Lectionary Calendar
Saturday, October 5th, 2024
the Week of Proper 21 / Ordinary 26
Attention!
StudyLight.org has pledged to help build churches in Uganda. Help us with that pledge and support pastors in the heart of Africa.
Click here to join the effort!
Bible Encyclopedias
Juniper
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
Search for
or
jōō´ni - pẽr ( רתם , rōthem ; ῥαθμέν , rhathmén , 1 Kings 19:4 f, margin "broom"; Psalm 120:4 , m "broom"; Job 30:4 translated "broom"): This is quite certainly the Arabic ratam (Retama retem , Natural Order, Leguminosae ), a variety of broom which is one of the most characteristic shrubs of the deserts of Southern Palestine and southward to Egypt. Though the shade it affords is but scanty, in the absence of other shrubs it is frequently used by desert travelers as a refuge from the sun's scorching rays (compare 1 Kings 19:4 ). The root yields good charcoal, giving out much heat (Psalm 120:4 ). For people to be reduced to chew it for nourishment betokens the lowest depth of starvation (Job 30:4 ). Indeed so hopeless is this root as a source of food that many commentators believe that the accepted text is in error, and by altering a single letter, substituting the Hebrew letter, cheth, ()ח for he () ה , they get a reading, which has been adopted in the Revised Version margin, "to warm them" instead of "their meat," which certainly is much more probable.
Copyright Statement
These files are public domain and were generously provided by the folks at WordSearch Software.
Bibliography Information
Orr, James, M.A., D.D. General Editor. Entry for 'Juniper'. International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. https://www.studylight.org/​encyclopedias/​eng/​isb/​j/juniper.html. 1915.