Online Resource Library
Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadMcClintock Biblical Encyclopedia: Plant
Subjects in this Topic:
Under this general term we classify and explain the several plants mentioned in Scripture, as edible, flowering, or medicinal, in order.
I. Edible Plants. — Among these, with which we number also aromas and spices, may be noticed:
1. Anise, Gr. ἄíçèïí , which means rather dill; an aromatic herb mentioned by Christ (Mat_23:23). SEE ANISE.
2. Barley, the frequent rendering of the Hebrew seorah', ùְׂòֹøָä , and of the Greek êñéèή , as in Rev_6:6; Joh_6:9; Joh_6:13. SEE BARLEY.
3. Bean, Heb. po, ôּåֹì , as in 2Sa_17:28; Eze_4:9. SEE BEAN.
4. Caper-berry, Heb. abiyonah', àֲáַéּåֹðָä , desire (Ecc_12:5). SEE CAPER-PLANT.
5. Cinnamon is the rendering of the Hebrew kinnamon', ÷ַðָּîåֹï (Exo_30:23), and of the Greek êéíÜìùìïí (Rev_18:13). SEE CINNAMON.
6. Coriander represents the Hebrew gad, âִּã , in most ancient versions, as the Sept. and Vulg., in Exo_16:31; Num_11:7; but the Chaldee and Samaritan vary. SEE CORIANDER.
7. Cucumber translates the Hebrew kisshu, ÷ַùֻּׁà (Num_11:5); and wild cucumbers appear to be meant in 2Ki_4:39 bypakkuoth', ôִּ÷ֻòåֹú , where our version has wild gourds. SEE CUCUMBER; SEE GOURD.
8. Cummin stands for the Hebrew kammon, ëִּîּï (Isa_28:25; Isa_28:27); and in the New Test. for the Greek êýìéíïí , which is simply an adoption of the Hebrew. SEE CUMMIN.
9. Doves' dung our version gives for charey yonim, çֲøֵé éåֹðַéí , which is probably some kind of vegetable food, perhaps kali, though the rendering given is the literal translation (2Ki_6:25). SEE DOVES DUNG.
10. Fitches is given by the A. V. in Isa_28:25; Isa_28:27 for the Hebrew ketsach, ÷ֶöִç , which, according to the Sept., Vulg., and rabbins, is a kind of fennel flower, as black cummin. In Eze_4:9 the word kusse'meth, ëֻּñֶîֶú , is rendered fitchles, but it seems to mean properly snelt. SEE FITCHES; SEE RYE.
11. Garlic is the Hebrew ùׁåּí , shuim (Num_11:5). SEE GARLIC.
12. Gourd. SEE CUCUMBER; SEE GOURD.
13. Grape is the rendering of several Hebrew words; some of them distinguishing particular kinds or qualities:
(a) beiishtm. áְּàֻùַׁéí (Isa_5:2; Isa_5:4), wild grapes, i.e. bad grapes. Aquila has óáðñßáé , Symm. ἀôåëῆ .
(b) Bo'ser, áֹּñֶø (Isa_18:5; Jer_31:24; Jer_31:30; Eze_18:2), sour or unripe grapes; Sept. ὄìöáî .
(c) Chartsdn, çִøְöִï , sour grapes, kernels (Num_6:4), and of the Greek óôáöõëή , bunch of grapes (Mat_7:16; Luk_6:44; Rev_14:18). SEE GRAPE.
14. Leek (in Num_11:5) renders çָöַéø , chatsir', which elsewhere is translated grass, i.e. greens. SEE GRASS; SEE LEEKS.
15. Lentil renders Heb. adash', òָãָùׁ (Gen_25:34; 2Sa_17:28; 2Sa_23:11; Eze_4:9). SEE LENTIL.
16. Mallows is for the Heb. malluach, îִìּåּçִ , properly sea purslain (Job_30:4). SEE MALLOWS.
17. Mandrake is the Heb. dudaim, ãּåּãָàַéí , love-apples (Gen_30:14 : Son_7:13). SEE MANDRAKE.
18. Manna, Heb. man, îָï , a sweet resin distilling from the leaves of tamarisk trees, of several species, especially the tamarix Gallica mannifera, from punctures made by an insect, the coccus manniparus. SEE MANNA.
19. Melon is found in Num_11:5 as the rendering of the Hebrew abattichim', àֲáִèַּéçַéí . SEE MELON.
20. Millet (in Eze_4:9) represents the Hebrew dochan, ãֹçָï ; it is the holchuis dochna (Linn.). SEE MILLET.
21. Mint (in Mat_23:23; Luk_11:42) is the Greek ἡäýïóìïí , i.e. sweet-scented; the mentha virides of Linn. SEE MINT.
22. Mustard (in Mat_13:31; Mat_17:20; Mar_4:31; Luk_13:19; Luk_17:6) is the Greek óßíáðé ; the sinapis orientalis. SEE MUSTARD.
23. Olive universally is given in the A.V. where the Hebrew za'yith, æִéַú , is used. In 1Ki_6:23 the word olive-tree renders the Heb. ets-shemen,
òֵö ùֶîֶï , lit. the tree of fatness. The same expression is rendered oiltree (Isaiah 4:19) and pine (Neh_8:15). SEE OLIVE.
24. Onion is in Heb. be'tsel, áֶּöֶì , as Num_11:5. SEE ONION.
25. Parched-corn is the Heb. kali, ÷ִìַé or ÷ָìַéà ; it is wheat or barley roasted in the ear and then rubbed out; perhaps occasionally some kind of pulse (1Sa_17:17). SEE PARCHED-CORN.
26. Pistachio-nuts, in Heb. botnim',
áָּèְðַí
(Gen_43:11), a kind of nut of oblong shape, and taking this name from beten,
áֶּèֶï
, the belly, in allusion to their form. SEE NUTS.
27. Pomegranate renders the Heb. rimmon,
øַîּåֹï
, in many passages. SEE POMEGRANATE.28. Purslain is the Heb. challamuth', çִìָּîåּú , according to the Syriac. Our version has egg (Job_6:6), “white of an egg,” which is certainly wrong. See Gesen. Thesaur. s.v., and SEE PURSLAIN.
29. Raisins, bunches of (1Sa_25:18; 1Sa_30:12; 2Sa_16:1; 1Ch_12:40), translates the Heb. tsimmtik, öַîּåּ÷ . SEE RAISINS.
30. Rye (in Exo_9:32; Isa_28:25) translates the Heb. kussemeth, ëֻּñֶîֶú , which means a smooth grain, spelt. See No. 10, above, and SEE RYE.
31. Vine, Heb. sorek, ùׂøֶ÷ , or sorekdh, ùׂøֶ÷ָä , is a peculiar kind of grapevine. Thus, choice vine (Gen_49:11); choicest vine (Isa_5:2); noble vine (Jer_2:21. SEE VINE.
32. Wheat in general is the Heb. chittah, çַèָּä , of which the plural in Chaldee is chintim', çַðְèַéí , as Ezr_6:9; Ezr_7:22; and in the New Test. is óῖôïò , a general name for grain, which is also rendered “corn” (Mar_4:28; Act_7:12).
II. Among flowering plants we notice the following:
1. Lily is the Heb. shushan', ùׁåֹùִׁï (1Ki_7:19), and shoshan, ùׁåֹùִׁï (Son_2:16; Son_4:5; Son_5:13; Son_6:2-3; Son_7:3; 1Ki_7:22; 1Ki_7:26). The word means a musical instrument shaped like a lily, as Psa_60:1; Psa_69:1. Also Heb. shoshannah, ùׁåֹùִׁðָּä , but only in the first sense, as 2Ch_4:5; Son_2:1-2; Hos_14:6. SEE LILY; SEE MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.
2. Myrtle (in Neh_8:15; Isa_41:19; Zec_1:8; Zec_1:10-11) represents the Heb. hadds, äֲãִñ . SEE MYRTLE.
3. Rose, Heb. chabatstseleth, çֲáִöֶּìֶú , is properly the meadow saffron (colchicum autumale, Linn.) (Son_2:1; Isa_35:1). SEE ROSE.
4. Saffron, Heb. karknm, ëִּøְëֹּí ; Sept. êñüêïò (Son_4:14), may refer to both kinds of saffron, the common and the Indian. SEE SAFFRON.
5. Sedge, Heb. àָçåּ , csm, rendered meadow in Gen_41:2; Gen_41:18, flag in Job_8:11, is an Egyptian word, applied to all kinds of grassy growth in marshes. SEE REED.
6. Tare is the Greek æéæÜíéïí , properly darnel (Mat_13:25 sq.). SEE TARE.
7. Thorn is the translation of many Hebrew words, for the meanings of which SEE THORN.
III. Of medicinal plants we name the following:
1. Balm, “balm of Gilead,” Heb. tsori', öַøַé , opobalsamum (Gen_43:11; Gen_37:25; Jer_8:22; Jer_46:11; Jer_51:8; Eze_27:17). SEE BALM.
2. Camphire, Heb. kopher, ëֹּôֶø , rendered pitch (Gen_6:14); in Son_1:14; Son_4:13, refers to the el-henna of the Arabs, a shrub with fragrant white flowers. SEE CAMPHIRE; SEE PITCH.
3. Hyssop, Heb. ezob, àֵæåֹá , and Greek ὕóùðïò . SEE HYSSOP.
4. Myrrh, Heb. lot, ìֹè , a fragrant resinous gum from the leaves of a shrub, the cistus ladanifera. Sept. and Vulg. stacte, myrrh (Gen_37:25; Gen_43:11). Also Heb. mor, îֹø or îåֹø , a bitter aromatic resin distilling in tears from a tree, the balsamodendron myrrha. SEE MYRRH.
5. Rue, Greek ðήãáíïí , the ruta graveolens of Linn. SEE RUE. See, for the plants of Palestine in general, SEE BOTANY.