Trees

TREES. There is hardly any thing less certain in Scripture, than the Hebrew Names of Plants and Trees. We shall not attempt to enumerate them here, but rather, as Occasion shall offer, we shall speak of the chief of them that are mentioned in Scripture. When the Jews had planted a Vine or Fruit-tree, they were not allowed to eat of the Fruit for the first three Years: They Levit. xix. 23.offered to God that of the fourth Year, and afterwards might use whatever those Trees produced at their Discretion. The Fruit of the three first Years was accounted unclean: The Scripture says, that for these three Years they gave a sort of Circumcision to the Trees: Auferetis præputia eorum. After this they became common. They profaned (as it were) their Trees,¹ after they had offered the First-fruits to the Lord.

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