mar09

Let me blog this from the above titled thread.

I wonder what else they do with dates nowadays... I found this in Moldenke: The palm tree (Heb. elot) is unquestionably the date palm Phoneix dactylifera. Being peculiar in the erect mode of its growth, with branchless taperign stem to 80 ft or more...its fruit weighing 30-50 lbs, is the chief article of food for innumerable tribes of arabia and northern africa... the kernel is said to be more nutririous than barley... it is also what the jews usually referred to when they spoke of 'honey' (d'vash). Its been reported that bees are mentioned in the Bible but 4 times, while honey 49 times. This substantiates the claim the the word honey was not alwyas used in the sense we use it today. Herodotus speaks of palm tree as producing bread, wine and honey. He and pliny also mentioned that ancient orientals made both wine and honey from date palm. p. 170

http://www.abebooks.com/book-search/isbn/0486250695/