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Bible Encyclopedias
Plant
Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature
or 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. ἄνηθον, which means rather dill; an aromatic herb mentioned by Christ (Matthew 23:23). (See ANISE).
2. Barley, the frequent rendering of the Hebrew seorah', שְׂעֹרָה, and of the Greek κριθή , as in Revelation 6:6; John 6:9; John 6:13. (See BARLEY).
3. Bean, Heb. po, פּוֹל, as in 2 Samuel 17:28; Ezekiel 4:9. (See BEAN).
4. Caper-berry, Heb. abiyonah', אֲבַיּוֹנָה, desire (Ecclesiastes 12:5). (See CAPER-PLANT).
5. Cinnamon is the rendering of the Hebrew kinnamon', קַנָּמוֹן (Exodus 30:23), and of the Greek κινάμωμον (Revelation 18:13). (See CINNAMON).
6. Coriander represents the Hebrew gad, גִּד, in most ancient versions, as the Sept. and Vulg., in Exodus 16:31; Numbers 11:7; but the Chaldee and Samaritan vary. (See CORIANDER).
7. Cucumber translates the Hebrew kisshu, קַשֻּׁא (Numbers 11:5); and wild cucumbers appear to be meant in 2 Kings 4:39bypakkuoth', פִּקֻעוֹת, where our version has wild gourds. (See CUCUMBER); (See GOURD).
8. Cummin stands for the Hebrew kammon, כִּמּן (Isaiah 28:25; Isaiah 28:27); and in the New Test. for the Greek κύμινον, which is simply an adoption of the Hebrew. (See CUMMIN).
9. Doves' dung our version gives for charey yonim, חֲרֵי יוֹנַים, which is probably some kind of vegetable food, perhaps kali, though the rendering given is the literal translation (2 Kings 6:25). (See DOVES DUNG).
10. Fitches is given by the A. V. in Isaiah 28:25; Isaiah 28:27 for the Hebrew ketsach, קֶצִח, which, according to the Sept., Vulg., and rabbins, is a kind of fennel flower, as black cummin. In Ezekiel 4:9 the word kusse'meth, כֻּסֶמֶת, is rendered fitchles, but it seems to mean properly snelt. (See FITCHES); (See RYE).
11. Garlic is the Hebrew שׁוּם, shuim (Numbers 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. בְּאֻשַׁים (Isaiah 5:2; Isaiah 5:4), wild grapes, i.e. bad grapes. Aquila has σαπρίαι, Symm. ἀτελῆ .
(b) Bo'ser, בֹּסֶר (Isaiah 18:5; Jeremiah 31:24; Jeremiah 31:30; Ezekiel 18:2), sour or unripe grapes; Sept. ὄμφαξ.
(c) Chartsdn, חִרְצִן, sour grapes, kernels (Numbers 6:4), and of the Greek σταφυλή , bunch of grapes (Matthew 7:16; Luke 6:44; Revelation 14:18). (See GRAPE).
14. Leek (in Numbers 11:5) renders חָצַיר, chatsir', which elsewhere is translated grass, i.e. greens. (See GRASS); (See LEEKS).
15. Lentil renders Heb. adash', עָדָשׁ (Genesis 25:34; 2 Samuel 17:28; 2 Samuel 23:11; Ezekiel 4:9). (See LENTIL).
16. Mallows is for the Heb. malluach, מִלּוּחִ, properly sea purslain (Job 30:4). (See MALLOWS).
17. Mandrake is the Heb. dudaim, דּוּדָאַים, love-apples (Genesis 30:14 : Song of Solomon 7:13). (See MANDRAKE).
18. Manna, Heb. man, מָן, 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 Numbers 11:5 as the rendering of the Hebrew abattichim', אֲבִטַּיחַים . (See MELON).
20. Millet (in Ezekiel 4:9) represents the Hebrew dochan, דֹחָן; it is the holchuis dochna (Linn.). (See MILLET).
21. Mint (in Matthew 23:23; Luke 11:42) is the Greek ἡδύοσμον, i.e. sweet-scented; the mentha virides of Linn. (See MINT).
22. Mustard (in Matthew 13:31; Matthew 17:20; Mark 4:31; Luke 13:19; Luke 17:6) is the Greek σίναπι; the sinapis orientalis. (See MUSTARD).
23. Olive universally is given in the A.V. where the Hebrew za'yith, זִיַת, is used. In 1 Kings 6:23 the word olive-tree renders the Heb. ets-shemen,
עֵצ שֶמֶן , lit. the tree of fatness. The same expression is rendered oiltree (Isaiah 4:19) and pine (Nehemiah 8:15). (See OLIVE).
24. Onion is in Heb. be'tsel, בֶּצֶל, as Numbers 11:5. (See ONION).
25. Parched-corn is the Heb. kali, קִלַי or קָלַיא; it is wheat or barley roasted in the ear and then rubbed out; perhaps occasionally some kind of pulse (1 Samuel 17:17). (See PARCHED-CORN).
26. Pistachio-nuts, in Heb. botnim', בָּטְנַם (Genesis 43:11), a kind of nut of oblong shape, and taking this name from beten, בֶּטֶן, the belly, in allusion to their form. (See NUTS).
27. Pomegranate renders the Heb. rimmon, רַמּוֹן, in many passages. (See POMEGRANATE).
28. Purslain is the Heb. challamuth', חִלָּמוּת, 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 (1 Samuel 25:18; 1 Samuel 30:12; 2 Samuel 16:1; 1 Chronicles 12:40), translates the Heb. tsimmtik, צַמּוּק. (See RAISINS).
30. Rye (in Exodus 9:32; Isaiah 28:25) translates the Heb. kussemeth, כֻּסֶמֶת, which means a smooth grain, spelt. See No. 10, above, and (See RYE).
31. Vine, Heb. sorek, שׂרֶק, or sorekdh, שׂרֶקָה, is a peculiar kind of grapevine. Thus, choice vine (Genesis 49:11); choicest vine (Isaiah 5:2); noble vine (Jeremiah 2:21. (See VINE).
32. Wheat in general is the Heb. chittah, חַטָּה, of which the plural in Chaldee is chintim', חַנְטַים, as Ezra 6:9; Ezra 7:22; and in the New Test. is σῖτος, a general name for grain, which is also rendered "corn" (Mark 4:28; Acts 7:12).
II. Among flowering plants we notice the following:
1. Lily is the Heb. shushan', שׁוֹשִׁן (1 Kings 7:19), and shoshan, שׁוֹשִׁן (Song of Solomon 2:16; Song of Solomon 4:5; Song of Solomon 5:13; Song of Solomon 6:2-3; Song of Solomon 7:3; 1 Kings 7:22; 1 Kings 7:26). The word means a musical instrument shaped like a lily, as Psalms 60:1; Psalms 69:1. Also Heb. shoshannah, שׁוֹשִׁנָּה, but only in the first sense, as 2 Chronicles 4:5; Song of Solomon 2:1-2; Hosea 14:6. (See LILY); (See MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS).
2. Myrtle (in Nehemiah 8:15; Isaiah 41:19; Zechariah 1:8; Zechariah 1:10-11) represents the Heb. hadds, הֲדִס . (See MYRTLE).
3. Rose, Heb. chabatstseleth, חֲבִצֶּלֶת, is properly the meadow saffron (colchicum autumale, Linn.) (Song of Solomon 2:1; Isaiah 35:1). (See ROSE).
4. Saffron, Heb. karknm, כִּרְכֹּם; Sept. κρόκος (Song of Solomon 4:14), may refer to both kinds of saffron, the common and the Indian. (See SAFFRON).
5. Sedge, Heb. אָחוּ, csm, rendered meadow in Genesis 41:2; Genesis 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 ζιζάνιον, properly darnel (Matthew 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', צַרַי, opobalsamum (Genesis 43:11; Genesis 37:25; Jeremiah 8:22; Jeremiah 46:11; Jeremiah 51:8; Ezekiel 27:17). (See BALM).
2. Camphire, Heb. kopher, כֹּפֶר, rendered pitch (Genesis 6:14); in Song of Solomon 1:14; Song of Solomon 4:13, refers to the el-henna of the Arabs, a shrub with fragrant white flowers. (See CAMPHIRE); (See PITCH).
3. Hyssop, Heb. ezob, אֵזוֹב, and Greek ὕσωπος . (See HYSSOP).
4. Myrrh, Heb. lot, לֹט, a fragrant resinous gum from the leaves of a shrub, the cistus ladanifera. Sept. and Vulg. stacte, myrrh (Genesis 37:25; Genesis 43:11). Also Heb. mor, מֹר or מוֹר, a bitter aromatic resin distilling in tears from a tree, the balsamodendron myrrha. (See MYRRH).
5. Rue, Greek πήγανον, the ruta graveolens of Linn. (See RUE). See, for the plants of Palestine in general, (See BOTANY).
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McClintock, John. Strong, James. Entry for 'Plant'. Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature. https://www.studylight.org/encyclopedias/eng/tce/p/plant.html. Harper & Brothers. New York. 1870.
