Honey

"(1.) Heb. ya'ar, occurs only 1 Sam. 14:25, 27, 29; Cant. 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 (Ps. 19:10; Prov. 5:3; Cant. 4:11). "(3.) Debash denotes bee-honey (Judg. 14:8); but also frequently a vegetable honey distilled from trees (Gen. 43:11; Ezek. "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 (Prov. 16:24; Ps. 19:10). "(5.) "Wild honey" (Matt. 3:4) may have been the vegetable honey "distilled from trees, but rather was honey stored by bees in" rocks or in trees (Deut. 32:13; Ps. 81:16; 1 Sam. 14:25-29). "Canaan was a "land flowing with milk and honey" (Ex. 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 (Isa. 7:15). The ancients used honey instead of sugar (Ps. 119:103; Prov. 24:13); but when "taken in great quantities it caused nausea, a fact referred to" "in Prov. 25:16, 17 to inculcate moderation in pleasures. Honey" and milk also are put for sweet discourse (Cant. 4:11).