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Bible Terms and Customs: Palestine

Bread. Mostly in the form of cakes, baked upon the hearth or in the oven; those eaten by the poor were made of barley-meal, with oil instead of butter. They were leavened or unleavened and kneaded in a trough. Wheaten flour was common in Egypt, but a luxury in Palestine. "Shewbread" was made of wheaten flour, and was offered in the Sanctuary.

Breeches. These were among the official vestments of the High Priest, but did not form part of the ordinary dress of the Hebrew man.

Bride. A bride was bought from her father by the bridegroom, the negotiations being conducted by a friend of the latter, who was responsible for all the preliminaries up to the actual marriage. After her espousal she was placed under the care of trustworthy matrons, and subjected to a course of purification before her marriage. The bride is regarded in 'both Testaments as a type of the church.