Honey: 1. Heb. ya'ar, occurs only
(1 Samuel 14:25,27,29; The Song of Solomon 5:1) where it
denotes the honey of bees. Properly the word signifies a forest
or copse, and refers to honey found in woods.2. Nopheth, honey that drops
(Psalms 19:10; Proverbs 5:3; The Song of Solomon 4:11)
3. Debash denotes bee-honey
(Judges 14:8) but also frequently a
vegetable honey distilled from trees
(Genesis 43:11; Ezekiel 27:17) In
these passages it may probably mean "dibs," or syrup of grapes,
i.e., the juice of ripe grapes boiled down to one-third of its
bulk.
4. Tsuph, the cells of the honey-comb full of honey
(Proverbs 16:24; Psalms 19:10)
5. "Wild honey"
(Matthew 3:4) may have been the vegetable honey distilled
from trees, but rather was honey stored by bees in rocks or in
trees
(Deuteronomy 32:13; Psalms 81:16; 1 Samuel 14:25-29) Canaan was a "land flowing
with milk and honey"
(Exodus 3:8) Milk and honey were among the chief
dainties in the earlier ages, as they are now among the Bedawin;
and butter and honey are also mentioned among articles of food
(Isaiah 7:15) The ancients used honey instead of sugar
(Psalms 119:103; Proverbs 24:13) but when taken in great quantities it
caused nausea, a fact referred to in
(Proverbs 25:16,17) to
inculcate moderation in pleasures. Honey and milk also are put
for sweet discourse
(The Song of Solomon 4:11)
