the Week of Proper 26 / Ordinary 31
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Bible Encyclopedias
Cockle
Kitto's Popular Cyclopedia of Biblical Literature
or This word occurs in the singular form in , and in the plural form in; , where, however, it is rendered 'wild grapes.' It is probable that the same plant is referred to in these two passages; but difficulties have here, as elsewhere, been experienced in ascertaining the precise plant intended. All, however, are agreed that some useless, if not noxious, herb must be understood in both cases. The probability is in favor of its being the ox's grape or wolf-grape, either of which somewhat resembles the grape in the form of its berried fruit, but is very different in its properties, being narcotic and poisonous. Hasselquist, in reference to the passage of Isaiah, says, 'I am inclined to believe that the prophet here means the hoary nightshade, because it is common in Egypt and Palestine, and the Arabian name agrees well with it. The Arabs call it anib-el-dib, i.e. wolf-grape. The prophet could not have found a plant more opposite to the vine than this, for it grows much in the vineyards, and is very pernicious to them, wherefore they root it out: it likewise resembles a vine by its shrubby stalk.'
Public Domain.
Kitto, John, ed. Entry for 'Cockle'. "Kitto's Popular Cyclopedia of Biblical Literature". https://www.studylight.org/encyclopedias/eng/kbe/c/cockle.html.
