GOURD, Wild Gourd. This is a Plant which produces leaves and branches much like Garden-Cucumbers, which creep upon the earth, and are divided into several branches.
Its fruit is of the size and figure of an orange. It is of a light, white substance, if you pare off the rind; and so bitter to the taste, that it has been called the Gall of the earth.
2 Kings iv. 39.We read in the second Book of Kings, that Elisha being at Gilgal during a great famine, bad one of his servants prepare something for the entertainment of the Prophets, who were in that place. The servant going into the field, found some wild Gourds, gathered his lap-full of them, and having brought them with him, cut them in pieces, and put them in a pot, not knowing what they were. When they were brought to table, the Prophets having tasted them, thought that they were mortal poison. Immediately the man of God called for some flour, threw it in the pot, and desired them to eat without any apprehensions. They did so, and perceived nothing of the bitterness, whereof they were before so sensible. This plant or fruit is called in Hebrew, Pekaak.