Reference: Pomegranate
Hastings
Tree and fruit (Ex 28:33 f., Ex 39:24-26; Nu 13:23; 20:5; De 8:8; 1-Samuel/14/2/type/auv'>1Sa 14:2,1 k 7:18, 20, 42, 2Ki 25:17; 2Ch 3:16; 4:13; Song 4:3,13; 6:7; 7:12; 8:2; Jer 52:22 f., Joe 1:12; Hag 2:19). The pomegranate (Punica granatum) is one of the familiar fruit trees of the OT; it is usually a shrub, hut may attain the height of a tree (1Sa 14:2); it was much admired for its beauty (Song 4:3; 6:11), and its flower was copied in ornamentation (Ex 28:33; 1Ki 7:13). Its dark green leaves and brilliant scarlet blossom make it a peculiarly attractive object, especially when growing in orchards (Song 4:13), mixed with trees of other shades of green; its buds develop with the tender grapes (Song 7:12), and the round, reddish fruit, with its hrilliant crimson, juicy seeds, ripens at the time of the vintage. The fruit is a favourite food, and the hark a valued astringent medicine.
E. W. G. Masterman.