Original Word: מָעוֹג
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: ma`owg
Pronunciation: mah-ogue
Phonetic Spelling: (maw-ogue')
KJV: cake, feast
NASB: bread, feast
Word Origin: [from H5746 (עוּג - baked)]

1. a cake of bread (with H3934 a table- buffoon, i.e. parasite)

cake, feast

From uwg; a cake of bread (with la'eg a table- buffoon, i.e. Parasite) -- cake, feast.

see HEBREW uwg

see HEBREW la'eg

Word Origin
from the same as uggah
Definition
a cake
NASB Translation
bread (1), feast (1).

מָעוֺג noun [masculine] cake; — absolute 1 Kings 17:12; לַעֲגֵי ׳מ Psalm 35:16 mockers of (for) a cake, i. e. buffoons, but ᵐ5 Che and others read לָֽעֲגוּ לֹעֲגַי) לַעַג.

Definition and Semantic Range

The noun מָעוֹג denotes a small, round bread-cake and by extension the social setting in which such simple fare is shared. Its usage moves from the literal “cake” placed upon a hearth to the figurative picture of a convivial gathering, a nuance that opens the way for metaphorical applications—especially when that gathering becomes a stage for godless mockery.

Occurrences in Scripture

1 Kings 17:12 and Psalm 35:16 contain the only attestations of the word. In the narrative of Elijah and the widow of Zarephath, מָעוֹג is the last morsel the destitute woman can imagine offering. In David’s psalm of lament, the same term is used of scoffers who surround him “like godless jesters at a feast” (Psalm 35:16). Together, these references span the spectrum from faithful scarcity to faithless revelry.

Cultural Background

In ancient Israel the small hearth-cake was the most basic expression of hospitality. Baking such a cake required little more than a handful of flour, oil, and hot stones. Because the bread was round, it could quickly be flipped and eaten fresh. A household’s readiness to prepare and share this cake symbolized both need (when supplies were low) and fellowship (when guests arrived). Consequently the term could stand either for the humble provision itself or for the social moment created around it.

Theological Thread

1. Divine Provision in Need.
• Elijah’s request for a single cake becomes the catalyst for the miraculous supply of flour and oil (1 Kings 17:13-16). The Lord demonstrates His ability to stretch meager resources when obedience precedes personal security.

2. Discernment amid Mockery.
• In Psalm 35, the image of a feast morphs into a scene of ridicule. David’s enemies exploit an occasion designed for enjoyment to advance malice. The shift warns that even ordinary blessings can be twisted when hearts are estranged from God.

3. Consistency of God’s Character.
• Whether answering poverty or confronting profanity, the Lord remains the same: He honors faith and judges scoffing. The two texts therefore complement, not contradict, each other—affirming scriptural coherence.

Christological Foreshadowing

The widow’s last cake anticipates the Gospel scene where a boy’s five loaves feed thousands (John 6:9-13). Both accounts highlight the Messiah’s role as the multiplier of scarce bread, underscoring that God’s saving purpose is carried out through humble offerings. Likewise, the mockers at David’s “feast” foreshadow the jeers aimed at Christ during His passion (Matthew 27:27-31), where merriment turns cruel in the presence of righteousness.

Practical Application for Ministry

• Encourage sacrificial hospitality. Even minimal resources entrusted to God can meet the needs of many.
• Cultivate discernment in fellowship settings. Tables meant for encouragement can become venues for gossip or scorn if hearts drift from reverence.
• Use contrasting settings—widow’s hearth versus mockers’ feast—to illustrate sermons on faith versus unbelief, stewardship versus contempt, or comfort in affliction versus complacency in prosperity.

Summary

מָעוֹג is more than a culinary footnote; it is a narrative lens through which Scripture displays God’s faithfulness amid deprivation and His justice amid derision. In both extreme contexts the word invites believers to trust the Lord who sees the widow’s handful and exposes the mocker’s heart.

מָע֑וֹג מָע֔וֹג מעוג mā‘ōwḡ mā·‘ō·wḡ maogInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts