ye eat. Leviticus 11: 9
By: E.M.Whittington August 16, 2007
The waters of the Holy Land teemed with “fins and scales,” offering a rich harvest of food and fulfilling God’s promise in (Genesis 1: 26) that man shall have dominion over the fish of the seas. Yet nowhere in the Bible is any special kind of fish mentioned. We are not even sure of the variety of “great fish” that swallowed Jonah. The only native fish banned from the Hebrews diet as “unclean” because they lacked “fins and scales” were catfish, eels, lampreys, sharks and skates. However, it is thought that in times of necessity all fish eaten by Christians were eaten by the Hebrews as well. Since the Sea of Galilee alone offered scores of different fish, from perch and carp to sardines and anchovies, all approved for eating in the Bible, there was no lack of variety. And the Talmud mentions by name many fishes familiar to us today, such as salmon, mackerel, tunny (tuna) herring, mullet and swordfish. All were harvested from the rivers and oceans in Old and New Testament times. Whether boiled, broiled, or grilled on open charcoal fires built right on the seashore, or roasted on spits, fish was one of the most popular and plentiful foods available. Sardines and mullet, for instance, were surface fish, and very easy to catch, even with small hand nets. While the Israelites were poor and in bondage in Egypt, these fish were probably one of the few foods they could enjoy in abundance. But fishing was also the sport of kings, who used first bone and later, in King Solomon’s time, iron hooks. From ancient tomb relief’s we have learned that our rod was unknown, and in Bible times fish were caught with hooks, spread nets, spears and even harpoons. Since the average temperature of the Nile’s waters is quite warm, all manner of fish thrived there. Fishing in the Mediterranean was poor in comparison. Perhaps it was fish from the Nile that the Hebrews wept for when they cried out to Moses, “We remember the fish which we did eat in Egypt freely” (Numbers 11:5).
Fish of the Seas and Rivers
After they entered the Promised Land, with Jerusalem miles away from the nearest seacoast, the fish which the Hebrew were so fond of were not so easily available. Most of their fish was imported from the Phoenicians or the Philistines, salted, smoked or sun dried and then carried overland where they were sold in fish markets right by the famous “Fish Gate of Jerusalem”. Merchants did a brisk business even on the Sabbath, according to the prophet Nehemiah:
There dwelt men of Tyre also therein, which brought fish, and all manner of ware, and sold on the Sabbath unto the children of Judah, and in Jerusalem. (Nehemiah 13:16)
Jerusalem Gates: Ancient cities were often more like fortresses than cities, as we understand the term “city” today. The perimeter consisted of a massive stone wall (or walls) with gates to permit or prevent the entry of people and animals. In times of war, enemy forces often concentrated their attacks on these openings, typically the weakest part of the city wall, so the gates were usually constructed in such a way that they were flanked by, or actually part of, one or more defensive guard towers. The old city of Jerusalem has had numerous gates over many thousands of years of Bible History. You can still walk through some of them today, while others have been sealed at one time or another. Individual gates have been known by various names, sometimes by two or three or more, through their centuries of existence. The Sheep Gate, also known as Stephen’s Gate, or the Lions Gate (Nehemiah 3:1,32 12:39) is located on the east wall, north of the Temple Mount. The Fish Gate, was an ancient gate on the east wall, just west of the Gihon spring, where men gathered to sell fish, sometimes in violation of the Sabbath (2 Chronicles 33:14, (Nehemiah 3:3, 13:16). It may be the same as the Middle Gate (Jeremiah 39:3). The Old Gate, or Jeshanah Gate, was located at the northwest corner of the city during the time of Nehemiah, near the location of the present-day Holy Sepulcher (Nehemiah 3:6). The Valley Gate, overlooked the Kidron Valley (Nehemiah 3:13). The Beautiful Gate, near the Temple Mount, where Peter healed a crippled man “in The Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth” (Acts 3:1-10). The Golden Gate, was located on the east wall adjacent to the Temple Mount. Originally constructed by the Byzantines, it was later sealed by Muslims to “block the future path of the Messiah into Jerusalem.”
In the days of Herod, there was a town called Tarichaea, which was the center of a huge, bustling fish preserving industry. Here, fish were pickled, seasoned and salted before being exported for sale to inland city and town dwellers. The clear waters of the Sea of Galilee were another popular fishing ground, described by the Jewish historian Josephus in New Testament days:”The sea has fresh water that is very pleasant to drink; the water flows freely and is not muddy” Fish of the Seas and Rivers
As the scenes of the Bible shift from Jerusalem to the shores of Galilee, fish appear again and again in the miracles and words of Christ. It was in Galilee, flanked on the west by bare and rocky hills, and to the north by the snow-capped Mount Hermon, that Jesus launched his ministry. Seven of Christ’s disciples were fishermen, and the catching and eating of fish is described more frequently in the New Testament than in the Old, especially in the wonderful miracle of the Loaves and Fishes (Mark 6:41,42). Frogs, though considered unclean, were probably also eaten at times. Since they proliferated along the banks of the Nile, cooking succulent frogs’ legs would have been one way of reducing their numbers during the plague of frogs: “And the rivers shall bring forth frogs abundantly, which shall go…into thine ovens and into thy kneading troughs” (Exodus 8:3). In the New Testament days especially, fish not only played an important role in the diet of the multitudes, but it was chosen to be one of the earliest of all Christian symbols. The first Christians, who did not dare to publicly admit their faith, recognized one another by marking a fish as a secret emblem of their beliefs. The name of Jesus was represented in the form of a fish, since the first five letters of the word “fish” in Greek stood for the initial letters of the five words stating their belief: “Jesus Christ, God’s Son, Savior.”
Fish of the Seas and Rivers Recipes
Boiled Israeli Pond: “Make sluices and ponds for fish” (Isaiah 19:10) In Israel pond carp is bought live, and brought home to swim in a pail until its doomsday, or else killed at the fishmonger’s and cooked as soon thereafter as possible. The many natural-looking fish ponds built in the kibbutzim since the creation of the state have altered the Israel landscape in many areas.
2 pounds, fresh carp 2 large onions, sliced 2 carrots, sliced 1 pound, celery root sliced 1 parsnip, sliced 1 tablespoon, coarse salt 1/4 teaspoon, whole pepper 1 tablespoon, sugar
Directions: Clean and salt the freshly killed carp and set aside for half and hour. Wash well. Place the sliced vegetables in a fish kettle or stewing pan, and put the fish on top. Cover with water and add the salt, pepper, and sugar. Cook until the fish is tender (25-minutes, or until it flakes easily with a fork). Remove to a platter. Strain the sauce and pour it over the fish. This dish is generally served cold with its jelly, the vegetable mixture on the side. (Serves 4-6)
Fish With Honeycomb: He (Jesus) said to them; Have you any food here? So they gave him a piece of a broiled fish and some honeycomb, and he took it and ate in their presence. (Luke 24:41-43).
Honey and fish are a unique and tasty combination, one of the specific meals eaten by Jesus recorded in the Bible.
1/3 pound, white firm-fleshed fish fillets or steaks 1 tablespoon, olive oil 1 tablespoon, honeycomb Vinegar or lemon juice
Directions: Rub fish with olive oil and put into an oiled baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes or broil on low heat for 5 to 7 minutes on each side. Remove from heat and put a tablespoon of honeycomb on each fish steak or fillet. Turn up broiler to high and put fish directly underneath heat to glaze. Honey should caramelize into a light brown. Serve hot or cold with vinegar or lemon juice.
Sardines Grilled in Vine Leaves: Then as soon as they had come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid on it and bread. (John 21:9)
1 cup, olive oil 2 teaspoons, salt 1/2 cup, vinegar or lemon juice 1 tablespoon, mustard 1 cup, fresh herbs (dill, mint, thyme, bay, oregano, and basil) 3 to 4 pounds, fresh sardines or 2 pounds fish fillets 12 to 40 vine leaves, fresh-blanched or preserved in brine Hot mustard
Directions: Prepare a marinade of olive oil, salt, vinegar, mustard, and 1/2 cup of the fresh herbs. If using fillets, cut into 2-inch, narrow pieces. Marinate the sardines or fish fillets at least one hour, longer if possible. When ready to assemble, rinse the vines leaves and dry. Place one sardine or fish fillet on the corner of a vine leaf and roll up cigar-style, tucking the ends. Use two leaves if one is not enough. The packages may be secured with string or unwaxed dental floss if necessary. Grill over charcoal fire, taking care not to excessively burn the leaves. Ten minutes should be enough time on a hot fire. Alternatively, steam or bake the stuffed vine leaves. To steam, use a vegetable steamer in a large pan with a tight-fitting lid. Steam for 20 minutes. To bake, place in a baking pan, add marinade, cover, and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Serve with mustard as a dip if steamed or grilled.
Locus Fish with Jerusalem Artichokes:
Locus fish fillets or white firm-flesh fish 1 pound, Jerusalem artichokes 2 tablespoons, olive oil Butter 1/4 cup, white wine 1 teaspoon, fresh rosemary chopped Juice from one lemon 11/2 cups, heavy cream Salt and pepper to taste
Locus Fish with Jerusalem Artichokes: Directions: Peel and thinly slice the Jerusalem artichokes. Melt the butter and olive oil together in a pan. Fry the fish fillets 3 minutes on each side. Set aside, keep warm. To the same pan add the wine, scraping the bottom of the pan. Add rosemary, lemon juice, Jerusalem artichokes, heavy cream, salt and pepper to taste. Cook until the Jerusalem artichokes soften and the sauce is reduced to half, about 1 to 11/2 hours. Transfer the fish fillets to serving plates, pour the sauce over the fish, and garnish with rosemary sprigs.
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Fish of the Seas and Rivers |
