Genesis 37:25 "Myrrh of Bible"

Gen. xxxvii 25, Ladanum, the Gk. Xf]5ov. This word is of more doubtful origin. In the Arabic it appears as ladhan and might very well be derived from the root ts6, to be sticky. It has also been derived from the Persian and appears to represent a fragrant and sticky resin gathered from the leaves of the Cistus Creticus SchrofT (J. A. O. S. Oct. 1920) calls it the Rock rose, Cistus villosus. The Semitic derivation of the name is favored by the fact that the Cistus is produced in Canaan, at least in the region of Gilead.

Rose of Sharon Essential Oil and its Use

by Rebecca Park Totilo

For more information, please visit Rebecca’s website http://HealWithOil.com.

In ancient times, the Cistus Creticus (Cistus grows up at East), also known as the “rock rose,” was believed to be the Rose of Sharon.  As goats and sheep roamed through the brush, this flower became entangled in their coats.  While caring for their sheep, the shepherds would collect it from their wool and rub the resin on their cuts and wounds to soothe them.

Coats with labdanum in Labdanum area northern Crete. 

 

This multi-petal flower is found in the fertile plain called Sharon between Jaffa and Mount Carmel in Israel.  It has a honey scent from an aromatic gum that exudes from the plant.

The Hebrew word sharon means “meadow-saffron, crocus, and rose (place of pasture).”   It is a derivative for Sarai, which means “princess.”

Think of how the thornless Rose of Sharon beautifully mirrors Yeshua’s tender love, as spoken of in Song of Solomon 2:1: “I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys.”   The Scriptures tell believers that they are the sheep of His pasture and feed among the lilies.

Cistus Creticus - Rose of Sharon

Therapeutic/Medicinal Uses

Rose of Sharon has been studied for its therapeutic effect on cell regeneration according to Dr. David Stewart, author of “Healing Oils of the Bible.”[1]

Rose of Sharon has been used for bronchitis, respiratory infections, urinary tract infections, wounds, and wrinkles.  It is also known to be anti-infectious, antiviral, and antibacterial.  Rose of Sharon helps to reduce inflammation and acts as a powerful anti-hemorrhaging agent.  The Essential Oils Desk Reference reports that it also helps strengthen the immune system.[2]

Rose of Sharon helps to quiet the nerves and elevate the emotions during prayer.  Studies revealed that people taking antidepressant drugs found this oil to be mood-elevating by rubbing it on their bodies or just inhaling it.[3]

[1] Stewart, David, Ph.D., D.N.M.  Healing Oils of the Bible.  Care Publications.  2003.  Page 218.

[2] Essential Oils Desk Reference.  Essential Science Publishing.

[3] Higley, Alan and Conni.  Reference Guide to Essential Oils.  Abundant Health.

Holy Books of the World

The Analects A collection of Confucius' teachings thought to have been recorded by his students. They are considered the only sayings that can safely be attributed to him.

Bhagavad Gita A Sanskrit poem that is part of the Indian epic known as the Mahabharata . It describes, in a dialogue between Lord Krishna and Prince Arjuna, the Hindu path to spiritual wisdom and the unity with God that can be achieved through karma (action), bhakti (devotion), and jnana (knowledge). The Bhagavad-Gita was probably written sometime between 200 B.C. and A.D. 200.

Five Classics Five works traditionally attributed to Confucius that form the basic texts of Confucianism. They are the Spring and Autumn Annals, a history of Confucius's native district; the I Ching (or Book of Changes ), a system of divining the future; the Book of Rites , which outlines ceremonies and describes the ideal government; the Book of History ; and the Book of Songs , a collection of poetry. Together they promulgate a system of ethics for managing society based on sympathy for others, etiquette, and ritual. Although the dates of these books are uncertain, they were probably written before the third century B.C.

Koran (Arabic, al-Qur'an) The primary holy book of Islam. It is made up of 114 suras, or chapters, which contain impassioned appeals for belief in God, encouragement to lead a moral life, portrayals of damnation and beatitude, stories of Islamic prophets, and rules governing the social and religious life of Muslims. Believers maintain that the Koran contains the verbatim word of God, revealed to the prophet Muhammad through the Angel Gabriel. Some of the suras were written during Muhammad's lifetime, but an authoritative text was not produced until c. A.D. 650.

New Testament The second portion of the Christian Bible, which contains 27 books that form the basis of Christian belief. These books include the sayings of Jesus, the story of his life and work, the death and resurrection of Jesus now celebrated as Easter, the teachings and writings of the apostles, and instruction for converting nonbelievers and for performing baptisms, blessings, and other rituals. The New Testament is believed to have been written c. A.D. 100, some 70 to 90 years after the death of Jesus.


Old Testament The Christian name for the Hebrew Bible. It is the sacred scripture of Judaism and the first portion of the Christian Bible. According to Jewish teachings, it is made up of three parts: the Law (also known as the Torah or Pentateuch), comprising the first five books (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy), which describes the origins of the world, the covenant between the Lord and Israel, the exodus and entry into the promised land, and the various rules governing social and religious behavior; the Prophets , including the former prophets (Joshua, Judges, Samuel 1-2, Kings 1-2) and the latter prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and the 12 minor prophets), which describes the history of the Israelites, the stories of heroes, kings, judges, and wars, and the choosing of David as leader of the Israelites; and the Writings (including Psalms, Job, Song of Solomon, and Ruth, among others), which describes the reactions of the people to the laws and covenants, as well as prayers and praises of the covenant. Some books of the Old Testament regarded as sacred by the Jews are not accepted as such by Christians; among Christians there are differences between Roman Catholics and Protestants about the inclusion of some books, the order of the books, and the original sources used in translating them. Scholars generally agree that the Old Testament was compiled from c. 1000 B.C. to c. 100 B.C.


Talmud A compilation of Jewish oral law and rabbinical teachings that is separate from the scriptures of the Hebrew Bible, or Old Testament. It is made up of two parts: the Mishna , which is the oral law itself, and the Gemara , a commentary on the Mishna . The Talmud contains both a legal section (the Halakah ) and a portion devoted to legends and stories (the Aggada ). The authoritative Babylonian Talmud was compiled in the sixth century.

Tao-te-ching (The Way and Its Power) The basic text of the Chinese philosophy and religion known as Taoism. It is made up of 81 short chapters or poems that describe a way of life marked by quiet effortlessness and freedom from desire. This is thought to be achieved by following the creative, spontaneous life force of the universe, called the Tao. The book is attributed to Lao-tzu, but it was probably a compilation by a number of writers over a long period of time.

Upanishads The basis of Hindu religion and philosophy that form the final portion of the Veda . The 112 Upanishads describe the relationship of the Brahman , or universal soul, to the atman , or individual soul; they also provide information about Vedic sacrifice and yoga. The original texts of the Upanishads come from various sources and were written beginning c. 900 B.C.


Veda The sacred scripture of Hinduism. Four Vedas make up the Samhita , a collection of prayers and hymns that are considered to be revelations of eternal truth written by seer-poets inspired by the gods. The Rig-Veda , the Sama-Veda , and the Yajur-Veda are books of hymns; the Atharva-Veda compiles magic spells. These writings maintain that the Brahman , or Absolute Self, underlies all reality and can be known by invoking gods through the use of hymns or mantes. The Vedic texts were compiled between c. 1000 B.C. and c. 500 B.C., making them the oldest known group of religious writings.

I am the Rose of Sharon and the Lily of the Valleys - Song of Solomon 2. 1-17

I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys.
As the lily among thorns, so is my love among the daughters.
As the apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved among the sons. I sat down under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste.
He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love.
Stay me with flagons, comfort me with apples: for I am sick of love.
His left hand is under my head, and his right hand doth embrace me.
I charge you, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, by the roes, and by the hinds of the field, that ye stir not up, nor awake my love, till he please.
The voice of my beloved! behold, he cometh leaping upon the mountains, skipping upon the hills.
My beloved is like a roe or a young hart: behold, he standeth behind our wall, he looketh forth at the windows, showing himself through the lattice.
My beloved spake, and said unto me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away.
For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone;
The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land.
The fig tree putteth forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away.
O my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock, in the secret places of the stairs, let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice; for sweet is thy voice, and thy countenance is comely.
Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes.
My beloved is mine, and I am his: he feedeth among the lilies.
Until the day break, and the shadows flee away, turn, my beloved, and be thou like a roe or a young hart upon the mountains of Bether.

Authors: Famous Bible Verses - Famous Bible Stories, Passages

Song of Solomon 2:1

I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys.

Happy Easter!!!!

Holy Thursday.

ROSE OF SHARON/CISTUS CRETICUS.

Also called Rock Rose or labdanum. This is a fragrance of prophecy, visions and all quests for truth. Rose of Sharon cannot provide answers, nor can it speak, but it stimulates the eternal knowledge that is intrinsic to all human beings. Rose of Sharon brings awareness that the universal spirit can be glimpsed and absorbed into our very being, although the complete merging with God must remain just out of reach while we fulfill our role here on earth.

Not a true rose (Rosa damascena) the beautiful blooms of this plant have a soft honey-like scent and are thought to be the flowers of a shrub that grows wild on the Plains of Sharon just west of Jerusalem. "I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valley." (Song of Solomon 2:1)

Myrrh of Bible???????

by
Anthony V. Gaudiano

Myrrh (Strong’s has several words for Myrrh: 3910 - a gum (from its sticky nature) probably ladanum, 4753 - distilling in drops and also as bitter, 4666 - perfumed oil: ointment, 4669 - to tincture with myrrh, i.e. embitter (as a narcotic):-mingle with myrrh.

Myrrh is an aromatic gum resin, generally believed have been obtained from the low-growing thorny shrub or tree known as Commiphora myrrha (Balsamodendron myrrha) or the related variety Commiphora kataf. Both thrive in rocky areas particularly on limestone hills.


The wood and bark of such plants have a strong odor. Although the resin exudes by itself from the stem or the thick and stiff branches of either variety, the flow can be increased by means of incisions.

Initially the clear, white, or yellowish-brown resin is soft and sticky, but upon dripping to the ground to the ground it hardens and turns dark red or black.

It is collected and is marketed as a spice, medicine, or cosmetic (Song of Songs 5; Matt 2:11; Mark 15:23; John 19:39).

In Genesis 37:25 and 43:11 the Hebrew word ‘l4t’ is generally translated as “myrrh.” However, some question whether Commiphora myrrha, now native to Arabia and east Africa, was known in Palestine during the patriarchal period.
A better translation for lot word is considered to be “labdanum,” a gummy resin produced by the small labdanum scrub (Cistus creticus L.), growing abundantly in the rocks and sand in Palestine.


References to myrrh are in Prov. 7:17 - “perfumed my bed with myrrh,[likely as a sprinkled powder]” Song 5:5 - “my hands dripped with myrrh”[perhaps myrrh dissolved in oil or wine], Matt. 2:11 - “gold, frankincense, and myrrh,” Mark 15:23 - “wine mingled with myrrh ...” [indicates the resin is soluble in water and alcohol.

Bible Fragrances - Labdanum

Hebrew:lot, from a semitic root meaning "resinous herb".
Assyrian: ladunu.
Arab: ladhan.
Greek: ledanon.
Latin: ladanum or labdanum.
Genesis 37,25 and 43,11

A highly pungent gum-resin, secreted by the lower part of the leaves of the Cistus Creticus, a small bush with hardy and pink flower, contrasting leaves which thrives in dry, sunny woods in Mediterranean regions.


Herodotus and Pliny report that labdanum was collected by combing the beards of goats, which were impregnated with the substance.

Another technique, in use as late as the 18th century, consisted of brushing young cistus bushes with a kind of whip, consisting of leather thongs which, once covered with resin, were scraped.

The Ishmaelite caravan coming from Gilead to which Joseph was sold, was transporting labdanum (Genesis 37, 25). Subsequently, Jacob ordered his sons to offer labdanum, along with other local products, to their brother, now an Egyptian dignitary.

"And their father Israel said unto them, If it must be so now, do this; take of the best fruits in the land in your vessels, and carry down the man a present, a little balm, and a little honey, spices, and myrrh, nuts and almonds." Genesis 43, 11

Its aroma is pleasant, sweet, herbaceous and balsamic. Its animal-like odor is reminiscent of ambergris and is used in perfumery for its fixative properties.

Myrrh of Bible (labdanum from Cistus Creticus)

From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Myrrh \Myrrh\, n. [OE. mirre, OF. mirre, F. myrrhe, L. myrrha, murra, Gr. ?; cf. Ar. murr bitter, also myrrh, Heb. mar bitter.]
A gum resin, usually of a yellowish brown or amber color, of an aromatic odor, and a bitter, slightly pungent taste. It is valued for its odor and for its medicinal properties. It exudes from the bark of a shrub of Abyssinia and Arabia, the Balsamodendron Myrrha. The myrrh of the Bible is supposed to have been partly the gum above named, and partly the exudation of species of Cistus, or rockrose.

False myrrh. See the Note under Bdellium.

Rose of Sharon

Cistus salvifolius (white flower)

by site http://www.101bible.com

Rose — Many varieties of the rose proper are indigenous to Syria. The famed rose of Damascus is white, but there are also red and yellow roses. In Cant. 2:1 and Isa. 35:1 the Hebrew word _habatstseleth_ (found only in these passages), rendered "rose" (R.V. marg., "autumn crocus"), is supposed by some to mean the oleander, by others the sweet-scented narcissus (a native of Palestine), the tulip, or the daisy; but nothing definite can be affirmed regarding it. The "rose of Sharon" is probably the cistus or rock-rose, several species of which abound in Palestine. "Mount Carmel especially abounds in the cistus, which in April covers some of the barer parts of the mountain with a glow not inferior to that of the Scottish heather." (See MYRRH ).

Cistus Creticus (pink flower, product labdanum).

Myrrh of Bible (labdanum from Cistus Creticus) in Mount Carmel

Mount Carmel
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Mount Carmel (Hebrew: הַר הַכַּרְמֶל‎, Har HaKarmel (lit. God's vineyard); Greek: Κάρμηλος, Kármēlos; Arabic: الكرمل‎, Kurmul; Arabic: جبل مار إلياس‎, Jabal Mar Elyas, i.e. Mount St Elijah in Arabic) is a coastal mountain range in northern Israel stretching from the Mediterranean Sea towards the southeast. Archaeologists have discovered ancient wine and oil presses at various locations on Mt. Carmel. The range is a UNESCO biosphere reserve and a number of towns are located there, most notably the city of Haifa, Israel's third largest city, located on the northern slope.

As a sacred location

In ancient Canaanite culture, high places were frequently considered to be sacred, and Mount Carmel appears to have been no exception; Thutmose III lists a holy headland among his Canaanite territories, and if this equates to Carmel, as Egyptologists such as Maspero believe, then it would indicate that the mountain headland was considered sacred from at least the 15th century BC. According to the Books of Kings, there was an altar to Yahweh on the mountain, which had fallen into ruin by the time of Ahab, but was rebuilt by Elijah. Iamblichus describes Pythagoras visiting the mountain on account of its reputation for sacredness, stating that it was the most holy of all mountains, and access was forbidden to many, while Tacitus states that there was an oracle situated there, which Vespasian visited for a consultation;[2] Tacitus states that there was an altar there, but without any image upon it, and without a temple around it.

Elijah
The Grotto of Elijah

In mainstream Jewish, Christian, and Islamic[1] thought, it is Elijah that is indelibly associated with the mountain, and he is regarded as having sometimes resided in a grotto on the mountain. In the Books of Kings, Elijah challenges 450 prophets of a particular Baal to a contest at the altar on Mount Carmel to determine whose deity was genuinely in control of the Kingdom of Israel; since the narrative is set during the rule of Ahab and his association with the Phoenicians, biblical scholars suspect that the Baal in question was probably Melqart.

According to the bible in 1 Kings 18, the challenge was to see which deity could light a sacrifice by fire. After the prophets of Baal had failed to achieve this, Elijah had water poured on his sacrifice several times to saturate the wood altar, prostrated himself in prayer to God, fire fell from the sky, and consumed the sacrifice shortly afterwards, in the account, clouds gather, the sky turns black, and it rains heavily.

Though there is no biblical reason to assume that the account of Elijah's victory refers to any particular part of Mount Carmel,[1] Islamic tradition places it at a point known as El-Maharrakah, meaning the burning. In 1958, archaeologists discovered something on the mountain range that resembled an altar, which they assumed must have been Elijah's altar.

from site
Mount Carmel’s rich red soil is covered by a typical Mediterranean shrub forest. There are beautiful Kermes Oak groves and not only flowering trees and delicious fragrant herbs, but all the flora of the North of Israel seems gathered in this favored spot.
So early as November, the crocus, narcissus, pink cistus, and large daisy are in bloom, and the hawthorn in bud.
In spring, wild tulips, dark red anemones, pink phlox, cyclamen, purple stocks, marigolds, geranium, and pink (Cistus salvifolius) and white (Cistus creticus) rock-roses make it spectacular.

Holy Botany

Some Plants of the Qu'ran and the Bible

Overview and Recent Research
American Center

Damascus, Syria

31 January 2000

Lytton John Musselman
Mary Payne Hogan Professor of Botany

Old Dominion University

Norfolk, Virginia 23529-0266

lmusselm@odu.edu
................

Olive

Another interesting difference between the plants of the two books is the manner in which the plants are used. Most striking is the olive (Olea europaea). In the Qu'ran, the olive fruit is mentioned as a condiment. Despite the many uses of olive oil in the bible for food, medicine, metal/wood preservative, soap, and illumination(16)-no mention is made of olives being eaten!

....................

Why There May Be No Balm in Gilead

Balm of Gilead is an image familiar to Bible students even though it is mentioned in only two verses. The weeping prophet, as Jeremiah is known, writes in Jeremiah 8:22, "Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why then is there no healing for the wound of my people?" What is this product of Gilead?

First, what is Gilead? According to the biblical account in the book of Joshua, Gilead is apparently the region from the middle of the Arnon Gorge (Wadi Mujib) to Mount Hermon (Jebel Al Sheik) with the Jabbok River (Zarqa River) being the middle of the territory. This included the domain of the Ammonites and the Amorites as well as the region known as Bashan. In division of territory to the patriarchs, Gilead was apportioned to the half tribe of Manasseh (the other half remained west of the Jordan River), Reuben, and Gad.

Although a small area in terms of square kilometers, Gilead is diverse stretching from the margins of the Jordan valley and the peaks along the Rift Valley to the edge of the Badia (steppe). In ancient times parts of Gilead were covered with forests. These forests were the southernmost extension of their kind, and the southern extreme of the range of the Aleppo pine. Today, only vestiges of these forests remain. A prime example is Dibbeen National Park.

At Dibbeen and scattered other remnants in the area, the forest is dominated by the Aleppo pine. This tree is familiar to anyone who has visited Jordan because it is widely planted. It probably only formed extensive forests, however, in areas with higher rainfall. Pines are the dominant trees but oak (ballot), pistacia (buttim), and carob (kharrob) are also present.

A feature of the natural pine forest is a distinct stratification of the vegetation. The trees are the upper layer. Much closer to the ground is a layer of shrubs, dominated by two species of the genus Cistus. More on these later. Closer yet to the soil are numerous non-woody plants, many of them in the legume family.

One of the characteristics of plants found in this vegetation type is the presence of essential oils, literally oils that have an essence. Pine would fit this category as would numerous of the understory shrubs. Some, like the legume Ononis, have sticky hairs. Others, like various members of the mint family, lack the sticky hairs but contain oils that are evident when the plant is crushed.

If the forest is degraded through heavy grazing, the oaks will predominate. This sort of forest is evident in the hills north of Ajlon as at Istayfanah. Here, you will not see a distinct stratification although the flora is rich and diverse. In the spring, the forest contains showy plants such as orchids and anemones which are most common at the margins where more light is available.

For me, the most desirable time to visit Dibbeen is in the late spring in the afternoon. Shrubs are still green, some flowers of Cistus are present. After the hot day, resin is obvious on the plants. Pine leaves, Cistus, and various native mints combine to give a sweet fragrance. The long rays of the sun in the late afternoon cast a special light over the forest. The clear, brilliant rays and contrasting shadows create a primeval ambience. It is quiet except for that special, calming sound of a light breeze through the leaves of the pine. In the distance you can sometime hear a shepherd playing his pipe. In a personal sense, this is a balm in Gilead for me!

Two species of Cistus are common in the pine forest, C. creticus and C. salvifolius. They are easily distinguished by their flower color. The large pink flowers of C. creticus and the slightly smaller but equally beautiful white flowers of C. salvifolius appear in May. On a hot day, the fragrant resin of the plants is obvious. Upon closer examination, you can see the numerous hairs that cover the leaves and young stems of both species. The resin will stick to your hands if you collect leaves.

Cistus' resin is fragrant, as noted, and has been used for millennia to produce an incense. Even today, the resin is collected in parts of Greece. It can be harvested in a variety of ways. One ancient method is to comb the hair of goats who graze in plant communities where Cistus is abundant. Another is by dragging a rake with long, leather tines across the shrubs at the hottest time of day and then removing the resin when it is dry. To my knowledge, it does not have any widespread use among modern Arabs.

I have not found any local familiarity with the plants. When some Bedouin near Anjara were asked the value of the plant, they simply replied that it was good forage for sheep and goats indicating why the shrub is absent in heavily grazed areas.

The resin is also used for medicine, as a balm that can reduce inflammation of the skin. Recent research on the biochemistry of the plant has shown the efficacy of compounds in the plant for dermatological disorders.

Other resins extracted from plants in this type of Mediterranean community include mastic. This is derived from the sap of at least two species of the genus Pistacia. The highest quality comes from P. lentiscus on the Greek island of Chios. Such trees may have occurred in Gilead in ancient times. However, there is no documentation for this. Another candidate is the resin of the Aleppo pine which has been used as a pitch and gum. Use of the resin for balm is unknown.

Back to Gilead. Is it possible these species of Cistus were widespread and more common throughout Gilead and used as a medicine? Could this be the balm of Gilead? Again, the weeping prophet in Jeremiah 46: 11: "Go up to Gilead and get balm, O virgin daughter of Egypt. But you multiply remedies in vain; there is no healing for you." This implies that Gilead was a special source of the medicine. If so, why was Gilead chosen as a site for harvesting the balm rather than similar areas west of the Jordan? We simply don't know. Nor should we neglect the possibility that the prophet Jeremiah was speaking in a metaphorically way.

What is certain is that the beautiful Cistus shrubs, perhaps the most likely candidate for the balm of Gilead, are much less frequent now then in previous years. This is due to the widespread destruction of the forest type that harbors them. To ensure that future generations of Jordanians can appreciate these attractive members of the indigenous flora, they need to be protected. This can only be done by preserving the forest in which they grow. Otherwise, there will be no balm in Gilead.

Plants in the Bible

by Catholic Encyclopedia

Ladanum, Hebrew lot (D. V. "stacte", A. V. "myrrh," in Genesis 37:25; 43:11), a gum from several plants of the genus Cistus (rock-rose); C. villosus and C. salvifolius are very abundant. In Sirach 24:21, "storax". Hebrew libneh, is the equivalent of Greek stachté, used by Septuagint in the above passages of Gen.; whether ladanum was meant is not clear, as it is frequently the Greek rendering of Hebrew nataf.

Healing Oils of the Bible

Healing Oils of the Bible

by the people of Biblical times to a number of resinproduclng desert trees and shrubs, which makes identification of Biblical plants difficult and sometimes impossible. Sometimes even balm was confused with myrrh, since both could be referred to simply as "resin" or "aromatic gum" as was also frankincense, galbanum, onycha, cistus, and shittim (also known as gum arablc). The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) doesn't use the word myrrh in Genesis. It uses the words "gum" and "resin."
The Bible word from which the King James Version translated the word "myrrh, was not the Hebrew "mor." King James relied heavily on the fourth century Latin translation of the Bible by St. Jerome (The Vulgate) and not the more ancient texts in Hebrew. In t he Vulgate, the word in Latin was "labdanum" which can mean "myrrh." But in the original Hebrew the word was "lot" which is the resinous Rose of Sharon {Cistus Creticus that Cistus flourishes in Eastern Mediterranean Sea} also called "rock rose" or "cistus." Rock rose produces a medicinal resin and oil with some of the same properties as true myrrh.
It should be pointed out that throughout history oil of myrrh has been often mixed with other oils because of its unique ability to preserve fragrances and potency and make them last longer. Therefore, it is possible that the oil carried by the Midianltes, though most likely the oil of the Rose of Sharon, also contained myrrh as a fixative. So King James' reference to myrrh would not necessarily be incorrect. What the Midianites carried may well have been a mixture of cistus and myrrh.
These points illustrate the difficulty in identifying oils and their species throughout the Bible.

History of labdanum from Cistus Creticus. (Part 2)

The collection of genuine labdanum with the traditional way becomes only from the plant Cistus Creticus. Cistus Creticus exists in Eastern Medideranen.
The collection labdanum with the traditional way depends:

1. from the plant (only from Cistus Creticus).
2. from the ground.
3. from the climate. The climate is altered with the years so that are altered also the regions from where it is collected labdanum.

I will present all regions where they were collected the laudanum as well as the historical reports.

Part 2: Gelead (Bibleplace).

http://www.bibleplaces.com/gileadupper.htm
Time: up to the genesis of Christ, they gathered the laudanum with traditional way in the region of Gilead.

Is labdanum the Balsam of Gilead ????

Cistus creticus or Cistus incanus is identical with the Arabic ladan, whence the Latin and English names of the gum, Ladanum, obtained from the Cistus.



"They sat down to eat; and looking up they saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming up from Gilead, with their camels bearing gum, balm and myrrh, on their way to carry it down to Egypt." Genesis 37:25.

"And their father Israel said unto them, If [it must be] so now, do this; take of the best fruits in the land in your vessels, and carry down the man a present, a little balm, and a little honey, spices, and myrrh, nuts, and almonds:" Genesis 43:11

"Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why then is there no healing for the wound of my people?" Jeremiah 8:22

"Go up to Gilead and get balm, O virgin daughter of Egypt. But you multiply remedies in vain; there is no healing for you," Jeremiah 46: 11.


"Ledanum, which the Arabs call ladanum, is procured in a yet stranger fashion. Found in a most inodorous place, it is the sweetest-scented of all substances. It is gathered from the beards of he-goats, where it is found sticking like gum, having come from the bushes on which they browse. It is used in many sorts of unguents, and is what the Arabs burn chiefly as incense." Herodotos - Thalia 112

This suggests that rock roses really might have provided the very "balm" which Jeremiah associated with Gilead.
The association of the balm as desired in Egypt as well as throughout Israel is a unifying factor in Jeremiah's metaphoric thinking. When the Daughter of My People was exiled in Babylon, she longed for the Balm of Gilead, and this longing was that of a people in exile for the things and places of their lost homeland. The association of the Balm of Gilead with exiles and lamentations begins early (the Ishmaelite balm traders took Joseph into exile in Egypt).

Gilead matches today to the northwestern part of the Kingdom of Jordan. David fled to Mahanaim in Gilead during the rebellion of Absalom (2 Samuel 17:27). Gilead is later mentioned as the homeplace of the prophet Elijah (I Kings 17:1).
In ancient times parts of Gilead were covered with forests. It is said that species of Cistus were widespread and more common throughout Gilead and used as a medicine, what could be the balm of Gilead.


Cistus incanus,Cistus creticus,Cistus villosus, Soft-Hairy Rockrose,


Most Cistus species have aromatic foliage but some species also exude a highly aromatic gum or resin, called ladanum or labdanum, a gold-colored essential oil with the penetrating odor of ambergris, which has been used in incenses since ancient times and it was also used for embalming and aphrodisiac purposes. Nowadays it is a valuable ingredient of perfumes and as incense in Eastern churches. Ladanum and other extracts from cistus also have a long history of use in folk medicine.


The gum is secreted from glandular hairs on the leaves and young stems, especially under hot sunshine. It was gathered by allowing goats to graze on and among the plants; the ladanum adhered to their beards, which were then cut off.

Tournefort (1656-1708), a French Botanist, has given a detailed description of the mode of obtaining ladanum. He relates that it is now gathered by means of a Aasavronjpmv or kind of flail with which the plants are threshed. When these thongs are loaded with the fiagrant and sticky resin they are scraped with a knife. The substance is then roiled into a mass, in which state'it is called ladanum or labdanum.
It was known to the Greeks as early as the times of Herodotus (484 BCE-ca.425 BCE) and Theophrastus (370BCE - about 285 BCE).



According to H.B.Tristram (The Natural History of the Bible) "the Cistus has been supposed to be the "Rose of Sharon" of Cant.II.1, though it is scarcely characteristic of the plain, being rather the plant of the hills". And Tristram continues: "Mount Carmel especially abounds of the Cistus, which in April covers some of the barer parts of the mountain with a glow not inferior to that of the Scottish heather".


Numerous pollen grains of the Cistus creticus were found on the Shroud's of Turin surface. Dr. Avinoam Danin, a botany professor at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, indicates that such pollen grains serve as "geographic and calendar indicators" demonstrating that the origin or provenance of the Shroud was definitely the Holy Land, and more specifically an area in and around Jerusalem.

"The Adoration of the Magi" El Creco Dominikos Theotokopulos
(He comes from area of labdanum).

Myrrh is mentioned in the Bible (Psalm 45:8; Song of Solomon 4:14) and is believed to have been a mixture of myrrh and the oleoresin labdanum. One of the three gifts the Magi brought to Jesus Christ (Matthew 2:11) was myrrh. Myrrh gum resin was also used as a stimulant tonic and is even used today as an antiseptic in mouthwashes as well as to treat sore gums and teeth.

http://www.flowersinisrael.com/Cistusincanus_page.htm
http://www.paghat.com/balmofgilead.html
http://www.tal-zion.org/balm.htm
http://www.odu.edu/~lmusselm/plant/bible/cistus.php