Unveiling the Plant Living in the Desert (Jer 17:6): A Multidisciplinary Approach

Abstract

In the context of the study of plants in the Bible, some translation problems are related to the identification of the plant species referred to in the biblical text. One of the unresolved problems concerns the plant living in the desert of Jer 17:6, because the botanists’ proposals have not been understood in the same way by the exegetes: it is not clear whether it is a tree, a bush or a shrub and to which plant species it refers. After presenting the general characteristics of the study of plants in the Bible, the research presents proposals for identification by botanists and how these have been received by exegetes. The study of the biblical context integrated with the dynamics of plant growth allows a better understanding of the two opposing metaphorical images of Jeremiah: the plant living in the desert and the tree that grows along streams. The analysis indicates a generic tree which, due to the difficult environmental conditions, cannot develop as such and remains smaller in size. The best translation is therefore a generic shrub, which also allows the different interpretations to be reconciled.