Botanists grow seed that could be Biblical balm tree

Israeli scientists propose that a seed excavated from a cave north of Jerusalem could revive an extinct balm tree from Biblical times. Researcher Sarah Sallon spent over a decade cultivating the seed, which she named Sheba, into a tree now about 10 feet tall. Cultivation revealed that the plant is a member of the diverse Commiphora family of flowering plants. In findings published last month, Sallon’s team hypothesized the plant produced a resin balm mentioned in Biblical texts.

Why do scientists think the plant produced the balm mentioned in scripture? Analysis showed the leaves contained pentacyclic triterpenes, a compound medically associated as an anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antiviral, according to the team’s findings. Research also associated pentacyclic triterpenes with healing wounds, protecting the liver from toxins, and preventing the growth of tumors. Sallon’s team believed the Sheba plant may produce a balm extract. The Hebrew word tstori, referenced in Genesis, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel has not been identified with a modern plant. The plant grown from Sheba showed medicinal properties but not fragrance, further matching these Biblical descriptions. Historically, the lost balm was cultivated around the Dead Sea for about a thousand years, but it disappeared around the eighth century, Sallon told Artnet.

Archeologists uncovered the seed in the 1980s while excavating a region of the Judean Desert known historically for having abundant vegetation. Radiocarbon dating aged the seed hailing between 993 and 1202 AD. Sheba spent decades stored away in the archeological archives at Hebrew University before Sallon planted the seed in 2010.