Discusses the role of plants and agriculture in biblical society and describes the various plants mentioned in the Old and New Testaments

This book celebrates the plants of the Old Testament and New Testament, including the Apocrypha, and of the Quran. From acacia, the wood of the tabernacle, to wormwood, whose bitter leaves cured intestinal worms, 81 fascinating chapters—covering every plant that has a true botanical counterpart—tell the stories of the fruits and grains, grasses and trees, flowers and fragrances of ancient lore. The descriptions include the plants' botanical characteristics, habitat, uses, and literary context. With evocative quotations and revelatory interpretations, this information is all the more critical today as the traditional agrarian societies that knew the plants intimately become urbanized. The unusually broad geographic range of this volume extends beyond Israel to encompass the Holy Land's biblical neighbors from southern Turkey to central Sudan and from Cyprus to the Iraq border. Richly illustrated with extensive color photography and with a foreword by the incomparable Garrison Keillor, this delightful ecumenical botany offers the welcome tonic of a deep look into an enduring, shared natural heritage.

""With original illustrations, this beautiful gift book clarifies the biblical references to fifty plants in four categories-trees and shrubs, edible plants, medicine and incense, and flowers-and provides delightful new insights into the Bible. Includes indexes to each plant and corresponding Scripture references, a calendar of Jewish festivals and their associated plants, and tips for growing your own backyard Bible garden""--

Many American plants also grew in the Mediterranean world of Biblical times. This sound and accurate reference describes trees, herbs, flowers, grains, reeds, and other plants, telling both Bible stories and sayings associated with them. Entries include general planting instructions, requirements, and descriptions. 16 illustrations.

This book describes and illustrates each plant mentioned in the Old and New Testaments and the Apocrypha. The book draws on Lytton John Musselman's extensive field investigations from Beirut to Borneo and from the Atlas to the Zagros mountains and includes his original images of each plant. Incorporating new research on their use, the text also reviews recent analytical studies of plants used in materials and technology as well as ancient grains, beer production, medicine, tensile materials, soap, and other articles. Based on these materials, Musselman provides several new plant identifications for controversial biblical passages. In addition, the book surveys the history of Bible plant literature from the time of the Greeks and Romans to the present and reviews and correlates it with Bible plant hermeneutics. To aid readers, extensive references for further study are provided, along with an index to all verses containing references to these plants, which enables the reader to quickly locate the plant of interest in its textual setting.

Presents botanical illustrations of familiar and exotic flowers, trees, and plants mentioned in the accompanying Bible verses and selections.

First published in 2005. This reference guide includes 230 identified plants mentioned in the bible, currently known of from the present day knowledge of Biblical botany. It includes translations from Hebrew into English, biblical cross-referencing, as well as illustrations and a section on unidentified plants.