• Bdellium Gum
    Aid to Bible Understanding

    • BDELLIUM GUM

      [Heb., bedhoʹlahh; Gr., bdelʹli·on].

      A fragrant resinous gum resembling myrrh in appearance and sometimes used to adulterate it. (See also MYRRH.) It is obtained from a tree (Commiphora africana) found in NW Africa and Arabia and also from a related type in NW India. This is a genus of small trees or bushes with a scrubby, spiny appearance and little foliage, growing in hot sunny places. When the bark is cut, a fragrant, resinous juice or gum oozes out and forms into a rounded or oval “tear” from one to two inches (2.5 to 5 centimeters) in diameter. After the gum is removed from the tree it soon hardens, becomes waxlike and transparent, and is similar to a pearl in appearance.

      In describing the land of Havilah encircled by the river Pishon (one of the four rivers branching off from the river of Eden), mention is made of its valuable things: gold, bdellium gum and onyx stone. (Gen. 2:11, 12) Its inclusion along with two minerals caused some early translators (including those of LXX) to consider the Hebrew word as meaning “a precious stone.” However, this is not necessarily indicated, in view of the high value placed by the Orientals on similar aromatic gums and perfumes. (See BALSAM, BALSAM OF GILEAD.) At Numbers 11:7 the manna that the Israelites gathered during the wilderness trek is said to have had “the look of bdellium gum.” Manna had previously been likened to “hoarfrost upon the earth.” (Ex. 16:14) This corresponds with the near-white color of bdellium gum. Josephus (Antiquities of the Jews, Book III, chap. I, par. 6), in discussing the provision of the manna, refers to bdellium as “one of the sweet spices.”

      [Picture on page 197]

      Source of the aromatic bdellium gum

  • Beads
    Aid to Bible Understanding

    • BEADS

      Small perforated ornaments made of such materials as glass, gems, gold and silver, usually worn as necklaces, have been found on Egyptian mummies, in Greek and Roman graves and in Assyrian temple ruins. The Royal Tombs at Ur, the city where Abraham once resided, have yielded many items of jewelry (evidently dating from patriarchal times) that once belonged to Queen Shub-ad and the court ladies buried with her. Beads formed part of the ornamentation on the queen’s diadem, her network cape, and garters. Glass beads also decked certain bracelets found on the mummy of Egyptian Pharaoh Tutankhamen.

      Concerning the lovely Shulammite girl of The Song of Solomon it is said: “Your cheeks are comely among the hair braids, your neck in a string of beads.” (Song of Sol. 1:10) Clearly, then, strings of beads were among the articles of adornment used by Hebrew women of ancient times.—See ORNAMENTS.

  • Bear
    Aid to Bible Understanding

    • BEAR

      The Syrian brown bear is the animal formerly encountered in Palestine, and is still found in N Syria, NW Iran and S Turkey. It is most often light brown in color and averages about three hundred pounds (136 kilograms) in weight. Despite seeming awkwardness, the bear can move with great rapidity even over rough ground, some varieties attaining a speed of nearly thirty miles (48 kilometers) an hour for a short distance. Bears are also good swimmers, and most of them can climb.

      The idea that bears hug or squeeze their victims to death is not borne out by the facts. When engaged in a struggle, the bear strikes with its huge paws, and its powerful, heavy arms drive the nonretractile claws deep into the body of its opponent. A single blow may be sufficient to kill an animal such as a deer. Most appropriately, therefore, the Scriptures allude to the bear’s dangerousness in parallel with that of the lion. (Amos 5:19; Lam. 3:10) Naturalists, in fact, consider the bear to be even more dangerous than the large cats. Usually, however, the bear, like other animals, does not molest humans but avoids them, although it may attack when provoked or surprised.