34. _And, therefore, Israel said carry down the man a present, a little Balm, a little Honey, and Myrrhe, Nuts and Almonds._ Now whether this, which _Jacob_ sent, were the proper Balsam extolled by humane Writers, you cannot but make some doubt, who find the Greek Translation to be Ῥητίνη, that is, _Resina_, and so may have some suspicion that it might be some pure distillation from the Turpentine Tree, which grows prosperously and plentifully in _Judæa_, and seems so understood by the Arabick; and was indeed esteemed by _Theophrastus_ and _Dioscorides_, the chiefest of resinous Bodies, and the word _Resina_ Emphatically used for it. That the Balsam Plant hath grown and prospered in _Judæa_ we believe without dispute. For the same is attested by _Theophrastus_, _Pliny_, _Justinus_, and many more; from the commendation that _Galen_ affordeth of the Balsam of _Syria_, and the story of _Cleopatra_, that she obtain'd some Plants of Balsam from _Herod_ the Great to transplant into _Ægypt_. But whether it was so anciently in _Judæa_ as the time of _Jacob_; nay, whether this Plant was here before the time of _Solomon_, that great collectour of Vegetable rarities, some doubt may be made from the account of _Josephus_, that the Queen of _Sheba_, a part of _Arabia_, among presents unto _Solomon_, brought some Plants of the Balsam Tree, as one of the peculiar estimables of her Country. Whether this ever had its natural growth, or were an original native Plant of _Judæa_, much more that it was peculiar unto that Country, a greater doubt may arise: while we reade in _Pausanias_, _Strabo_ and _Diodorus,_ that it grows also in _Arabia_, and find in _Theophrastus_,[221] that it grew in two Gardens about _Jericho_ in _Judæa_. And more especially whiles we seriously consider that notable discourse between _Abdella_, _Abdachim_ and _Alpinus_, concluding the natural and original place of this singular Plant to be in _Arabia_, about _Mecha_ and _Medina_, where it still plentifully groweth, and Mountains abound therein. From whence it hath been carefully transplanted by the _Basha's_ of _Grand Cairo_, into the Garden of _Matarea_; where, when it dies, it is repaired again from those parts of _Arabia_, from whence the _Grand Signior_ yearly receiveth a present of Balsam from the _Xeriff_ of _Mecha_, still called by the Arabians _Balessan_; whence they believe arose the Greek appellation _Balsam_. And since these Balsam-plants are not now to be found in _Judæa_, and though purposely cultivated, are often lost in _Judæa_, but everlastingly live, and naturally renew in _Arabia_; They probably concluded, that those of _Judæa_ were foreign and transplanted from these parts. [221] Theophrast. _l. 9. c. 6_.