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Bible Dictionaries
Honey
Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary
or דבש . It is probable, that it was is order to keep the Jews at a distance from the customs of the Heathen, who were used to offer honey in their sacrifices, that God forbade it to be offered to him, that is to say, burnt upon the altar, Leviticus 2:11; but at the same time he commanded that the first-fruits of it should be presented. These first-fruits and offerings were designed for the support and sustenance of the priests, and were not consumed upon the altar. In hot weather, the honey burst the comb, and ran down the hollow trees or rocks, where, in the land of Judea, the bees deposited great store of it. This, flowing spontaneously, was the best and most delicious, as it was quite pure, and clear from all dregs and wax. The Israelites called it יערה , wood honey. It is therefore improperly rendered "honeycomb," 1 Samuel 14:27; Song of Solomon 5:1; in both which places it means the honey that has distilled from the trees, as distinguished from the domestic, which was eaten with the comb. Hasselquist says, that between Acra and Nazareth, great numbers of wild bees breed, to the advantage of the inhabitants; and Maundrell observes of the great plain near Jericho, that he perceived in it, in many places, a smell of honey and wax as strong as if he had been in an apiary. Milk and honey were the chief dainties of the earlier ages, and continue to be so of the Bedoween Arabs now. So butter and honey are several times mentioned in Scripture as among the most delicious refreshments, 2 Samuel 17:29; Job 20:17; Song of Solomon 4:11; Isaiah 7:15 . Thus Irby and Mangles, in their Travels, relate, "They gave us some honey and butter together, with bread to dip in it, Narsah desiring one of his men to mix the two ingredients for us, as we were awkward at it. The Arab, having stirred the mixture up well with his fingers, showed his dexterity at consuming, as well as mixing, and recompensed himself for his trouble by eating half of it." The wild honey, μελι αγριον , mentioned to have been a part of the food of John the Baptist, Matthew 3:4 , was probably such as he got in the rocks and hollows of trees. Thus, "honey out of the stony rock,"
Psalms 81:16; Deuteronomy 32:13 .
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Watson, Richard. Entry for 'Honey'. Richard Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/wtd/h/honey.html. 1831-2.
