In Egypt and the East 261 



reason for its prohibition by the Hebrews. Moreover, honey 

 was sometimes used as a symbol for carnal pleasure, and 

 bees are classed as " unclean " animals, that is, it is in- 

 directly forbidden to eat them. 



But while honey may not be used as a burnt-offering, it 

 is very acceptable as an offering of first-fruits because 

 these were not sacrificed, but went to the nourishment of 

 the priests. 



The punishment of the wicked is that " he shall not see 

 the rivers, the floods, the brooks, of honey and butter." 



Honey, in Palestine as in India, was found in clefts in 

 the rocks and in the trunks of trees, and honey in the 

 rock is more than once referred to in the Bible, as in the 

 Psalm where the Lord complains of the disobedience of 

 the Children of Israel and declares what he would have 

 done for them had they deserved it : — 



'' He [Jehovah] should have fed them also with the finest 

 of the wheat : and with honey out of the rock should I 

 have satisfied thee." 



The Lord thus addresses Jerusalem : — 



"Thus wast thou decked with gold and silver, and thy 

 raiment was of fine linen, and silk, and broidered work ; thou 

 didst eat fine flour, and honey, and oil ; and thou wast ex- 

 ceeding beautiful, and thou didst prosper into a kingdom." 



And blames the people for setting up images : — 



" My meat also which I gave thee, fine flour and oil and 

 honey wherewith I fed thee, thou hast even set it before 

 them for a sweet savour." 



The Lord, describing Tyrus, says : " Judah, and the lamb 

 of Israel, they were thy merchants ; they traded in thy 

 market wheat of Minnith and Pannag, and honey, and 

 oil, and balm." 



In the Book of the Judges we read how Samson found 

 the honey in the carcass of the young lion he had himself 



