Preface: Okay, this might prove to be one of the least interesting doctrines of all time, but, when I ran across the list of four cooking vessels in NASB, and the fact that their exact meaning was unknown, I decided to make a list of all the cooking vessels found in Scripture, along with their probable meanings (if any).
1. In I Sam. 2:14, we have four different cooking containers mentioned, so we are going to make some attempt at distinguishing them. First, as always, we go back to the Hebrew:
2. The first masculine singular noun found here is kîyyôwr (ר̣) [pronounced kee-YOHR], which, according to BDB, means pot, basin. The KJV various translates this as laver, pan, caldrons, scaffold, hearth. Although, in our context, this is clearly a pot for cooking, this is not always how it is found. It is most often used for a basin of bronze utilized for washing in Ex. 30:18, 28; it is used once as a platform or stage made out of bronze on which someone stood (II Chron. 6:13—it was probably rounded like a bowl?); finally, it is used metaphorically for a large fire pot in Zech. 12:6. Given the large size of a wash basin or a platform, we may reasonably guess this to mean a large (but not necessarily deep) pan. Strong’s #3595 BDB #468.
3. We have a very similar word to this, kîyr (רי.) [pronounced keer], found in Lev. 11:35 in the dual. It is thought to be a cooking furnace which might support two pots (perhaps it is a pair of supports between which is hung a cooking vessel of some sort?). This word is not found in our passage. Strong’s #3600 BDB #468.
4. There is a similar noun which is a smelting pot for smelting metals—and it is only used metaphorically in Scripture. I mention it only because it is similar in spelling to the previous two words; however, its meaning is different enough not to take this any further. Strong’s #3564 BDB #468.
5. The second word found here is dûd (ד) [pronounced dood], which means pot, jar, kettle (I Sam. 2:14 II Chron. 35:13 Job 41:20); it is also used for a receptacle for carrying something (II Kings 10:7 Jer. 24:2). In our modern age, we have vessels which can be used to store food in the refrigerator, but then can be placed into the microwave to heat the food, and then, in a bachelor’s home, used as the serving dish and the plate. It could be that these were vessels which had a dual purpose of storing or carrying food, and could also be used to cook the food in. The implication is that perhaps it had a handle. BDB suggests that this comes from a Syrian word which means to disturb (as in, to boil). I Sam. 2:14 is the first occurrence of this word in Scripture. Strong’s #1731 BDB #188.
6. The third word is qallachath (ת -ח --ק) [pronounced kal-lah-KHAHTH], which means pan. This word is only found in I Sam. 2:14 and Micah 3:3. The verbal cognate of this means to roast, to fry; therefore, I have rendered it pan rather than caldron (BDB’s rendering). Strong’s #7037 BDB #886.
7. The final word in our verse (I Sam. 2:14) for a cooking vessel is pârûwr (ררָ) [pronounced paw-ROOR], which means pot. This is only found in three passages: Num. 11:8 Judges 6:19 I Sam. 2:14. Strong’s #6517 BDB #807.
8. One of the words not found in this verse is machăbvath (ת-בֲח -מ) [pronounced mah-khahb-VAHTH], which means flat plate, pan griddle (for baking). We find this word in Lev. 2:5 6:21 7:9 I Chron. 23:29 Ezek. 4:3.* it appears to be a flat pan or griddle used for baking breads. Strong’s #4227 BDB #290.
9. A second word not found in this verse is tsêlâchâh (הָחָל̤צ) [pronounced tzay-law-KHAW], which means pan and is only found in II Chron. 35:13. Strong’s #6745 BDB #852.
10. The third word not found here is agemôn (ןֹמג-א) [pronounced age-MOHN], which means pot, cauldron. It is only found in Job 41:20 and appears to be a homonym. Strong’s #100 BDB #8.
11. Cooking was primarily the work of women, particularly prior to the conquest of Canaan. For roasting, a fire
would be built, over which food would be roasted. An oven of sorts was used for baking. Israelites
apparently boiled a lot of food in metal pans which would be placed over the fire (or perhaps on top of the
stove?).
12. According to Will Durant, the Greeks cooked over an open fire, stoves being a Hellenistic innovation.
However, it appears as though the Jews also had ovens.
However, also according to Durant, the Greek
kitchen had a great variety of iron, bronze and earthenware vessels, which would be what we would expect,
considering that we have several aforementioned words in the Hebrew for various cooking vessels.
13. The Israelites both roasted their grains and boiled their grains, the latter being done to make an oatmeal type concoction. However, it is unclear as to which type of pan was used for this.
14. The Jewish people primarily ate vegetables and fruits; however, for feast days they ate meat. We look at
religious celebrations as a time of sacrifice and no fun; it was during these religious feasts when the Jews
ate better than they did normally.
Furthermore, they traveled, took a few days off work and they saw
relatives and friends at these festivals.
15. Possibly I should have taken Clarke’s approach here; concerning this variety of cooking vessels, he tells us:
We know not what these were, nor of what capacity; nor is it of any consequence.