Westmont Garden Club July Meeting

The Westmont Garden Club met on Saturday, July 30, 2016 at the home of the Program Director.  Master Gardener, Sher Dunaway, presented the program on “Biblical Herbs and Spices”.  She was aided by her trusty technical assistant, Bill Dunaway.

Sher began the program by mentioning that over 500 herbs and spices are referenced in the Bible.  Herbs and Spices as we know them today are exotic and have pleasant aromas and flavors. 

They were placed on Earth by God for man.  Herbs and spices are used in holy observances and feasts. 

Genesis 1:11

Spices and herbs were expensive and highly prized in antiquity.  They were imported from India, Arabia, Mesopotamia, and Egypt and were transported by camel caravans.  The caravans traveled the Incense Road and could take as long as 6 months to arrive at their destination.

camel caravan

Herbs are known as “herba” in Latin which means grass or green stalks.  Some are annuals and some are perennials.  They were used for medicines, food flavorings, cosmetics, dyes, disinfectants and perfumes. 

Psalm 3:2                                             Matthew 6:30

Spices are aromatic, pungent and are used in food, for anointing, for incense, and as perfume and ointment for the dead

Song of Solomon 4:14

Herbs and spices are considered essential and volatile oils. Bitter herbs are mentioned 3 times in the Bible. 

Exodus 12:8                                        Numbers 9:11                                  Lamentations 3:15

Cinnamon is mentioned in the Bible, Exodus 30:23, where it is combined with myrrh, cassia, and olive oil to prepare the holy anointing oil.

Coriander is a medicinal and aromatic herb used of over 3,000 years.  Combined with cumin and vinegar, it is rubbed on meat as a preservative.  

Cumin is native to North Africa and Southwest Asia and was found in King Tut’s tomb.

Isaiah 28:25                                   Isaiah 28:27                                        Matthew 23:23    

            

Garlic, a member of the lily family, is mentioned one time in the bible, Numbers 11:5.  Egypt has references to the use of garlic 5,000 years ago.

Mustard Seed is in one of Jesus’ most famous parables, Matthew 13:31-32

Rue is mentioned in Luke 11:42 and was used as a  medicine, condiment and insect repellant. Mint is also mentioned in the same verse and it is considered an aid to digestion and is aromatic.

Rosemary means “dew of the sea” in Latin.  It is a fragrant evergreen that became a symbol of remembrance.

 

Sweet Myrtle is mentioned in Nehemiah 8:15 as a source to use with other materials while building temporary shelters. 

Hyssop is part of the mint family and extracts of it are used in colognes and liqueurs.  It is also used for ritual cleaning and for caring of Lepers.  Hyssop is noted in Psalm 51:7.

Saffron is the most expensive spice as it takes 4,000 stigmas to make 1 oz of saffron.  It is found in Song of Solomon 4:14

Sher ended the presentation with this quote:

 It is with the garden that the Bible begins

HERBS AND SPICES DISCUSSED IN THE PRESENTATION 

                       CAN YOU NAME THEM?                                                                                           

                                                         

                                    

                       

                                                                

Map of the Incense Road