Seven Species | My Site 1

For forty years the Israelites wondered in the desert, yet they had been promised land on the edge of the fertile crescent, the land of origin for the "Seven Species" :Wheat, Barley, Vine, Fig, Pomegranite, Olive and Date.

(Click the species to jump to a specific page to reflect, or scroll below to find the remainder)

Then God said, ‘Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds.’ And it was so. The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.

Genesis 1:11-12

The fertile crescent provided the right climate and enough water for the area to not just grow species, but a land full of them.

For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land – a land with brooks, streams, and deep springs gushing out into the valleys and hills; a land with wheat and barley, vines and fig-trees, pomegranates, olive oil and honey;

Deuteronomy 8:7-8

Within the first 11 verses of the Bible, plants, trees and seeds are mentioned. With their abundance, many became associated with the Hebrew Feasts, and the fruits a sign of prosperity.

The story of Ruth includes the expected support provided for the poor. Particularly, the gleanings to be gathered from the harvested fields by those in need, so that by their own work they can have food.

God commands it in Leviticus 19:9

Naomi returned from Moab accompanied by Ruth the Moabite, her daughter-in-law, arriving in Bethlehem as the barley harvest was beginning.

Ruth 1:22

When you are harvesting in your field and you overlook a sheaf, do not go back to get it. Leave it for the foreigner, the fatherless and the widow, so that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands.

Deuteronomy 24:19

The Date Palm was long considered a staple in Israel with its lush growth, sweet dates and trees providing shade. Jericho is renowned for its date groves. They were used medicinally as well as sumptious food, and preserved well so suitable for export and trade just as they are today.

The Hebrew word for the date palm is ‘tàmâr.’ ... It became the symbol of grace and elegance and was often bestowed on women. For King Davids daughter was named Tamar.

The righteous will flourish like a palm tree,
they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon;
planted in the house of the Lord, they will flourish in the courts of our God. They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green,

Psalm 92:12-14

God is concerned about social justice for those who may find themselves in a place of poverty. Rather than a handout, they maintained the dignity of work and gathering their own food. Handouts can easily create a class of victims, but work opportunities give people the tools to rise above their poverty. God promises to bless the people who follow His laws, and promises abundance to the land owners who obey the principle of gleaning. In God’s economy, helping the poor doesn’t come at the expense of the rich. Rather, doing the right thing God’s way helps everyone involved.

Moses sent 12 including Joshua & Caleb to spy out the Promised land. They returned with fruit showing that their was abundance in this fertile area.

Pomegranites were first mentioned in Exodus where God instructed the priestly garment to bear pomegranites depictions around the hem. They also were depicted on the columns when the Temple was built.

Many places in the Bible refer to pomegranates in reference to fruitfulness, blessing, and prosperity,

When they reached the Valley of Eshkol,

they cut off a branch bearing a single cluster of grapes. Two of them carried it on a pole between them, along with some pomegranates and figs.. Numbers 13:23

Pomegranites are filled with seeds that burst out of the ripe fruit, Some suggest that this shows love and fertility, and is mentioned in the Song of Solomon, but for some Jews, the seeds represent the 613 commands of Mitzvot.

Beside the Seven Species, scripture mentions many other plants and trees, too numerous for here. However a few other notable flora are mentioned here: