MULBERRY-TREE

There is somewhat sacred in the mulberry - tree, and holy Scripture seems to have pointed this out very strikingly, when directing the movement of the Lord’s army to be, when the people heard the sound of a going m the mulberry - trees; for thereby they should know that the Lord went out before them. (2Sa 5:24.) The Psalmist speaks of the church passing through the valley of Baca (that is the mulberry - trees), meaning soul exercises with the sweet fruit of divine love. For when the Lord calls to trial, he gives to his people agrace suited to support. (Ps. l34. 4 - 6.)

בכא , 2Sa 5:23-24; 1Ch 14:14-15; Psa 84:7. The LXX, in Chronicles, render the word by απιων, “pear trees;” so Aquila and the Vulgate, both in Samuel and Chronicles, “purorum.” Others translate it the “mulberry tree:” More probably it is the large shrub which the Arabs still call “baca;” and which gave name to the valley where it abounded. Of this valley Celsius remarks, that it was “rugged and embarrassed with bushes and stones, which could not be passed through without labour and tears;” referring to Psa 84:7; and the “rough valley,” Deu 21:4; and he quotes from a manuscript of Abu’l Fideli a description of the tree which grew there, and mentions it as bearing a fruit of an acrid taste.

The word-translated mulberry-tree signifies literally weeping, and indicates some tree, which distils balsam or gum. The particular species is not known; though some think the popular, or aspen, may be intended, 2Sa 5:23-24 ; 1Ch 14:14-15 .\par

The word baka is supposed to be from a root signifying ’weeping,’ and to refer to some tree that distils an odoriferous gum; but what tree is alluded to is unknown. David was to wait for some secret sign from God in the mulberry trees before attacking the enemy. 2Sa 5:23-24; 1Ch 14:14-15; Psa 84:6 margin. The true mulberry is supposed to be the tree called in the A.V. SYCAMINE, q.v.