The last couple days here in the northeast have been on the warmer side, making me think aboutÂ….GARDENING! IÂ’ve been toying with the idea of a Bible Garden for many moons, and thought IÂ’d research it out and actually do it this year. A lot of the plants are not fond of Zone 6 climate, but I can dream, anyway. J For anyone that would like to dream along with me, IÂ’ll post a different section of my Bible Garden each week.
Planting a Bible Garden, Part 1 – Fruits
 Cucumbers – Grown only in fertile land that has been overflowed by the Nile, cucumbers are said to be the coolest and most pleasant fruit in the East.
See:
Numbers 11:5 - We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlick:
Isaiah 1:8 – And the daughter of Zion is left as a cottage in a vineyard, as a lodge in a garden of cucumbers, as a besieged city.
 Melons – Many varieties were grown, as they were a favorite fruit in Egypt and Palestine. Plant varieties of the muskmelon or watermelon to eat on a hot day as they did some 4000 + years ago.
See:
Numbers 11:5 - We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlick:
 Dates – Grow in clusters about the leaves of the date palm throughout Palestine. Better suited as a tropical houseplant in all but the most tropical of locales, a date palm could be placed in the garden during the warmest summer months.
See:
Exodus 15:24 – And they came to Elim, where were twelve wells of water, and three-score and ten palm trees: and they encamped there by the waters.
Deuteronomy 34:3 – And the south, and the plain of the valley of Jericho, the city of palm trees, unto Zo’ar.
Judges 1:16 – And the children of the KēnÂ’īte, MosesÂ’ father in law, went up out of the city of palm trees with the children of Jūdah into the wilderness of Jūdah, which lieth in the south of ’răd; and they went and dwelt among the people.
 Apples – Both the fruit and the tree, “tappauch”, are alluded to or mentioned throughout the Bible. There are varieties to grow in just about all the states.
See:
Proverbs 25:11 – A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.
Song of Solomon 2:3 – 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.
Song of Solomon 2:5 – Stay me with flagons, comfort me with apples: for I am sick of love.
Song of Solomon 8:5 – Who is this that cometh up from the wilderness, leaning upon her beloved? I raised thee up under the apple tree: there thy mother brought thee forth: there she brought thee forth that bare thee.
Joel 1:12 –The vine is dried up, and the fig tree languisheth; the pomegranate tree, the palm tree also, and the apple tree, even all the trees of the field, are withered: because joy is withered away from sons of men.
 Figs – a common fruit tree found in Palestine. Can be grown in zone 7, quickly reaching 30 feet tall and producing tasty fruits early in life.
See:
Deuteronomy 8:8 – A land of wheat, and barley, and vines, and fig trees…
1 King 4:25 – And Judah and Israel dwelt safely, every man under his vine and under his fig tree
Matthew 21:19 – And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever. And presently the fig tree withered away.
 Gourds – The climbing variety grow rapidly in the East. Bible may have been referring to the pumpkin or other fruit in the squash family. Plant one or two climbing varieties and be “glad of the gourd”.
See:
Jonah 4:6 – And the Lord God prepared a gourd, and made it to come up over Jonah, that it might be a shadow over his head, to deliver him from his grief. So Jonah was exceeding glad of the gourd.
 Grapes – Many varieties were cultivated throughout the Orient for fruit and wine. The vine is used metaphorically throughout the Bible, over forty times. A Biblical Garden would not be complete without at least one grape vine.
See:
Genesis 40:10 – And in the vine were three branches: and it was though it budded, and her blossoms shot forth; and the clusters thereof brought forth ripe grapes:
Leviticus 19:10 – And thou shalt not glean thy vineyard, neither shalt thou gather every grape of thy vineyard; thou shalt leave them for the poor and stranger: I am the Lord your God.
Job 15:33 – He shall shake off his unripe grape as the vine, and shall cast off his flower as the olive.
 Olives – Exported from Palestine to Egypt in Biblical times, the olive tree bears a plum like fruit that is prized for its oil. The tree is also used as a figure for Israel.
See:
Genesis 8:11 – And the dove came in to him in the evening; and, lo, in her mouth was an olive leaf pluckt off: so Noah knew that the waters were abated from off the earth.
Deuteronomy 8:8 – A land of wheat, and barley, and vines, and fig trees, and pomegranates; a land of oil olive, and honey;
Psalms 128:3 – Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house: thy children like olive plants round thy table.
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Leeks –
Onions – 
Garlic –
