Herbs of the Bible: 2000 Years of Plant Medicine

James Duke, a medicinal plant specialist, describes close to 60 plants used in Biblical times. Not all the plants he mentions are herbs, as the title of the book may suggest. He includes nuts, fruits, legumes, and spices. In his introduction, he explains which plant names are used in the Bible, why the Bible does not go into detail about their medicinal values, and how translation errors have lead to misinterpretations of Bible passages. The major portion of the book is dedicated to the plants themselves. Duke explains their possible benefits and their use in medicine and cooking. He offers folklore, and for some plants even recipes, such as a skin softener made with almond oil, a dandruff shampoo with olive oil, or a wart removal remedy with figs. It's not a book for herbal self-medication, but an herbal encyclopedia on a small scale. I really enjoyed it.

This is an outstanding work on the use of herbs in the bible. The book is user friendly, and should serve as a reference for any interested. It should be part of any one's library who is interested in using the herbs of the bible.

I was fortunate enough to be able to read this book before it went to press, as I was asked to give a quote for the back of the book. It is thorough, well researched, and is a valuable resource for scholars, healers, herbalists, historians, spiritual healers, students - well, for everyone! Herbs that were mentioned in the Bible are explained and includes a look at how they are still used today. Anyone familiar with Dr. Duke's work will want this on their library shelf!