In the region of Gilaad, the only production now which lias any affinitj' to balm or balsam is a species of Elaeagnus, from the kernels of whicli a balsamic oil is extracted (Jounuil of Deputation of Malta Protestant Coller/e, p. 40G) ; and even the balsam gardens of Jeri- cho liave perished and left no trace. There is little reason, however, to doubt that tlie plants with which they were stocked were the Amijris Gileadensis, or A. opubalsamum, which was found by Bruce in Abyssinia, the fragrant resin of which is known in commerce as the "balsam of Mecca." Like most plants yielding gum or gum-resin, the amyris requires a high temper- ature to elaborate its peculiar principle in perfection ; and in the deeply depressed and sultry valley of the Jordan it would find a climate almost as congenial as that of Yemen, where we find it now. Nor is it im- possible that there may have existed in Gilead at an early period a plantation of the self-same amyris ; but, yielding to the superior qualities of the queen of She- ba's newly-imported specimens, the growth of Gilead ma}' have become obsolete, and bequeathed its name and honors to its more favored rival. The Amyris Gileadensis is an evergreen shrub or tree, belonging to the natural order Amyridacese. Its height is about fourteen feet, with a trunk eight or ten inches in di- ameter. The wood is light and open, and the small
"Balm of Gilead" (Ami/ns Gileademis), with enlarged view of tlie Flow or and Pericarp, and section of the latter.
and scanty leaves resemble rice. After the dog-days, when the circulation of the sap is most vigorous, 'in- cisions are made into the hark, and the balsam is re- ceived in small earthen bottles. The supply is very scanty. Three or four drops exude in a day through a single orifice, and the entire amount yielded by the gardens of Jericho did not exceed six or seven gallons a year. When first exuded the balsam is of a whitish tinge, inclining to yellow, and somewhat turbid, and its odor is almost as pungent as volatile salts ; but, af-
ter standing some time, it becomes pellucid, and deep.i ens to an almost golden color. With its gem-like ap- pearance, its aromatic odor, and its great rarity ^ — being worth twice its weight in silver — it has always been highl}- valued in the East as a remedy. It is consid- ered very efficacious in the cure of wounds, and the Egyptians esteem it as a preventive of the plague. As a vulnerarj' it appears to have been valued in the days of Jeremiah (ch. viii, 22) ; and, could it be procured as easily as the balsams of Peru and Tolu, it is likely tiiat it would find a place in European pharmacy. In de- scribing Palestine, Tacitus saj-s that in all its produc- tions it equals Italy, besides possessing the palm and the balsam {Hist, v, 6) ; and the far-famed tree excited the cupidity of successive invaders. By Pompey it was exhibited in the streets of Rome as one of the spoils of the newly-conquered province, B.C. 65; and one of the wonderful trees graced the triumph of Ves- pasian, A.D. 79. During the invasion of Titus, two battles took place at the balsam groves of Jericho, the last being to jircvent the Jews in their despairing fren- zy from destroying the trees. They then became pub- lic property, and were placed under the protection of an imperial guard; but history does not record how long the two plantations survived. — Smith, s. v. ; Fair- bairn, s. V. Balm. See Balm.
2. Possibly the name of a mountain west of the Jor- dan, near Jezreel (Judg. vii, o). Michaelis and others are inclined to agree with the suggestion of Clericus (ad loc), that the true reading in this place should be ^"isis, Gilboa, instead of ■J^'Pii. Gideon was encamped at the "spring of Harod," which is at the base of Mount Gilboa. Gesenius, however, thinks (Thesaiir. Heb. p. 804) that the pLissage merely implies that all those who siiould not feel inclined to prosecute the war against the Midianites farther than the mountain from which the latter had emerged, were at liberty to return home ("in"0, "/)er montem"). A better solution, how- ever, is that suggested b}' Schwarz {Palest, p. 164, nots), that the northernmost spur of Mt. Gilboa was also call- ed Gilead ; and this is confirmed b}' the actual exist- ence of the name Jalud to this day in this spot. See Harod.
3. A city of this name is apparently mentioned Hos. vi, 8 (conip. Sept. Judg. xii, 7) ; so, at least, it is given in most of the ancient and modern versions, though the meaning may only be that Gilead is (like) a cit}' full of iniquity, i. e. a imion of iniquitous people. This city (if one be meant) is perhaps the same with Ra-
MOTH-GlLEAD.
4. The son of Machir (apparently by Maachah), and grandson of Manasseh ; his descendants bore his name as a patronymic (Numb, xxvi, 29, 30). B.C. prob. be- tween 187-4 and 1658.
5. The father of Jephthah the judge, a descendant of the above (Judg. xi, 1, 2). B.C. ante 1256. It is not clear, however (comp. ver. 7, 8), whether this Gil- ead was an individual, or a personification of the com- munity.