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Balm (Balanites aegyptiaca) also known as desert date, soap berry and is a species of tree that is native to much of Africa and parts of the Middle East. There are many names for this tree
that is mentioned Bible several times as the balm of Gilead. In Hebrew it is
called tsori; in Egypt it is called myrobalan, Egyptian balsam or Zachum; in
Arabic it is known as lalob, hidjihi,
inteishit, and heglig (hijlij). In Hausa it is called aduwa, in Swahili mchunju
and in Amharic bedena.
It grows prolifically and can be found in many kinds of habitats and soil types
from sand to heavy clay. It
survives arid and humid climates and is relatively
tolerant of flooding, grazing, and wildfire.
Balanites aegyptiaca has been cultivated
in Egypt for more than 4000 years, and stones placed in the tombs as votive
offerings have been found as far back as the Twelfth Dynasty. The yellow, single-seeded fruit is edible, and it is used as a food source
during famine. The leaves can be eaten
raw or cooked, but the seeds need to be boiled to make them less bitter. The flowers can also be eaten raw or
cooked. It is especially valuable in
arid regions because it survives drought and produces fruit even in the dry
season. The fruit can also be fermented and
brewed in an alcoholic beverage.
Desert date fruit is
mixed into porridge and eaten by nursing mothers, and the
oil is consumed for headache and to
improve lactation. Bark extracts and the fruit repel
parasites and snails. The
fruit can be used to treat worm infections, liver and spleen disorders. The bark can be boiled to produce a natural
abortifacient and an antidote for arrow-poison in West African traditional
medicine. However, exactly which plant is the one referred to in the Bible as the
Balm of Gilead is not certain. Balanites aegyptiacaseems is one of the most likely contenders. Other possibilities include Commiphora gileadensis or a Terebinth
tree in the genus Pistacia.
After having cast Joseph into a pit, his
brothers noticed a caravan on its way from Gilead to Egypt bearing balm and
myrrh and other spices (Gen. 37:25). When Jacob dispatched his ambassadors to
Egypt he sent a little balm as a gift to the ruler (Gen. 43:11). During the
final years of the Kingdom of Judah, Jeremiah asked, “Is there no balm in
Gilead?” (Jer. 8:22). In Ezekiel 27:17 balm
is listed as one of the commodities which Hebrew merchants carried to the
market of Tyre. According to I Kgs.
10:10, balsam (Hebrew: bosem) was among the many precious gifts of the Queen of
Sheba to King Solomon, but this may be a different plant since the Balm of
Gilead is rendered tsori in Hebrew.
Commiphora opobasamum may also be the tsori referred
to in Hebrew. In Ezekiel 27:17, Judah and
Israel traded wheat, confections, honey, olive oil and balm. The balsam tree was cultivated prolifically
in Judea and was native to southern Arabia and Ethiopia. At one time the plains of Jericho were
covered with balsam that was cultivated from the first roots of balsam given to
King Solomon by the Queen of Sheba as recorded in 1 Kings 10:10. Balm was
brought to Rome by Pompey as a sign of victory after the first conquest of
Judea in 65 BCE. Vespasian displayed it
among the spoils of war after he destroyed Jerusalem in 69 CE. It is an emblem of Palestine and guarded for
its symbolic and medicinal uses.
Pliny identified three
different species of this plant. One has
thin, capillaceous leaves; the second is a crooked scabrous shrub; and the
third grows taller than the other two and has a smooth rind from which balsam can
be extracted and preserved. A resin can
be pressed from the seeds, the rind, and even from the stems (see Theophrastus,
Hist. Plant. 9:6; Strabo 16:763; Pausanias 9.28.2).
Dioscorides (De materia medica) attributes many
medical properties to balsam, such as expelling menstrual flow; being an
abortifacient; moving the urine; assisting breathing and conception; being an
antidote for aconitum and snakebite; treating pleurisy, pneumonia, cough,
sciatica, epilepsy, vertigo and asthma.
In the Talmud balsam
from the plains of Jericho produced an ointment that was highly praised (Shab.
26a). Young women used it as a perfume
to seduce young men (Lam. R. 4:18; Shab. 26b). After King Josiah hid away the
holy oil with which the kings of Judah were anointed, balsam oil was used instead
(Ker. 5b). In the messianic era, the righteous will “bathe in 13 rivers of
balsam” (TJ, Av. Zar. 3:1, 42c).
The Christian rite
of confirmation is conferred through the anointing with chrism which is
traditionally a blend of olive oil and balsam.
Balm seems to have been used everywhere for chrism at least from the
sixth century.
Balm was brought to
Egypt by Cleopatra, and planted in a garden at Ain-Shemesh. The Egyptian town
of Ain Shams was renowned for its balsam-garden, which was cultivated under the
supervision of the government. During the Middle Ages the balsam-tree is said
to have grown only here, though formerly it had also been a native plant in
Syria. According to a Coptic tradition known also by the Muslims, Mary, the
mother of Jesus, washed the swaddling clothes of her infant in the spring of
Ayn Shams on her way back to Palestine after her flight to Egypt. The story is
reminiscent of Christian legends about the Fountain of the Virgin in Jerusalem.
Some of the most
impressive health benefits of Balm of Gilead include its ability to reduce
inflammation, soothe the skin, protect the immune system, eliminates pain,
speeds healing, soothe the stomach, and detoxify the body.
Although Balm of
Gilead is used as a perfume, it has also been widely used throughout history as
an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, and diuretic. It is derived from
an Arabian shrub with the botanical name Commiphora
gileaensis which bleeds a sap that can be collected, processed, and applied
for a variety of medicinal purposes. Balm is one of the oldest and most respected
herbal remedies in the world, but it has dozens of common names depending on
the region of the world. There remains a
question as to which plant the oil comes from, as there are many similar
varieties throughout the Middle East and the Mediterranean.
One of the most
common applications for Balm of Gilead is as a topical ointment on inflamed
areas of the skin. For example, it acts in a similar way to aloe when applied
to sunburn, as it can quickly suck out the heat and itchiness due to the
antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds found within this powerful oil.
Similarly, when it is applied to areas affected by arthritis, it can reduce
inflammation, effectively eliminating pain as well.
Aside from effects
like soothing sunburn, the antibacterial properties of Balm of Gilead also mean
that it can quickly clear up skin infections or irritations, such as eczema,
psoriasis, and even eliminating the appearance of scars and blemishes. For
insect bites, it can be rubbed on the affected area for rapid healing and pain
relief. This analgesic quality of Balm of Gilead can be used on the temples and
neck as well, if you suffer from headaches or migraines.
Balm of Gilead can be applied to the chest in the form of a warm rub before sleep to help to clear up coughs and colds, both by absorbing into the
skin and being inhaled as your skin naturally heats the oil. The expectorant
nature of Balm of Gilead can help expel mucus and phlegm, which speeds the
healing process.
For men with
enlarged prostates, urination can be a painful or even impossible endeavor.
Fortunately, Balm of Gilead has certain diuretic qualities, that when combined
with its anti-inflammatory ability, can help stimulate urination. This helps
the body expel excess toxins, salts, fats, and even water that the body doesn’t
need to retain, increasing overall health and reducing strain on the bladder
and kidneys. It has been known to reduce
chronic diarrhea and irritable bowel syndrome and other disorders of the
stomach, as well as conditions like cystitis.
