Rose
“Possibly crocus, narcissus, or meadow-saffron”
Summary
The 'rose' mentioned in Scripture likely refers not to the modern rose but to other flowering plants such as the crocus, narcissus, or similar blooms native to the biblical lands.
☩Rose of Sharon
The famous 'rose of Sharon' in Song of Solomon 2:1 is traditionally rendered as 'rose,' but scholars debate the identification. The Hebrew word chabatstseleth may refer to the autumn crocus, narcissus, or another bulbous plant common in the Sharon plain. Whatever the exact flower, it symbolizes beauty and the beloved in the Song.
☩Symbolic Usage
Isaiah prophesied that the desert would 'blossom as the rose,' using floral imagery to describe the future transformation of barren lands under Messiah's reign. The Apocrypha also mentions the rose in various passages as a symbol of beauty and flourishing life. Whatever specific flower is intended, these passages celebrate God's creative beauty and His power to bring life to desolate places.
Related Verses1 mention
Song of Solomon· 1 verse
See Also
References
- 1.John McClintock and James Strong, "Rose," in Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, vol. IX (Harper & Brothers, 1867–1887).
- 2.James Orr (ed.), "Rose," in International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, vol. IV (Howard-Severance Company, 1915).
- 3.Andrew Robert Fausset, "Rose," in The Englishman's Critical and Expository Bible Cyclopædia (Hodder & Stoughton, 1878).