Biblical Hummus
“And brought wheat and barley, flour and roasted grain, beans and lentils, honey and curds, sheep, and cheese from cows’ milk for David and his people to eat.”2 Samuel 17:28-29
Hummus is a creamy dip of chickpeas, tahini, lemon, garlic and olive oil. According to 2 Samuel 17:28-29, beans and lentils were among the provisions carried out to feed David and his people, the same pulses this dish is built on. It blends together in about ten minutes, needs no cooking, and is naturally plant-based.
Few foods are as ancient, or as beloved, as a good bowl of hummus. Made from the chickpeas and sesame that have grown in the lands of the Bible for thousands of years, it turns four humble ingredients into something rich, creamy and deeply satisfying. Chickpeas were a staple legume across the ancient Near East, and in 2 Samuel we read of beans and lentils carried out to feed David and his weary people - the same kind of pulse that forms the base of this dish.
This version is smooth, garlicky and bright with lemon, finished the traditional way with a swirl of good olive oil and a dusting of paprika. It comes together in ten minutes with no cooking at all, and it is naturally plant-based. Serve it with warm pita, fresh vegetables, or as part of a wholesome biblical table.
Ingredients
Instructions
- In a food processor, blend the tahini and lemon juice for about 1 minute until pale and creamy.
- Add the garlic, cumin, salt and olive oil; blend again until smooth.
- Add the chickpeas and blend, scraping down the sides, adding cold water a tablespoon at a time until very smooth and light.
- Taste and adjust with more lemon, salt or garlic as you like.
- Spread in a shallow bowl, make a swirl with the back of a spoon, drizzle generously with olive oil and dust with paprika. Serve with warm pita.
The Story Behind This Recipe
The chickpea is one of the oldest cultivated crops on earth, grown across the Fertile Crescent for more than nine thousand years. Cheap, storable and rich in protein, it was exactly the kind of food that sustained ordinary households and travelling armies alike - which is why it appears among the provisions brought to David at Mahanaim. Ground or mashed with oil, chickpeas have been eaten this way across the region for a very long time.
Tahini, the smooth paste of toasted sesame seeds, is the other half of the story. Sesame was one of the earliest oil crops of the ancient Near East, prized for its richness. Blended together, chickpeas and sesame make a dish that is more than the sum of its parts: nourishing, filling and quietly luxurious. To make hummus at home is to taste a food that has stayed almost unchanged for millennia.
| Per serving | Value |
|---|---|
| Calories | 210 |
| Protein | 7g |
| Carbohydrates | 18g |
| Fat | 13g |
| Fiber | 5g |
Hummus FAQ
Is hummus healthy?
Yes. Hummus is naturally plant-based and rich in plant protein and fibre from chickpeas and tahini, with heart-friendly fats from olive oil and sesame. Made at home you control how much salt and oil goes in.
Is hummus in the Bible?
The word hummus is not in the Bible, but its main ingredient is ancient. Chickpeas were a common pulse across the biblical lands, and beans and lentils appear among the food brought to David in 2 Samuel 17:28.
Do I need to peel the chickpeas?
No, but removing the skins gives the smoothest result. For everyday hummus, simply blending longer with a little cold water makes it plenty creamy without peeling.
Is hummus vegan and gluten-free?
Yes. Hummus itself contains no animal products and no gluten. Just serve it with gluten-free dippers if you are avoiding wheat, since pita bread contains gluten.
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