Bee's:
Bee's are first mentioned in Deuteronomy. 1:44. Swarms of bees, and the danger of their attacks, are mentioned in Ps. 118:12.
Samson found a “swarm of bees” in the carcass of a lion he had slain (Judges. 14:8).
Wild bees are described as laying up honey in woods and in clefts of rocks (Deut. 32:13; Ps. 81:16).
In Isa. 7:18 the “fly” and the “bee” are personifications of the Egyptians and Assyrians, the inveterate enemies of Israel.
Honey:
Hebrew: ya'ar, occurs only 1 Sam. 14:25, 27, 29; Song of Songs 5:1, where it denotes the honey of bees. Properly the word signifies a forest or copse, and refers to honey found in woods.
Hebrew: Nopheth, honey that drops (Ps. 19:10; Prov. 5:3; Song of Songs 4:11).
Hebrew: Debash denotes bee-honey (Judg. 14:8); but also frequently a vegetable honey distilled from trees (Gen. 43:11; Ezek. 27:17). In these passages it may probably mean “dibs,” or syrup of grapes, i.e., the juice of ripe grapes boiled down to one-third of its bulk.
Hebrew: Tsuph, the cells of the honey-comb full of honey (Prov. 16:24; Ps. 19:10).
“Wild honey” (Matt. 3:4) may have been the vegetable honey distilled from trees, but rather was honey stored by bees in rocks or in trees (Deut. 32:13; Ps. 81:16; 1 Sam. 14:25-29).
Canaan was a “land flowing with milk and honey” (Ex. 3:8). Milk and honey were among the chief dainties in the earlier ages, as they are now among the Bedawin; and butter and honey are also mentioned among articles of food (Isa. 7:15). The ancients used honey instead of sugar (Ps. 119:103; Prov. 24:13); but when taken in great quantities it caused nausea, a fact referred to in Prov. 25:16-17 to inculcate moderation in pleasures. Honey and milk also are put for sweet discourse (Song of Songs 4:11).
