During my long official connection with the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, I was often appealed to by visitors and others for information respecting the plants of the Bible, some requesting to be shown the shittim, sycamore, and sycamore trees, the Rose of Sharon, sweet-smelling camphire, and so more, they, at the same time, saying that they were well acquainted with the plants growing in parks and gardens in this country known to them by the same names as those given in the Bible. They were, however, much surprised when told that many, such as hyssop, balm, myrrh, Lily of the Valley, tares, nuts, apple, and chestnut trees, spoken of in the Bible, were quite different from the plants known by those names in this country.
The number of names of plants, and of plant products, mentioned in the Bible, amounts to about one hundred; and in the authorized version, their Hebrew names, with few exceptions, have been translated into English names. Many of them have been correctly identified with those of the present day, and, as already stated, some differ; while a few cannot be identified with any degree of certainty. This is, no doubt, partly due to the original translators not having been sufficiently acquainted with the plants of Palestine and Greece, so as to enable them to correctly translate the Hebrew names of the Palestine plants into the Greek names of the same plants; and it may readily be supposed that mistakes have occurred in translating the Greek and Latin into English. The difficulty is increased by the same Hebrew word, in many cases, being applied to different plants; or different Hebrew words to the same plant: for instance, six words have been translated Oak. The identification, however, has been greatly assisted by its having been found that many of the modern Arabic names are the same, or nearly the same, in spelling and sound as the original Hebrew.
Several of the Bible Plants are described by early Greek and Roman writers, of whom may be specially mentioned Herodotus, who wrote 413 B.C., Aristotle, 332 B.C., Theophrastus, 288 B.C., and Dioscorides, Pliny, and Josephus in the early part of the first century. Their descriptions are, however, in some cases vague, and the plants cannot be identified with any degree of certainty.
As might be expected, many works have been written on the plants of the Bible, to describe which would occupy much space, and be of little service (otherwise than historical) to the students of Bible history. The following, however, require to be specially noticed, as they embody the opinions of the principal modern commentators and botanists on the identification of Bible plants with those of the present day.
The first work of importance, entirely devoted to the subject, is that of Professor Celsius, of Upsala, entitled “Rierobotanicon,” published in 1745. It is said that he occupied fifty years in making researches on the subject. In this work he endeavors to determine the identity of the doubtful plants; at the present day, however, his conclusions are not all accepted as correct. This may be partly ascribed to the more correct observations and writings of the numerous travelers, both divines and naturalists, who have visited Palestine since his time, of whom Hasselquist, Buckhardt, Buckingham, Shaw, Kirby, Spence, Kitto, Robinson, Hooker, Broomfield, Stanley, Thomson, Tristram, and Hayne are the principal. This has resulted in the publication of several important works during the present century, some entirely restricted to plants, while others also embrace other Bible subjects. Of the latter class the most important of modern times is the “Pictorial Bible,” by Dr. Kitto, published in 1836, a work in three thick quarto volumes, containing the complete Bible text, with explanatory notes to the special subjects of nearly every chapter, and illustrated with many hundred woodcuts. He makes long comments on some of the plants, especially as regards their identification; his conclusions, however, cannot in all cases be relied on.
The next and first important work, devoted exclusively to an account of the plants of the Bible, is the “Scripture Herbal,” by Maria Callcott, published in 1842. It is a handsome octavo volume of 544 pages; in this work one hundred and twenty-four plants are described, each illustrated by a wood cut. The authoress has taken much pains in comparing the names of the plants in our version with the corresponding names in the versions of other languages. This has, in a few cases, assisted in removing doubts, but, unfortunately for the credit of the book, plants have been adopted as the same as those spoken of in the Bible, which in several cases are not natives of Palestine.
In 1861-63 appeared Dr. Smith’s “Dictionary of the Bible,” a work in three large octavo volumes, the compilation of which was accomplished by the united labors of between fifty and sixty clergymen and professors of Hebrew, Greek, Arabic, and other languages. The subjects are arranged in alphabetical order. With regard to the botany, the identification of the plants is entered upon at great length, and much erudition is bestowed in attempting to reconcile the Hebrew, Greek, and Arabic names with some special plant, and, in many cases, the result is, no doubt, correct.
This work was followed by the “Natural History of the Bible,” published in 1868, by the Rev. H. B. Tristram, who had spent some time in Palestine. It is a work of 518 pages, and contains an account of the Physical Geography, Meteorology, Zoology, and Botany of Palestine, the latter occupying 163 pages. Being a good botanist, his conclusions regarding the plants may, in most cases, be depended on.
Another work has lately been published, entitled the “Bible Educator,” edited by the Rev. E. H. Plumtre. It is a work of 1,336 pages, in four quarto volumes, illustrated by numerous woodcuts; the botanical part being by Mr. W. Carruthers, Keeper of the Botanical Department of the British Museum. He has given a brief view of the flora of Palestine, and specially notices the plants mentioned in the Bible. His position has enabled him to carefully examine the stores and antiquities in the British Museum, the result of which has been to add some new matter regarding several of the Bible plants.
With these modern standard works before us, it may be questioned what necessity there is for writing the present volume. My reason for doing so is that, with the exception of Canon Tristram’s “Natural History,” the others are expensive, and beyond the reach of the great body of readers interested in any special subject of Bible history, such as its plants.
Having long studied the Bible plants, and with one or two exceptions the whole being known to me in a living state, I was led to draw up a brief historical account of each, which was intended to form part of my work, entitled “Domestic Botany,” published in 1871. It was found, however, that to do full justice to the subject, would have increased the size of the volume much beyond what the publisher considered desirable. Since then I have collated and revised the whole, which, with additional matter containing my own views on many of the subjects, now forms the present volume, consisting of a brief account of each plant and plant product, with remarks on the evidence upon which commentators have founded their opinions respecting their identification with the plants of the present day.
On considering that many Bible history readers may not possess much knowledge of botany, I have avoided giving lengthy, botanical descriptions of the plants, merely saying sufficient to convey an idea of their nature, with the English and botanical names of each, the family to which each belongs, their native countries, and their principal uses, ancient and modern; also, in order to identify them as Bible plants, I have given their Hebrew names, which have been chiefly derived from Smith’s “Dictionary” and Tristam’s “Natural History” above mentioned.
The object of the volume is to assist in imparting a knowledge of the plants of the Bible to those who have not the opportunity of perusing these works, and are not learned in Hebrew, Greek, and other languages. I trust that the clergy, readers and teachers of Bible history in general, may find it a convenient handbook of reference, and that it may prove a useful guide to those who visit Palestine, and take an interest in its flora. It is much to be wished that those who write a history of their travels should have a knowledge of the principal characters of the natural families of plants, so as to avoid giving wrong names and vague descriptions that render it difficult for the botanist to determine what plant is meant.
As many of the Bible plants are common and well known, I therefore deem it sufficient to select only a few of the more special for illustration by figures, which have been carefully drawn and lithographed by Mr. W, Fitch, the well-known botanical artist.
In conclusion, I have to thank Sir Joseph Hooker, Director of the Royal Gardens, Kew, for the loan of books on the subject.
I have further to state that, in consequence of my failure of sight, the whole of the manuscript has been written from my dictation, but it has, as well as the proof sheets, been carefully read over and corrected by Mr. George Nicholson and Mr. John R. Jackson, both holding official appointments in the Royal Gardens, Kew.
JOHN SMITH. KEW, December, 1877.