List of plants in the Bible
 | This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (February 2017) |
 |
This article lists plants referenced in the
Tenakh) are given with their Hebrew name, while those mentioned in the New Testament are given with their Greek
names.
A
| Name in Bible | Plant name | Scientific name | References |
|---|---|---|---|
| סנה səneh | Blackberry
|
Loranthus acaciae
|
Exodus 3:2 |
| שטה šiṭṭāh | Acacia, Spirale
|
Acacia raddiana
|
Exodus 25:10 |
| אלמגים ’almuggîm | Almug tree; traditionally thought to denominate Red Sandalwood and/or White Sandalwood, but a few claim it is Juniper |
Pterocarpus santalinus Santalum album Juniperus excelsa |
1 Kings 10:11, 12
|
| שקד šāqêḏ | Almond | Amygdalus communis
|
Genesis 43:11 |
| אהלים ’ăhālîm | Agarwood ("Aloe") | Aquilaria malaccensis | Proverbs 7:17 |
| κρίνον, krinon | Anemone | Anemone coronaria | Matthew 6:28 |
| ἄνηθον, anēthon | Anise or Dill | Anethum graveolens
|
Matthew 23:23 |
| תפוחי tappūaḥ | citron
|
Citrus medica
|
Genesis 2:7; Job 31:39; Jeremiah 15:9 |
B–E
| Name in Bible | Plant name | Scientific name | References |
|---|---|---|---|
| בשם bōśem, בכא bəḵā’îm | Balsam | Commiphora gileadensis[1] | Exodus, Songs |
| שערה śə‘ōrāh | Barley | Hordeum vulgare
|
Ezekiel 4:9
|
| אזרח bā’ezrāḥ | Bay | Laurus nobilis | Psalm 37:35 |
| בדלח bəḏōlaḥ | Bdellium | Commiphora africana | Genesis 2:12; Numbers 11:7 |
| פול p̄ōl | Bean | Vicia faba | Ezekiel 4:9
|
| תאשור ṯə’aššūr | Box | Buxus sempervirens | Isaiah 41:19 |
| צנ tsin | Boxthorn
|
Lycium europaeum | Proverbs 22:5 |
| אטד ’āṭāḏ | Bramble | Rubus ulmifolius | Judges 9:15 |
| רתם rōṯem | Broom | Spartium junceum
|
1 Kings 19:4
|
| גמא gōme | Bulrush or Papyrus |
Typha spp. Cyperus papyrus |
Exodus 2:3, Job 40:21 (ABP and NETS) |
| אביונה ’ăḇîyōnāh | Caper, Desire
|
Capparis spinosa
|
Ecclesiastes 12:5 |
| κεράτιον, keration | Carob and Locust
|
Ceratonia siliqua
|
Luke 15:16, Matthew 3:1 |
| קדה qiddāh | Cassia | Cinnamomum iners | Exodus 30:24, Psalm 45:8, Job 42:14 |
| קיקיון qîqōnāh | Castor Oil Tree ("Jonah's gourd")
|
Ricinus communis
|
Jonah 4 :9
|
| ארז ’ārez | Cedar of Lebanon
|
Cedrus libani | 2 Kings 19:23
|
| קנמון qinnāmōn | Cinnamon
|
Cinnamomum zeylanicum
|
Proverbs 7:17 |
| באשה ḇā’əšāh | Cockle or Stinkweed | Agrostemma githago | Job 31:40 |
| גד gad | Coriander
|
Coriandrum sativum
|
Exodus 16:31 |
| כרפס karpas | Cotton | Gossypium herbaceum | Esther 1:6 |
| חבצלת ḥăḇatseleṯ | Crocus | Crocus sativus | Song of Solomon 2:1, Isaiah 35 :1
|
| קשא qiššu’a | Cucumber | Cucumis melo | Numbers 11:5 |
| כמן kammōn; κύμινον, kuminon | Cumin | Cuminum cyminum
|
Isaiah 28:27 |
| קצח qetsaḥ | Cumin, Black | Nigella sativa | Isaiah 44:14 |
| תרזה tirzāh | Cypress | Cupressus sempervirens | Isaiah 44:14 |
| ברוש bərōš | fir
|
Cupressus sempervirens | Isaiah 44:14 |
| תמר tāmār φοίνιξ, phoinix |
Date Palm
|
Phoenix dactylifera
|
Song of Solomon 5:11; 7:7, 8, John 12:13
|
| דביונים diḇyōnîm | Dove's Dung | Ornithogalum narbonense | 2 Kings 6:25
|
| תדהר tiḏhār | Elm | Ulmus minor subsp. canescens | Song of Solomon 5:11; 7:7, 8, John 12 :13
|
F–I
| Name in Bible | Plant name | Scientific name | References |
|---|---|---|---|
| תאנ ṯə’ênāh | Fig
|
Ficus carica
|
Joel 1:7
|
| ארן ’ōren | Fir | Abies cilicica | 1 Kings etc.
|
| פשתה pešeth | Flax
|
Linum usitatissimum
|
Proverbs 31:13 |
| פרח peraḥ | Flowers, unidentified | 1 Kings 7:26
| |
| לבונה ləḇōnāh | Frankincense | Boswellia thurifera
|
Matthew 2:10, 11 |
| שום šūm | Garlic | Allium sativum
|
Numbers 11:5 |
| ענב ‘ănāḇ | Grape | Vitis vinifera | Genesis 40:10 etc. |
| חציר ḥătsîr | Grass
|
Numbers 11:5 | |
| כמשכת חדק kimśuḵaṯ ḥāḏeq | Hedge of Thorns | Solanum incanum | Proverbs 15:19[2] |
| ראש rōš | Hemlock or gall | Conium maculatum, Papaver somniferum | Amos 6:12 |
| כפר kōp̄er | Henna | Lawsonia inermis | Song of Solomon 1:14
|
| אזוב ’êzōḇ ὕσσωπος, hysōpos |
Hyssop
|
Hyssopus officinalis | Leviticus 14:52
|
| קטרת qaṭṭərāh | Incense | Boswellia sacra | Hosea 4:13 |
| שושנ šōšannāh | Iris (then denominated "Lily") | Iris palaestina | 1 Kings 7:22
|
J–M
| Name in Bible | Plant name | Scientific name | References |
|---|---|---|---|
| n/a | Judas Tree | Cercis siliquastrum | Matthew 27:5 |
| ערוער ‘ărō‘êr | Juniper | Juniperus excelsa | Jeremiah 17:6, 48:6 |
| ἄκανθα, akantha | Jujube | Ziziphus spina-christi | Matthew 27:29 |
| חציר ḥātsîr | Leek | Allium porrum
|
Numbers 11:5 |
| עדש ‘ăḏāša | Lentil
|
Lens esculenta
|
Ezekiel 4:9
|
| שושנת העמקים šōwōšannaṯ hā-‘ămāqîm | Lily-of-the-valley
|
Convallaria majalis
|
Song of Solomon 2:1
|
| שש šêš | Linen
|
Linum usitatissimum
|
Exodus 35:25 |
| צאל tse’ĕlîm | Lotus | Nelumbo nucifera | Job 40:21–22 |
| מלוח mallūaḥ | Mallow | Atriplex halimus | Job 30:4 |
| מלוח ḏūḏā’î | Mandrake
|
Mandragora autumnalis | Genesis 30:15 |
| מן man | Manna
|
Alhagi camelorum
|
Numbers 11:7 |
| ἡδύοσμον, hēduosmon | Mint | Mentha spp. | Matthew 23:23 |
| σίναπι, sinapi | Mustard | Brassica nigra
|
Matthew 13:31 |
| לט lōṭ | Myrrh | Commiphora guidotti | Genesis 37:25, 43:11 |
| הדס hăḏas | Myrtle | Myrtus communis | Isaiah 55:13 |
N–R
| Name in Bible | Plant name | Scientific name | References |
|---|---|---|---|
| סרפד sirpaḏ | Nettle | Acanthus spinosus | Isaiah 55:13 |
| בטנ beten | Pistachio | Pistacia vera
|
Song of Solomon 6:11
|
| אלונ ’allōn | Oak
|
Quercus calliprinos
|
Joshua 24:26 |
| זית zāyiṯ | Olive
|
Olea europaea
|
Judges 9:9 |
| בצל bətsāl | Onion | Allium cepa
|
Numbers 11:5 |
| ערמון ‘armōn | Plane | Platanus orientalis | Ezekiel 31:8, Genesis 30:37 |
| רמונ rimmōn | Pomegranate | Punica granatum
|
Song of Solomon 7:12
|
| לבנה liḇneh | Poplar species | Populus spp. | Isaiah 44:4 |
| חלמות ḥallāmūṯ | Purslane | Portulaca oleracea | Job 6:6 |
| אבה ’êḇeh | Reed (see also Cane) | Phragmites | Ezekiel 40:vv., Job 40:21 |
| πήγανον, pēganon | Rue
|
Ruta graveolens | Luke 11:42 |
| אגמון ’aḡmōn | Rush | Juncus spp. | Isaiah 9:14 |
S
| Name in Bible | Plant name | Scientific name | References |
|---|---|---|---|
| כרכם karkōmn | Saffron | Crocus sativus | Song of Solomon 4:14[b]
|
| כסמת kussemeṯ | Spelt | Triticum spelta
|
Ezekiel 4:9
|
| נרד nêrəd | Spikenard | Nardostachys jatamansi | Song of Solomon 4:14
|
| נטפ nāṭāf | Storax
|
Styrax officinalis, Liquidambar orientalis | Exodus 30:34 |
| συκάμινος, sykaminos | Sycamine Fig-mulberry or Mulberry
|
Ficus sycomorus, Morus nigra or Morus alba | Luke 17:6 |
T–Z
| Name in Bible | Plant name | Scientific name | References |
|---|---|---|---|
| אשל ’ešel | Tamarisk | Tamarix aphylla | Genesis 21:33 |
| ζιζάνιον, zizanion | "Tares", Darnel[3][4] | Lolium temulentum | Matthew 13:25–40 |
| אלה ’êlāh | Terebinth
|
Pistacia terebinthus | 2 Samuel 18:9
|
| חוח ḥōwaḥ | Thistle | Cardueae | 2 Chronicles 25:18
|
| קוצ qōts | Thorn, thornbush | Vachellia tortilis or similar | Jeremiah 4:3 |
| θύϊνος, thyinos | Thyine Wood | Tetraclinis articulata
|
Revelation 18:12 |
| עצ ‘êts | Timber
|
2 Kings 12:12
| |
| השרון שושנת hă-ḇatseleṯ ha-Šārōn | Tulip Sharon | Tulipa agenensis | Song of Solomon 2:1
|
| אגוז ’ĕḡōz | Walnut | Juglans regia | 43:11 |
| אבטיח ’ăḇaṭṭiḥ | Watermelon | Citrullus lanatus
|
Numbers 11:5 |
| חטה ḥiṭṭāh חנטא ḥinṭa’ |
Wheat | Triticum aestivum
|
Ezekiel 4:9
|
| ערב ‘ărāḇ | Willow | Salix alba | Job 40:22 |
| ἄψινθος, apsinthos לענה la‘ănāh |
Wormwood | Artemisia absinthium | Revelation 8:11
|
Notes
- ^ To change a "p" to "f" in Hebrew a dot is changed; the word indicates that which is distinguished by its fragrance; it derives from the root "na·phach?" denoting "blow, pant, struggle for breath" (see Genesis 2:7; Job 31:39; Jeremiah 15:9); regarding this, M. C. Fisher wrote that "relationship [to na·phach?] seems at first semantically strained, but the ideas of 'breathe' and 'exhale an odor' are related. The by-form puah means both 'blow' (of wind) and 'exhale a pleasant odor, be fragrant.'" (see Proverbs 25:11)
- ^ referenced as the plant or the product consisting of its stigmas?
See also
References
- Commiphora opobalsamum(L.) Engl."
- ^ Zohar Amar, Flora of the Bible: A New Investigation Aimed at Identifying All of the Plants of the Bible in Light of Jewish Sources and Scientific Research, Jerusalem, 2012, p. 220 (s. v. חדק)
- ^ H. G. Liddell and R. Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon, Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1843–1996, under "ζιζάνια". The plural form "Zizania" has modernly denominated in botany wild rice.
- ^ Thayer's Lexicon: ζιζάνια
- ISBN 9780802825438.
Sources
- Hepper, F. Nigel (2000). Planting a Bible Garden (illustrated ed.). Lion Hudson PLC. ISBN 9781859851869.
- Post, G.E. Bible Dictionary Contributions
- Zohary, Michael (1982) Plants of the Bible. New York: Cambridge University Press.
External links
- All of the Plants of the Bible
- Biblical Gardens
- Plants of the Bible, Missouri Botanical Garden
- Project "Bibelgarten im Karton" (biblical garden in a cardboard box) of a social and therapeutic horticultural group (handicapped persons) named "Flowerpower" from Germany
- List of biblical gardens in Europe
- Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). . Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
- Biblical Botanical Gardens Society USA
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