Why the Pancake Priest's Pedigree Matters

I Chronicles.9.31

It’s easy to skip past the pancake guy. There’s a single line in the middle of a long list that describes the roles of Levites and priests living and working in Jerusalem’s temple, all born for the role as technicians of the sacred—guarding the gates, cleaning utensils, singing songs, mixing incense with a secret recipe, maintaining the fire. And then this guy:

וּמַתִּתְיָה֙ מִן־הַלְוִיִּ֔ם ה֥וּא הַבְּכ֖וֹר לְשַׁלֻּ֣ם הַקׇּרְחִ֑י בֶּאֱמוּנָ֕ה עַ֖ל מַעֲשֵׂ֥ה הַחֲבִתִּֽים׃

Mattithiah, one of the Levites, the first-born of Shallum the Korahite, was entrusted with making the pancakes.

I Chronicles.9.31

Is that what they called him? The Pancake Priest? Was he the head of a guild or the only one entrusted with the recipe for these daily offerings? Why does his lineage and pedigree matter enough to be mentioned and singled out?

The Hebrew term for his handiwork, al ma'aseh hachavitim, appears nowhere else in the Bible. Translated as ‘flat cakes’, ‘griddle-gift’ or ‘pancakes’, these grain offerings were patties of flour and oil, fried on a griddle, set beside the altar, a specific sacrifice that was brought by the High Priest every day. Even YHWH likes fresh pancakes. These were seen as some sort of peace offering.

As already proscribed in Leviticus, an especially appointed, trustworthy Levite would perform the complex preparation of this meal offering every day, before sunrise. Half of the meal offering was brought in the morning, and the other half in the afternoon.

It wasn’t just food—it was faith, embodied.

But Mattithiah, of the sons of Korach, isn’t just frying up a batch of faithful flapjacks.

He’s holding a thread that stretches back generations—a quiet counterpoint to one of the Bible’s loudest rebellions.

The text is careful to mention that he is a descendant of Korah, the firebrand rebel, one of the Levites, who challenged Moses and Aaron’s exclusive hold on sacred leadership, as described in Numbers 16. Korah cried out for spiritual equality and democracy - why should some Levites be priests and high priests while the others, like him, only hold menial jobs?

The response by the leadership, backed by YHWH was fierce and furious along with the others who rebelled - Korach got swallowed by the earth. And that’s the end of that rebellion.

But actually, the Torah then tells us:
“The children of Korah did not die.” (Numbers 26:11)

They lived. And not just lived—they evolved.

Centuries later, the sons of Korah aren’t storming the gates—they’re guarding them. The Chronicler names them as doorkeepers, custodians of sacred boundaries, singers of psalms, and yes, bakers of ritual bread. Mattithiah, firstborn of Shallum, descendant of Kore, son of Ebiasaph, son of Korach, holds the "set office" over these baked grain offerings.

It’s not just a random assignment or assured income. It’s a redemption story.

What’s holy here isn’t just the pancake. It’s the possible path from the pits of rebellion to the pans of daily devotion and participation in the cult-practice, on the inside. It may not be as glorious as the high priest’s role but it is as close to the plate as it gets. Could this be a reference to the rebellion that was crushed but not forgotten? Or an indication of the evolution of the levitical roles?

Perhaps Mattithiah’s legacy is about quiet continuity. The Chronicler doesn’t erase the pain of the past—he reframes it. Korah’s name lingers, but in service, not shame. When we read the psalms we also recognized the Sons of Korach as a repeated trope, indicating their legacy as part of the musical lineage of the Levites.

And maybe this is a helpful teaching for us in these fragile times and continued rage against the powers in charge.

We carry inherited wounds. But within the choreography of sacred community, every task matters. Every thread, when held with care, helps to weave the collective tapestry of holiness. There is humility in this holy task and there is honor.

So here’s to Mattithiah’s legacy: Frying up daily pancakes, each morning, with ancestral memory in his hands. He reminds us to elevate each task, to pay attention to each detail, to cook up redemption and appreciate each grain of sacred substance as an offering of devotion and commitment to the evolution of equality, equity, pride and purpose.

Next time you enjoy a morning pancake or a festive latke- remember the pancake priests and honor all the ways we can heal discord, demand justice, feed our need for grace, and elevate peace in the world.

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