Reference: Fig
American
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, 1Ki 4:25; Mic 4:4; Zec 3:10; Joh 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, Isa 28:4; Jer 24:2; Na 3:12, though the summer fig is most abundant, 2Ki 20:7; Isa 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 Hab 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," Mt 24:32; Song 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," 1Sa 25:18; 2Ki 20:7; 1Ch 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, Mr 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," Mt 21:19.
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Then Abigail hastened - and took two hundred loaves, and two skins of wine, and five sheep made ready, and five measures of parched corn, and a hundred cakes of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figs, - and put them on the asses.
And Judah and Israel dwelt securely, every man under his own vine, and under his own fig-tree, from Dan even unto Beer-sheba, - all the days of Solomon.
And Isaiah said - Take ye a cake of figs. So they took and laid it upon the boil, and he recovered,
The fig-tree, hath spiced her green figs, and, the vines - all blossom, yield fragrance, - Rise up! my fair - my beautiful - one, and come away!
So shall his fading wreath of majestic beauty, Which is on the head of the fertile valley, become - Like the first-ripe fig before fruit-harvest, Which when he that looketh upon it seeth while it is yet in his hand, he swalloweth it up.
And Isaiah had said, Let them take a cake of figs, and let them press it over the boil, that he may recover.
the one basket, was of very good figs, like the first-ripe figs; and, the other basket, was of very bad figs, which could not be eaten for badness.
And they shall dwell - every man - under his own vine and under his own fig-tree, with none to make them afraid, - for, the mouth of Yahweh of hosts, hath spoken.
All thy fortresses, shall be fig-trees with first-ripe figs: if thy be shaken, then shall the fruit fall on the mouth of the eater.
Though, the fig-tree, should not blossom, and there be no sprouting in the vines, the yield of the olive, should have deceived, and, the fields, not have brought forth food, - the flock, have been consumed out of the fold, and there be no herd in the stalls,
In that day, declareth Yahweh of hosts, Ye shall invite one another, - to come under the vine and under the fig-tree.
and, seeing one fig-tree by the way, he came up to it, and nothing, found he thereon, save leaves only, - and he saith unto it - No more, from thee, let fruit spring forth, unto times age-abiding, - and the fig-tree, instantly withered away.
Now, from the fig-tree, learn ye, the parable: - When, already, her young branch, becometh tender, and the leaves, may be sprouting, ye observe, that, near, is, the summer:
And, answering, he said unto it - No more, unto times age-abiding, let anyone of thee, eat fruit. And his disciples were listening.
Nathanael answered him - Rabbi! thou, art, the Son of God: Thou, art, King, of Israel. Jesus answered, and said unto him - Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig-tree, believest thou? A greater thing than these, shalt thou see! read more. And he saith unto him - Verily, verily, I say unto you: Ye shall see heaven - when set open, and, the messengers of God, ascending and descending unto the Son of Man.
Easton
First mentioned in Ge 3:7. The fig-tree is mentioned (De 8:8) as one of the valuable products of Palestine. It was a sign of peace and prosperity (1Ki 4:25; Mic 4:4; Zec 3:10). Figs were used medicinally (2Ki 20:7), and pressed together and formed into "cakes" as articles of diet (1Sa 30:12; Jer 24:2).
Illustration: Branch of Fig-Tree
Our Lord's cursing the fig-tree near Bethany (Mr 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" (Mic 7:1; Isa 28:4; Ho 9:10, R.V.), which is ripe about the end of June, dropping off as soon as it is ripe (Na 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," Song 2:13; Gr. olynthos, Re 6:13, "the untimely fig"), or "winter fig," which ripens in sheltered spots in spring.
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Then were opened the eyes of them both, and they knew that, naked, they were, - so they tacked together fig-leaves, and made for themselves girdles,
a land of wheat and barley, and vine and fig-tree, and pomegranate, - a land of olive oil, and honey:
and they gave him a piece of a cake of figs, and two cakes of raisins, and, when he had eaten, his spirit came back unto him, - for he had neither eaten food, nor drunk water, three days and three nights.
And Judah and Israel dwelt securely, every man under his own vine, and under his own fig-tree, from Dan even unto Beer-sheba, - all the days of Solomon.
And Isaiah said - Take ye a cake of figs. So they took and laid it upon the boil, and he recovered,
The fig-tree, hath spiced her green figs, and, the vines - all blossom, yield fragrance, - Rise up! my fair - my beautiful - one, and come away!
So shall his fading wreath of majestic beauty, Which is on the head of the fertile valley, become - Like the first-ripe fig before fruit-harvest, Which when he that looketh upon it seeth while it is yet in his hand, he swalloweth it up.
the one basket, was of very good figs, like the first-ripe figs; and, the other basket, was of very bad figs, which could not be eaten for badness.
Like grapes in the desert, found I Israel, like the first-ripe in the fig-tree when it is young, saw I your fathers, - they, entered Baal-peor, and devoted themselves to the Shameful Thing, Then became their abominations like their lusts.
And they shall dwell - every man - under his own vine and under his own fig-tree, with none to make them afraid, - for, the mouth of Yahweh of hosts, hath spoken.
Alas for me! for I am become as gatherings of summer fruit, as gleaning-grapes in harvest, there is no cluster to eat, the first ripe fruit, my soul, craved.
All thy fortresses, shall be fig-trees with first-ripe figs: if thy be shaken, then shall the fruit fall on the mouth of the eater.
In that day, declareth Yahweh of hosts, Ye shall invite one another, - to come under the vine and under the fig-tree.
and, seeing a fig-tree from afar, having leaves, he came -- if, therefore, he should find aught in it, and, coming up to it, nothing, found he, save, leaves; for it was not, the season, of figs.
and, the stars of heaven, fell to the earth, as, a fig-tree, sheddeth her winter figs, when, by a great wind, it is shaken,
Fausets
tenah, from ta'an "to stretch out" its branches. The Ficus Carica (Carla being famed for figs) of Linnaeus. Under its appropriate covert Nathanael found that solitude and shade which suited his earnest communion with God (Joh 1:48). Adam and Eve used its leaves to cover their shame and nakedness; Nathanael to lay bore his soul "without guile" before God. Mount Olivet is still famed for its figtrees as of old. "To sit under one's own vine and figtree" was the proverb for peace and prosperity; so under Solomon (1Ki 4:25); type of the true Solomon, Prince of peace, and of His coming millennial reign (Mic 4:4; Zec 3:10); men will be safe in the open field as in the house. The early ripe fig is "the hasty fruit" (Isa 28:4), Hebrew bikurah, Spanish bokkore. Figs usually ripened in August; earlier ones in June.
Esteemed a delicacy (Jer 24:2; Ho 9:10; Mic 7:1): "when he that looketh upon it seeth, while it is yet in his hand, he eateth it up"; it looks so tempting he instantly swallows it; so the Assyrian conqueror Shalmaneser shall not merely conquer, but with impatient avidity destroy Samaria. The unripe fig (pag) hangs through the winter and ripens in the spring about Easter (Song 2:13). Beth-phage, "house of green figs," is derived from it. Figs were compressed into the form of round cakes for keeping (1Sa 25:18), debeelim. They were used as a plaster for boils (Isa 38:21); God can make the most ordinary means effectual. The difficulty in Mr 11:12 is solved thus: the leaves on the "one" figtree, when all others were bore, caught Jesus' eye "afar off"; as the fruit precedes the leaves, naturally He might have expected, for satisfying His hunger, figs from a tree with such a precocious show of leaf, even though the season of figs was not yet come.
It was the unseasonable display of leaves which led Him to come and see "if haply (if as might naturally be expected) He might find anything thereon." Similarly the Jews (for it was an acted parable) had the show of religion before the. general time of religious privileges; but that was all, the fruit of real love which ought to precede the profession was wanting. The "for" expresses the unseasonableness of the leaves. "He found nothing but leaves (i.e. He found no figs); FOR the time of figs was not yet." Mark states why no fruit was found, "for," etc. The reason why it ought to have had fruit is left for us to infer, namely, its abnormal precocious leaves, which Christ had a right to expect would be accompanied with abnormal fruit, for the fig fruit precedes the leaf. Christ cursed it, not because it was fruitless, (for the season of figs was not yet, and if it had been leafless He would not have sought fruit on it,) but because it was false to its high pretensions.
Thomson (The Land and the Book) says that in a sheltered spot figs of an early kind may occasionally be found ripe as soon as the beginning of April, the time of Christ's cursing the fig tree. In Mt 21:19 it is "one fig tree," standing out an exception to all the rest. The Jews' sin was, they were singled out by God from all nations (Am 3:2), and had the Tower to bring forth the leaves of precocious profession but not the will to bring forth the fruit of faith and love. The sheltering hillside of Olivet had protected it, the sunlight had cherished it, and the dews of heaven watered it; but precocious leaves were the only result.
Compare Isaiah 5 as to God's care of Israel; the only result was not merely unfruitfulness but deceptiveness, "the rustling leaves of a religious profession, barren traditions of the Pharisees, and vain exuberance of words without the good fruit of works" (Wordsworth); ostentatious promise of antedating the Gentile church in fruit, without performance; pretentious show and hypocrisy. Fig trees overhanging the road from Jerusalem to Bethany still grow out of the rocks of the mountain which, the Lord said, faith could remove to the distant sea (Mt 21:21). On Olivet too was spoken the parable of the budding fig tree, the sign of coming summer (Lu 21:29-30). The August figs are the sweetest and best.
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Then Abigail hastened - and took two hundred loaves, and two skins of wine, and five sheep made ready, and five measures of parched corn, and a hundred cakes of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figs, - and put them on the asses.
And Judah and Israel dwelt securely, every man under his own vine, and under his own fig-tree, from Dan even unto Beer-sheba, - all the days of Solomon.
The fig-tree, hath spiced her green figs, and, the vines - all blossom, yield fragrance, - Rise up! my fair - my beautiful - one, and come away!
So shall his fading wreath of majestic beauty, Which is on the head of the fertile valley, become - Like the first-ripe fig before fruit-harvest, Which when he that looketh upon it seeth while it is yet in his hand, he swalloweth it up.
And Isaiah had said, Let them take a cake of figs, and let them press it over the boil, that he may recover.
the one basket, was of very good figs, like the first-ripe figs; and, the other basket, was of very bad figs, which could not be eaten for badness.
Like grapes in the desert, found I Israel, like the first-ripe in the fig-tree when it is young, saw I your fathers, - they, entered Baal-peor, and devoted themselves to the Shameful Thing, Then became their abominations like their lusts.
Only you, have I acknowledged, of all the families of the ground, For this cause, will I visit upon you all your iniquities.
And they shall dwell - every man - under his own vine and under his own fig-tree, with none to make them afraid, - for, the mouth of Yahweh of hosts, hath spoken.
Alas for me! for I am become as gatherings of summer fruit, as gleaning-grapes in harvest, there is no cluster to eat, the first ripe fruit, my soul, craved.
In that day, declareth Yahweh of hosts, Ye shall invite one another, - to come under the vine and under the fig-tree.
and, seeing one fig-tree by the way, he came up to it, and nothing, found he thereon, save leaves only, - and he saith unto it - No more, from thee, let fruit spring forth, unto times age-abiding, - and the fig-tree, instantly withered away.
And Jesus, answering, said unto them - Verily, I say unto you, If ye have faith, and do not doubt, not only, this of the fig-tree, shall ye do, - but, even if, unto this mountain, ye shall say, Be lifted up, and be cast into the sea, it shall be done.
And, on the morrow, when they came forth from Bethany, he hungered;
And he spake a parable unto them: See the fig-tree, and all the trees, - Whensoever they have already budded, seeing it, of yourselves, ye observe that, already near, is, the summer:
Nathanael saith unto him - Whence, dost thou, know, me? Jesus answered, and said unto him - Before Philip called thee, - when thou wast under the fig-tree, I saw thee.
Hastings
(te'
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Then Abigail hastened - and took two hundred loaves, and two skins of wine, and five sheep made ready, and five measures of parched corn, and a hundred cakes of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figs, - and put them on the asses.
and they gave him a piece of a cake of figs, and two cakes of raisins, and, when he had eaten, his spirit came back unto him, - for he had neither eaten food, nor drunk water, three days and three nights.
And Isaiah said - Take ye a cake of figs. So they took and laid it upon the boil, and he recovered,
The fig-tree, hath spiced her green figs, and, the vines - all blossom, yield fragrance, - Rise up! my fair - my beautiful - one, and come away!
So shall his fading wreath of majestic beauty, Which is on the head of the fertile valley, become - Like the first-ripe fig before fruit-harvest, Which when he that looketh upon it seeth while it is yet in his hand, he swalloweth it up.
For as in Mount Perazim, will Yahweh, arise, As in the vale of Gibeon, will he be stirred, - To do his work - foreign is his work, And to perform his task - strange is his task.
Then shall it eat thy harvest and thy bread which thy sons and thy daughters should eat, - It shall eat thy flock and thy herd, It shall eat thy vine and thy fig-tree, - It shall destroy thy defenced cities wherein thou, art trusting, with the sword.
the one basket, was of very good figs, like the first-ripe figs; and, the other basket, was of very bad figs, which could not be eaten for badness.
Like grapes in the desert, found I Israel, like the first-ripe in the fig-tree when it is young, saw I your fathers, - they, entered Baal-peor, and devoted themselves to the Shameful Thing, Then became their abominations like their lusts.
And they shall dwell - every man - under his own vine and under his own fig-tree, with none to make them afraid, - for, the mouth of Yahweh of hosts, hath spoken.
Alas for me! for I am become as gatherings of summer fruit, as gleaning-grapes in harvest, there is no cluster to eat, the first ripe fruit, my soul, craved.
Though, the fig-tree, should not blossom, and there be no sprouting in the vines, the yield of the olive, should have deceived, and, the fields, not have brought forth food, - the flock, have been consumed out of the fold, and there be no herd in the stalls,
In that day, declareth Yahweh of hosts, Ye shall invite one another, - to come under the vine and under the fig-tree.
And, early, returning into the city, he hungered; and, seeing one fig-tree by the way, he came up to it, and nothing, found he thereon, save leaves only, - and he saith unto it - No more, from thee, let fruit spring forth, unto times age-abiding, - and the fig-tree, instantly withered away. read more. And the disciples, seeing it, marvelled, saying - How instantly, did the fig-tree wither away.
Now, from the fig-tree, learn ye, the parable: - When, already, her young branch, becometh tender, and the leaves, may be sprouting, ye observe, that, near, is, the summer:
And, on the morrow, when they came forth from Bethany, he hungered; and, seeing a fig-tree from afar, having leaves, he came -- if, therefore, he should find aught in it, and, coming up to it, nothing, found he, save, leaves; for it was not, the season, of figs.
and, seeing a fig-tree from afar, having leaves, he came -- if, therefore, he should find aught in it, and, coming up to it, nothing, found he, save, leaves; for it was not, the season, of figs.
And, passing by early, they saw the fig-tree, withered from its roots; and, put in mind, Peter saith unto him - Rabbi! see! the fig-tree which thou didst curse, is withered.
Now, from the fig-tree, learn ye, the parable: - When, already, her young branch, becometh tender, and, the leaves, are sprouting, ye observe that, near, is, the summer: Thus, ye also, when ye shall see these things coming to pass, observe ye, that, near, he is, at the doors. read more. Verily, I say unto you - In nowise, shall this generation pass away, until all these things, shall happen: The heaven and the earth, shall pass away, but, my words, shall not pass away. But, concerning that day or hour, no one, knoweth, neither the messengers in heaven, nor the Son, - save the Father.
And he spake a parable unto them: See the fig-tree, and all the trees, - Whensoever they have already budded, seeing it, of yourselves, ye observe that, already near, is, the summer: read more. Thus, ye also, whensoever ye shall see, these, things coming to pass, observe ye, that, near, is the kingdom of God! Verily, I say unto you - In nowise shall this generation pass away, until, all things, shall happen: Heaven and earth, will pass away, but, my word, in nowise will pass away.
and, the stars of heaven, fell to the earth, as, a fig-tree, sheddeth her winter figs, when, by a great wind, it is shaken,