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Bible Dictionaries
Baca
Fausset's Bible Dictionary
or (Psalms 84:6). "Valley of Baca". i.e. "the vale of tears" (compare Bochim, Judges 2:5, "the place of weepers.") The Hebrew form in Psalms 84:6 means "mulberry trees." The Hebrew poet, by a play on the name, refers to the similarly sounding word for "tears." The Baca (mulberry) trees delight in a dry valley; such as the ravine of Hinnom below mount Zion, where the bacaim (mulberry trees) are expressly mentioned on the ridge separating the valley of Rephaim from that of Hinnom (2 Samuel 5:23).
Abulfadl says Βaca is the Arabic for a balsam-like shrub with round large fruit, from which if a leaf be plucked a tear-like drop exudes. As the valley of Baca represents a valley of drought spiritually and dejection, where the only water is that of "tears," so the pilgrim's "making it a well" (by having "his strength in Jehovah") symbolizes ever flowing comfort and salvation (John 4:14; Isaiah 12:3; compare Psalms 23:4). David, to whom Psalm 84 refers, passed through such a valley of drought and tears when, fleeing from Absalom, he went up mount Olivet weeping as he went.
These files are public domain.
Fausset, Andrew R. Entry for 'Baca'. Fausset's Bible Dictionary. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/fbd/b/baca.html. 1949.
