Fig

The fig tree is common in Palestine and the East, and flourishes with the greatest luxuriance in those barren and stony situations where little else will grow. Its large size, and its abundance of five-lobed leaves, render it a pleasant shade tree; and its fruit furnished a wholesome food, very much used in all the lands of the Bible. Thus it was a symbol of peace and plenty, 1 Kings 4:25 Micah 4:4 Zechariah 3:10 John 1:49-51. Figs are of two sorts, the "baccore," and the "kermouse." The black and white boccore, or early fig, is produced in June; thought the kermouse, the fig properly so called, which is preserved, and made up into cakes, is rarely ripe before August. There is also a long dark-colored kermouse, that sometimes hangs upon the trees all winter.

The fruit of the fig tree is one of the delicacies of the East, and is very often spoken of in Scripture. The early fig was especially prized, Isaiah 28:4 Jeremiah 24:2 Nahum 3:12, though the summer fig is most abundant, 2 Kings 20:7 Isaiah 38:21. It is a peculiarity of the fig tree that its fruit begins to appear before the leaves, and without any show of blossoms. It has, indeed, small and hidden blossoms, but the passage in Habakkuk 3:17, should read, according to the original Hebrew, "Although the fig tree should not bear," instead of "blossom." Its leaves come so late in the spring as to justify the words of Christ, "Ye know that summer is nigh," Matthew 24:32 So 2:13. The fresh fruit is shaped like a pear. The dried figs of Palestine were probably like those which are brought to our own country; sometimes, however, they are dried on a string. We likewise read of "cakes of figs," 1 Samuel 25:18 2 Kings 20:7 1 Chronicles 12:40. These were probably formed by pressing the fruit forcibly into baskets or other vessels, so as to reduce them to a solid cake or lump. In this way dates are still prepared in Arabia.

The barren fig tree which was withered at our Savior's word, as an awful warning to unfruitful professors of religion, seems to have spent itself in leaves. It stood by the wayside, free to all; and as the time for stripping the trees of their fruit had not come, Mark 11:14, it was reasonable to expect to find it covered with figs in various stages of growth. Yet there was "nothing thereon, but leaves only," Matthew 21:19.

FIG, FIG-TREE

fig'-tre (te'enah, plural te'enim, specially "figs"; paggim, "green figs" only in Songs 2:13; suke, "fig-tree," sukon, "fig"):

1. Fig-Trees in the Old Testament:

The earliest Old Testament reference to the fig is to the leaves, which Adam and Eve converted into aprons (Genesis 3:7). The promised land was described (Deuteronomy 8:8) as "a land of wheat and barley, and vines and fig-trees and pomegranates," etc. The spies who visited it brought, besides the cluster of grapes, pomegranates and figs (Numbers 13:23). The Israelites complained that the wilderness was "no place of seed, or of figs, or of vines, or of pomegranates" (Numbers 20:5). When Egypt was plagued, the fig-trees were smitten (Psalm 105:33); a similar punishment was threatened to unfaithful Israel (Jeremiah 5:17 Hosea 2:12 Amos 4:9). It is only necessary to ride a few miles among the mountain villages of Palestine, with their extensive fig gardens, to realize what a long-lasting injury would be the destruction of these slow-growing trees. Years of patient labor-such as that briefly hinted at in Luke 13:7 -must pass before a newly planted group of fig-trees can bear profitably. Plenitude of fruitful vines and fig-trees, specially individual ownership, thus came to be emblematical of long-continued peace and prosperity. In the days of Solomon "Judah and Isr 1 Kings 4:25). Compare also 2 Kings 18:31 Isaiah 36:16 Micah 4:4 Zechariah 3:10; Zechariah 1 APC 1Macc 14:12. Only a triumphal faith in Yahweh could rejoice in Him "though the fig-tree shall hot flourish" (Habakkuk 3:17).

2. Natural History of the Fig-Tree:

The Ficus carica, which produces the common fig, is a tree belonging to the Natural Order. Urticaceae, the nettle family, which includes also the banyan, the India rubber fig-tree, the sycamore fig and other useful plants. Fig-trees are cultivated all over the Holy Land, especially in the mountain regions. Wild fig-trees-usually rather shrubs than trees-occur also everywhere; they are usually barren and are described by the fellahin as "male" trees; it is generally supposed that their presence is beneficial to the cultivated variety. The immature flowers harbor small insects which convey pollen to the female flowers and by their irritating presence stimulate the growth of the fruit. Artificial fertilization has been understood since ancient times, and there may be a reference to it in Amos 7:14.

Fig-trees are usually of medium height, 10 or 15 ft. for full-grown trees, yet individual specimens sometimes attain as much as 25 ft. The summer foliage is thick and surpasses other trees of its size in its cool and dense shade. In the summer owners of such trees may be seen everywhere sitting in their shadow (John 1:48). Such references as Mac 4:4; Zechariah 3:10, etc., probably are to this custom rather than to the not uncommon one of having a fig-tree overhanging a dwelling.

3. Figs:

The fruit of the fig-tree is peculiar. The floral axis, instead of expanding outward, as with most flowers, closes, as the flower develops, upon the small internal flowers, leaving finally but a small opening at the apex; the axis itself becomes succulent and fruit-like. The male flowers lie around the opening, the female flowers deeper in; fertilization is brought about by the presence of small hymenopterous insects.

There are many varieties of figs in Palestine differing in sweetness, in color and consistence; some are good and some are bad (compare Jeremiah 24:1, 8; Jeremiah 29:17). In Palestine and other warm climates the fig yields two crops annually-an earlier one, ripe about June, growing from the "old wood," i.e. from the midsummer sprouts of the previous year, and a second, more important one, ripe about August, which grows upon the "new wood," i.e. upon the spring shoots. By December, fig-trees in the mountainous regions of Palestine have shed all their leaves, and they remain bare until about the end of March, when they commence putting forth their tender leaf buds (Matthew 24:32 Mark 13:28, 32 Luke 21:29-33), and at the same time, in the leaf axils, appear the tiny figs. They belong to the early signs of spring:

"The voice of the turtle-dove is heard in our land;

The fig-tree ripeneth her green figs" (paggim)

- Songs 2:12, 13.

4. Early Figs:

These tiny figs develop along with the leaves up to a certain point-to about the size of a small cherry-and then the great majority of them fall to the ground, carried down with every gust of wind. These are the "unripe figs" (olunthos)-translated, more appropriately in the King James Version, as "untimely figs"-of Revelation 6:13. Compare also Isaiah 34:4 the King James Version-in the Revised Version (British and American) "leaf" has been supplied instead of "fig." These immature figs are known to the fellahin as taksh, by whom they are eaten as they fall; they may even sometimes be seen exposed for sale in the markets in Jerusalem. In the case of many trees the whole of this first crop may thus abort, so that by May no figs at all are to be found on the tree, but with the best varieties of fig-trees a certain proportion of the early crop of figs remains on the tree, and this fruit reaches ripe perfection about June. Such fruit is known in Arabic as dafur, or "early figs," and in Hebrew as bikkurah, "the first-ripe" (Isaiah 28:4 Jeremiah 24:2 Hosea 9:10). They are now, as of old, esteemed for their delicate flavor (Micah 7:1, etc.).

5. The Cursing of the Barren Fig-Tree:

The miracle of our Lord (Matthew 21:18-20 Mark 11:12, 13, 10, 21) which occurred in the Passover season, about April, will be understood (as far as the natural phenomena are concerned) by the account given above of the fruiting of the fig-tree, as repeatedly observed by the present writer in the neighborhood of Jerusalem. When the young leaves are newly appearing, in April, every fig-tree which is going to bear fruit at all will have some taksh ("immature figs") upon it, even though "the time of figs" (Mark 11:13 the King James Version), i.e. of ordinary edible figs-either early or late crop-"was not yet." This taksh is not only eaten today, but it is sure evidence, even when it falls, that the tree bearing it is not barren. This acted parable must be compared with Luke 13:6, 9; now the time of judgment was surely coming, the fate of the fruitless Jewish nation was forcibly foretold.

6. Dried Figs:

While fresh figs have always been an important article of diet in their season (Nehemiah 13:15) the dried form is even more used. They are today dried in the sun and threaded on strings (like long necklaces) for convenience of carriage. A "cake of figs" (debhelah, literally, "pressed together") is mentioned (1 Samuel 30:12); Abigail gave 200 such cakes of figs to David (1 Samuel 25:18); the people of North Israel sent, with other things, "cakes of figs" as a present to the newly-crowned David (1 Chronicles 12:40). Such masses of figs are much used today-they can be cut into slices with a knife like cheese. Such a mass was used externally for Hezekiah's "boil" (Isaiah 38:21 2 Kings 20:7); it was a remedy familiar to early medical writers.

E. W. G. Masterman

First mentioned in Genesis 3:7. The fig-tree is mentioned (Deuteronomy 8:8) as one of the valuable products of Palestine. It was a sign of peace and prosperity (1 Kings 4:25; Micah 4:4; Zechariah 3:10). Figs were used medicinally (2 Kings 20:7), and pressed together and formed into "cakes" as articles of diet (1 Samuel 30:12; Jeremiah 24:2).

Our Lord's cursing the fig-tree near Bethany (Mark 11:13) has occasioned much perplexity from the circumstance, as mentioned by the evangelist, that "the time of figs was not yet." The explanation of the words, however, lies in the simple fact that the fruit of the fig-tree appears before the leaves, and hence that if the tree produced leaves it ought also to have had fruit. It ought to have had fruit if it had been true to its "pretensions," in showing its leaves at this particular season. "This tree, so to speak, vaunted itself to be in advance of all the other trees, challenged the passer-by that he should come and refresh himself with its fruit. Yet when the Lord accepted its challenge and drew near, it proved to be but as the others, without fruit as they; for indeed, as the evangelist observes, the time of figs had not yet arrived. Its fault, if one may use the word, lay in its pretensions, in its making a show to run before the rest when it did not so indeed" (Trench, Miracles).

The fig-tree of Palestine (Ficus carica) produces two and sometimes three crops of figs in a year, (1) the bikkurah, or "early-ripe fig" (Micah 7:1; Isaiah 28:4; Hosea 9:10, R.V.), which is ripe about the end of June, dropping off as soon as it is ripe (Nahum 3:12); (2) the kermus, or "summer fig," then begins to be formed, and is ripe about August; and (3) the pag (plural "green figs, " Cant. 2:13; Gr. olynthos, Revelation 6:13, "the untimely fig"), or "winter fig," which ripens in sheltered spots in spring.

1. (n.) A small fruit tree (Ficus Carica) with large leaves, known from the remotest antiquity. It was probably native from Syria westward to the Canary Islands.

2. (n.) The fruit of a fig tree, which is of round or oblong shape, and of various colors.

3. (n.) A small piece of tobacco.

4. (n.) The value of a fig, practically nothing; a fico; -- used in scorn or contempt.

5. (n.) To insult with a fico, or contemptuous motion. See Fico.

6. (n.) To put into the head of, as something useless o/ contemptible.

7. (n.) Figure; dress; array.

8384. teenah -- fig tree
... << 8383, 8384. teenah. 8385 >>. fig tree. Transliteration: teenah Phonetic
Spelling: (teh-ane') Short Definition: tree. Word Origin of ...
/hebrew/8384.htm - 6k

1063. bikkurah -- the first ripe fig, early fig
... << 1062, 1063. bikkurah. 1064 >>. the first ripe fig, early fig. Transliteration:
bikkurah Phonetic Spelling: (bik-koo-raw') Short Definition: fig. ...
/hebrew/1063.htm - 6k

6291. paggah -- an early fig
... << 6290, 6291. paggah. 6292 >>. an early fig. Transliteration: paggah Phonetic
Spelling: (pag) Short Definition: figs. Word ... green fig. From ...
/hebrew/6291.htm - 5k

1690. debelah -- a lump (of pressed figs), a pressed (fig) cake
... << 1689, 1690. debelah. 1691 >>. a lump (of pressed figs), a pressed (fig) cake.
Transliteration: debelah Phonetic Spelling: (deb-ay-law') Short Definition: cake ...
/hebrew/1690.htm - 6k

4929. mishmar -- place of confinement, jail, prison, guard, watch ...
... From shamar; a guard (the man, the post or the prison); a deposit (fig.); also
(as observed) a usage (abstr.), or an example (concr.) -- diligence, guard ...
/hebrew/4929.htm - 6k

8385. ta'anah -- occasion or time of copulation
ta'anah. << 8384, 8385. ta'anah. 8385a >>. occasion or time of copulation.
Transliteration: ta'anah Phonetic Spelling: (tah-an-aw') Short Definition: tree. ...
/hebrew/8385.htm - 5k

1073. bakkurah -- firstripe
... Word Origin see bikkurah. firstripe By orthographical variation for bikkuwrah; a
first- ripe fig -- firstripe. see HEBREW bikkuwrah. << 1072, 1073. ...
/hebrew/1073.htm - 5k

1790. dak -- crushed, oppressed
... afflicted, oppressed. From an unused root (compare dakah); crushed, ie (fig.) Injured --
afflicted, oppressed. see HEBREW dakah. << 1789, 1790. dak. 1791 >>. ...
/hebrew/1790.htm - 6k

4931. mishmereth -- a guard, watch, charge, function
... Fem. Of mishmar; watch, ie The act (custody), or (concr.) The sentry, the
post; obj. Preservation, or (concr.) Safe; fig. Observance ...
/hebrew/4931.htm - 6k