What is it?
Plants found in the Bible.
Coriander/Cilantro
Carrot family
Coriander for seed. Cilantro for leaf.
Exodus 16:31
The Israelites called the food manna. It was white like coriander seed, and it tasted like honey wafers.
Numbers 11:7-9
7 The manna was like coriander seed and looked like resin. 8 The people went around gathering it, and then ground it in a handmill or crushed it in a mortar. They cooked it in a pot or made it into cakes. And it tasted like something made with olive oil. 9 When the dew settled on the camp at night, the manna also came down.
6 We have lost our appetite; (our soul is dry) we never see anything but this manna!” And the manna is as coriander seed, and its aspect as the aspect of bdolach (crushed rock?);
HISTORY
One of the oldest known herbs. Found in tombs, it was used in ancient tombs where it was used to preserve bodies. Seeds are little brown balls that turn brown when ready for harvest. Seeds can be kept a long time. They gain in aroma as they age.
USES
Seeds are tasty when ground into applesauce, puddings, pastries, beets and soups.
Used as a massage oil to rub on painful joints and ease rheumatism.
Used internally to relieve cramps, expel gas, and strengthen the stomach.
Also used for a bath sachet and potpourri.
When eating in very large quantities it has a narcotic effect and causes dizziness.
HARVEST
Harvest seeds when leaves begin to turn brown, by putting seeds in a paper bag with air holes and hang it in a warm place. Seeds fall to the bottom.
Cucumber
Numbers 11:4-5
4 The rabble with them began to crave other food, and again the Israelites started wailing and said, “If only we had meat to eat! 5 We remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost — also the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic.
Isaiah 1:7-8
7 Your land [is] a desolation, your cities burnt with fire. Your ground around you is being consumed by strangers and is being overthrown by strangers who leave it desolate. 7 Your country lies desolate, your cities are burned with fire; in your very presence aliens devour your land; it is desolate, as overthrown by aliens.
8 And the daughter of Zion is left like a booth in a vineyard, like a hut in a cucumber field. 8 Beautiful Jerusalem stands abandoned like a watchman’s shelter in a vineyard, like a lean-to in a cucumber field after the harvest, like a helpless city under siege.
HISTORY
The cuisine of ancient Egypt covers a span of over three thousand years, and retained many consistent traits until well into Greco-Roman times. Vegetables were eaten as a complement to the ubiquitous beer and bread; the most common were long-shoot green scallions and garlic, both also had medical uses. There was also lettuce, celery (eaten raw or used to flavor stews), certain types of cucumber and, perhaps, some types of Old World gourds and even melons.
USES
The cucumber is a member of the Cucurbitaceae family, along with squash and different kinds of melon. Cucumbers are high in water and low in calories, fat, cholesterol, and sodium. They have a mild, refreshing taste and a high water content. Cucumber is a widely cultivated plant in the gourd family. It is a creeping vine that bears cucumiform fruits that are used as vegetables, fresh or pickled.
ONION and GARLIC
Numbers 11:4.5
4 The rabble with them began to crave other food, and again the Israelites started wailing and said, “If only we had meat to eat! 5 We remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost — also the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic.
HISTORY
The Israelites in the wilderness longed for the “onions and garlick of Egypt”. This was the betsel of the Hebrews, the Allium cepe of botanists, of which it is said that there are some thirty or forty species now growing in Palestine. The onion is “the ‘undivided’ leek, unio, unus, one.”
The onion (Allium cepa L., from Latin cepa “onion”), also known as the bulb onion or common onion, is a vegetable that is the most widely cultivated species of the genus Allium. Its close relatives include the garlic, leek, chive, and Chinese onion.
Because the wild onion is extinct and ancient records of using onions span western and eastern Asia, the geographic origin of the onion is uncertain, with likely domestication worldwide. Food uses of onions date back thousands of years in Egypt and Persia.
Traces of onions suggest that onions were used as far back as 5000 BCE, not only for their flavor, but the bulb’s durability in storage and transport.Ancient Egyptians revered the onion bulb, viewing its spherical shape and concentric rings as symbols of eternal life. Onions were used in Egyptian burials, as evidenced by onion traces found in the eye sockets of Ramesses IV.
USES
The onion is most frequently a biennial or a perennial plant, but is usually treated as an annual and harvested in its first growing season.
The onion plant has a fan of hollow, bluish-green leaves and its bulb at the base of the plant begins to swell when a certain day-length is reached. The bulbs are composed of shortened, compressed, underground stems surrounded by fleshy modified scale (leaves) that envelop a central bud at the tip of the stem. In the autumn (or in spring, in the case of overwintering onions), the foliage dies down and the outer layers of the bulb become dry and brittle. The crop is harvested and dried and the onions are ready for use or storage.
Dill
Anise
Hyssop
Matthew 23:23-24
You give a tenth of your spices — mint, dill and cumin. You are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens, but you ignore the more important aspects of the law—justice, mercy, and faith. You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things.
HISTORY
It dates back in writing to about 3000 B.C. when it earned a mention in Egyptian medical texts. In the 1st century Rome, dill weed was considered a good luck symbol.
USES
It was used as medicine and for cooking. It grows in Israel today, both cultivated and wild. Is over 5000 years old. Ancient folklore held that it protected people from evil spirits when hung over doors and windows. Attracts the black swallowtail butterfly. Can be used to make tea with rosemary or mints. Helps sleep. Dill pickles, fish meats, poultry, potatoes dishes, vegetables and cheeses.
Mint
Matthew 23:23-24
You give a tenth of your spices — mint, dill and cumin. You are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens, but you ignore the more important aspects of the law—justice, mercy, and faith. You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things.
Luke 11:42
You give God a tenth of your mint, rue and all other kinds of garden herbs, but you neglect justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter without leaving the former undone.
HISTORY
In Ancient Athens, where it was common to scent different parts of the body with different herbs, mint was the scent most commonly used on the arms. Mint history has it being introduced to England by the Romans and is mentioned by John Gardiner before 1440 as ‘myntys’. Over 200 species.
USES
Apply to bee stings. Medicine for stomachaches. Mouthwash, gargle, whitening teeth. Tea, jelly, seasoning for meats, especially lamb, and dessert.
Sage
Exodus 3:2
HISTORY
Sage was once considered a medicinal cure-all. Sage is an herb from the mint family that has a sweet, yet savory flavor. Botanically known as Salvia officinalis, it is native to the Mediterranean region. Sage’s botanical name comes from the Latin word “salvere,” meaning “to be saved.” Sage has a very long and rich history due to both its medicinal and culinary uses. At one time, the French produced bountiful crops of sage which they used as a tea. The Chinese became enamored with French sage tea, trading four pounds of Chinese tea for every one pound of sage tea. In 812 AD, sage was one of the plants deemed so important that Charlemagne ordered it planted on German Imperial farms, no doubt due to the lucrative trade business as well as for its medicinal popularity.
In ancient Rome, sage was considered to have substantial healing properties, particularly helpful in the digestion of the ubiquitous fatty meats of the time, and was deemed a part of the official Roman pharmacopeia. The herb was used to heal ulcers, to help stop the bleeding of wounds, and to soothe a sore throat. The Chinese used sage to treat colds, joint pain, typhoid fever, and kidney and liver issues.
USES
In addition to its medicinal properties, sage has been proven to be a natural antiseptic and preservative for meat. When sage is made into a drink from the leaves, called the “thinker’s tea,” it has shown promise in treating Alzheimer’s patients, as well as treating symptoms of depression. Three-lobed sage contains the flavone salvigenin, which may help prevent cardiovascular disease. Sage has also been shown to improve or eliminate hot flashes in menopausal women. Sage can also be used as a part of your dental health routine; not only is it proven to help soothe a sore throat and canker sores, but it can treat gum disease as well. In addition, sage can be used externally for your hair, skin, and nails. Used as a rinse, it is said to improve the texture and tone of hair, as well as leave a nice shine. Sage steeped in water can also be used as a facial toner that controls oily skin. Tea tree oil, basil oil, sage oil, and arrowroot have been found to help vent and treat fungal infection in toenails.
Because of sage’s nutritional benefits, it is an excellent herb to incorporate into everyday cooking. A tablespoon of sage has 43 percent of the daily recommended serving of vitamin K and is also an excellent source of fiber, vitamin A, folate, calcium, iron, magnesium, and manganese. It contains much higher doses than the recommended daily requirements of B vitamins such as folic acid, thiamin, pyridoxine, and riboflavin, as well as healthy amounts of vitamin C, vitamin E, thiamin, and copper.
BAY or LAUREL
1 Corinthians 9:25-26
Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we, an imperishable. Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim.
Isaiah 28:1-6
That wreath, the pride of Ephraim’s drunkards ,to the fading flower, his glorious beauty, set on the head of a fertile valley — to that city, the pride of those laid low by wine! 2 See, the Lord has one who is powerful and strong. Like a hailstorm and a destructive wind, like a driving rain and a flooding downpour, he will throw it forcefully to the ground. 3 That wreath, the pride of Ephraim’s drunkards, will be trampled underfoot. 4 That fading flower, his glorious beauty, set on the head of a fertile valley, will be like a fig ripe before harvest — as soon as someone sees it and takes it in his hand he swallows it. 5 In that day the Lord Almighty will be a glorious crown, a beautiful wreath for the remnant of his people. 6 He will be a spirit of justice to him who sits in judgment, a source of strength to those who turn back the battle at the gate.
HISTORY
If you are an American reader, you probably know what bay leaves are. You most likely have a small plastic canister of the dried leaves in your spice cabinet. But when we think of laurel leaves, we may well think of the Olympic games. The laurel leaf was a symbol of victory in ancient Greek mythology. It was also a tradition, in Ancient Greece, that a person’s hair might be decorated with certain objects that would identify their occupation, or rank, or achievements (such as Olympic victory). In the first Olympic games, held in Athens in 776 BCE, the winner of the race was crowned with an Olive wreath. Later, in Delphi, laurel leaf wreaths were awarded. In the first modern Olympics, in 1896, second place winners received a laurel branch and a copper medal.
A laurel wreath is a round wreath made of connected branches and leaves of the bay laurel, an aromatic broadleaf evergreen. It is a symbol of triumph and is worn as a chaplet around the head, or as a garland around the neck. The symbol of the laurel wreath traces back to Greek mythology. Apollo is represented wearing a laurel wreath on his head, and wreaths were awarded to victors. In Rome they were symbols of martial victory, crowning a successful commander during his triumph, also in athletic competitions and at poetic meets. In common modern idiomatic usage, it refers to a victory. The expression “resting on one’s laurels” refers to someone relying entirely on long-past successes for continued fame or recognition, where to “look to one’s laurels” means to be careful of losing rank to competition.
CHIVES
Chives, a member of the onion family native to Asia and Europe, have been around for more than 5,000 years. … The botanical name derives from the Greek meaning reed-like leek. The English name chive comes from the Latin cepa, meaning onion. It is the oldest species of edible onion known and the only member of this genus that grows wild in both the New World (the Americas) and the Old World (Europe, Africa and Asia). The herb pairs well with fish and potatoes and the flowers are used to garnish soups and salads. It is also included in the classic French fine herbs seasoning blend and is an ingredient in tvorog, a type of soft cheese enjoyed in Russia and Poland.
Gardening enthusiasts appreciate the purple blossoms supported by lofty stems, and the fact that their emergence signals the onset of spring because they are one of the first to break through the ground. An ornamental plant, it is stately in appearance and makes a colorful backdrop in borders. The blooms enhance pollination throughout the garden because they attract bees, while the organosulfur compounds in the stems repel several species of garden pests, including Japanese beetles. Chives in the garden also reduce the incidence of fungal diseases and mildew.
Medicinally, chives have been used for thousands of years in traditional Chinese medicine to promote sweating and male fertility, effects that are attributed to the stimulatory properties of allyl sulfides and alkyl sulfoxides. Chives also contain high levels of iron and calcium and several antioxidant compounds, including beta-carotene, kaempferol and quercetin.
Rosemary
Rosemary is native to the Mediterranean area. … Usage of rosemary dates back to 500 BC when it was used as a culinary and medicinal herb by the ancient Greeks and Romans. It is still a popular medicinal herb today.
For centuries rosemary was used to treat nervous system ailments. Today it’s used in aromatherapy to enhance the senses and boost memory. Though these aroma-therapeutic uses are far from proven, there are promising, ongoing clinical studies supporting rosemary’s health-protective benefits. Rosemary contains antioxidants — carnosol, one of its strongest, may play a preventive role in cancer and cholesterol oxidation.
Lavender, Nard or Spikenard
Song 4:13-14
Your plants are an orchard of pomegranates with choice fruits, with henna and nard, 14 nard and saffron, calamus and cinnamon, with every kind of incense t
John 12:3
Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.
Mark 14:3-9
3 While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of a man known as Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head. 4 Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, “Why this waste of perfume? 5 It could have been sold for more than a year’s wages and the money given to the poor.” And they rebuked her harshly. 6 “Leave her alone,” said Jesus. “Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. 7 The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me. 8 She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial. 9 I tell you the truth, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”
HISTORY
The origin of Lavender is believed to be from the Mediterranean, Middle East and India. Its history goes back some 2500 years. Lavender in Latin means ‘to wash”. The Romans used Lavender to scent their baths, beds, clothes and even hair.
The ancient Greeks called Lavender nardus and it was commonly called Nard. Lavender was one of the holy herbs used to prepare the Holy Essence and Nard.
USES
An oil or ointment for anointing special guests. Imported from India. Used for potpourri, medicine, cosmetics, tea headaches.
Leeks
Num 11:5-6
We remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost — also the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic.
HISTORY
The leek, a cousin of the onion. Originally from central Asia, it has been consumed since ancient times. … During the middle ages, the cultivation of leeks was introduced to Europe where they remain a prized vegetable to this day. Leeks were likely cultivated in ancient Egyptian times. There are writings that state that services were paid in a barter like fashion with items like oxen, beer and leeks.
There are Egyptian tombs that have pictures of leeks on them also records show the Israelites
when fleeing Egypt, regretted leaving cucumbers, melons and leeks. The emperor Nero was a lover of leeks. He ate so many he was often referred to as the leek eater. He believed they would improve his singing voice.
The famous cookbook writer in 3rd century Rome, Apicus credited with writing the world’s first cookbook, recorded that the best leeks came from Egypt, and they were a vegetable to be served in their own right like asparagus. While onions are garlic were considered just a vegetable for seasoning.
There is an old Irish legend that says that St. Patrick was consoling a dying woman. She told him that in a vision she had seen an herb floating in the air, and that it had been revealed to her that unless she ate it, she would die. The saint asked her what kind of herb it was. She told him that it looked like rushes. Thus St. Patrick transformed some rushes into leeks; she ate them and was cured.
Wales has the leek as well as the daffodil is their national emblem.
USES
Leeks have a sweet flavor, and can be eaten raw or cooked. A cup of leeks is low in sodium and has almost no saturated fat or cholesterol. Leeks are a good source of dietary fiber, vitamin B6, iron and magnesium, and a very good source of folate as well as vitamins A, C, and K.
PARSLEY
While Parsley is not named in the Bible, it is part of the Seder meal, used to represent hyssop.
Ex 12:22-28
PASSOVER: Take a bunch of hyssop, dip it into the blood in the basin and put some of the blood on the top and on both sides of the doorframe. Not one of you shall go out the door of his house until morning. 23 When the Lord goes through the land to strike down the Egyptians, he will see the blood on the top and sides of the doorframe and will pass over that doorway, and he will not permit the destroyer to enter your houses and strike you down. Obey these instructions as a lasting ordinance for you and your descendants. 25 When you enter the land that the Lord will give you as he promised, observe this ceremony. 26 And when your children ask you, ‘What does this ceremony mean to you?’ 27 then tell them, ‘It is the Passover sacrifice to the Lord, who passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt and spared our homes when he struck down the Egyptians.’” Then the people bowed down and worshiped. 28 The Israelites did just what the Lord commanded Moses and Aaron.
Hebrews 9:19-22
Moses took the blood of calves, together with water, scarlet wool and branches of hyssop, and sprinkled the scroll and all the people. 20 He said, “This is the blood of the covenant, which God has commanded you to keep.” 21 In the same way, he sprinkled with the blood both the tabernacle and everything used in its ceremonies. 22 In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.
Psalm 51:7
Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
1 Kings 4:33
Solomon described plant life, from the cedar of Lebanon to the hyssop that grows out of walls
John 19:28-30
Jesus said, “I am thirsty.” 29 A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips. 30 When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
Aloe