915. Hyssop is mentioned in the Bible on many occasions, but no plant we know of today by that name is a native species of the Middle East. It is thought that the plant referred to might be the herb marjoram, which is fragrant and comes from Syria.
916. The lily, though mentioned often in the Bible, is most likely not the common flower that goes by that name.
917. Mandrakes are a flowering herb that bears fruit in the spring. They are said to have powers and can serve as an aphrodisiac, which we know from Leah and Rachel's quarrel over their husband, Jacob, visiting their separate tents whether it was worth sharing some mandrakes in order to promote conception.
918. Myrtle has beautiful pink blossoms with a delicate fragrance; the leaves are also quite fragrant. The myrtle was used by Isaiah as a symbol of God's continuous care and provision of Israel (Isa. 41:19-20). The branches were used for festivals as well (Neh. 8:15-16).
919. Roses are not native to the Bible lands, and so it is unlikely that the blooms we know as roses actually grew there. More likely other flowers were being referred to. Roses are mentioned several times in the apocryphal books and once in Song of Solomon.
