Bible Encyclopedias
Baca, the Valley of

The 1901 Jewish Encyclopedia

A valley mentioned in Psalms 84:7 [6 A. V.]. Since it is there said that pilgrims transform the valley into a land of wells, the old translators gave to "Baca" the meaning of a "valley of weeping"; but it signifies rather any valley lacking water. Support for this latter view is to be found in 2 Samuel 5:23 et seq.; 1 Chronicles 14:14 et seq., in which the plural form of the same word designates a tree similar to the balsam-tree; and it was supposed that a dry valley could be named after this tree. König takes "Baca" from the Arabian "baka'a," and translates it "lacking in streams." The Psalmist apparently has in mind a particular valley whose natural condition led him to adopt its name.

J. Jr.
F. Bu.
Bibliography Information
Singer, Isidore, Ph.D, Projector and Managing Editor. Entry for 'Baca, the Valley of'. 1901 The Jewish Encyclopedia. https://www.studylight.org/​encyclopedias/​eng/​tje/​b/baca-the-valley-of.html. 1901.