Song of Solomon

2:1-7
I am a rose of Sharon, a lily of the valleys.
As a lily among brambles so is my love among maidens.
As an apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved among young men.
With great delight I sat in his shadow, and his fruit was sweet to my taste.
He brought me to the banqueting house, and his intention toward me was love.
Sustain me with raisins; refresh me with apples; for I am faint with love.
O that his left hand were under my head, ant that his right hand embraced me!
I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, by the gazelles of the wild does;
Do not stir up or awaken love until it is ready.

A Rose By Any Other Name…

It has been almost 3,000 years since Solomon wrote about the Rose of Sharon. As with many details in The Holy Bible, we are not sure exactly what was meant. He left us no pictures with captions. There are three probable suspects, however:

• Rose of Sharon, a.k.a., Hibiscus syriacus
• Jerusalem Star, a.k.a., Hypericum calycinum
• Star-of-Bethlehem, a.k.a., Ornithogalum umbellatum.

The English language names by which we know these plants, existed before The Holy Bible was translated into English.