Fruits Mentioned in the Bible I
From apple juice to applesauce, the apple is still one of the most popular fruits , offering an array of varieties across the world. The fruit and the tree was also mentioned in the Bible. In this article, you will learn how the apple fit into Biblical verses, as well as a reference to a melon.
Apple
The Song of Solomon takes place within the setting of a garden. The person responsible for penning the Song of Solomon had an interest in plans and was accomplished in the science of plants (as told in I Kings 4: 33). Throughout the test, more than 20 different plants are mentioned, which is more than any other book in the Bible , with the exception of Isaiah.
In the Song of Solomon, the apple appears in the following places:
· “Like an apple tree among the trees of the forest is my lover among the young men. I delight to sit in his shade, and his fruit is sweet to my taste.” [New International Version; 2:3]
· “Who is this coming up from the wilderness Leaning on her beloved?” “Beneath the apple tree I awakened you; There your mother was in labor with you, There she was in labor and gave you birth.” [New American Standard Version; 8:5]
The apple is also mentioned in Joel 1:12 (“The vine is dried up and the fig tree is withered; the pomegranate, the palm and the apple tree–all the trees of the field–are dried up. Surely the joy of mankind is withered away” , New International Version) and Proverbs 25:11 (“Like apples of gold in settings of silver is a word spoken in right circumstances” , New American Standard Bible).
The apple and apple tree is a popular plant in many parts of the world. It is respected for its beauty, fragrance, and ability to produce an abundance of fruit.
Other references to the apple in the Bible include:
· “Keep my commands and you will live; guard my teachings as the apple of your eye.” [New International Version; Proverbs 7:2]
· “For thus says the LORD of hosts, “After glory He has sent me against the nations which plunder you, for he who touches you, touches the apple of His eye.” [New American Standard Bible; Zechariah 2:8]
Melon
When you think of the Bible, you probably did not envision melons being a part of the ancient diet. There is only one verse that mentions melons, and that is in Numbers 11: 5-6: “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” [King James Version]. The melon in the reference may point to the common watermelon. In Biblical days, this melon was most likely much smaller than the fruit we see in today’s North American crops.