Dictionary Article

Sweet syrup produced by bees (Jgs 14:8), either wild (1 Sm 14:25-26) or domesticated (apparently so in 2 Chr 31:5). Sometimes, however, it may refer to thick grape syrup (as in Arabic) or date syrup (as described by Josephus). Honey was considered one of life’s necessities (Ecclus 39:26); one must not, however, eat too much (Prv 25:16, 27 OET PRO 25:16 · OET PRO 25:27). It was part of the diet of John the Baptist (Mk 1:6) and of Immanuel (Is 7:15). Its exclusion, along with leaven, from grain offerings (Lv 2:11) is undoubtedly because it is susceptible to fermentation. Its sweetness became a familiar metaphor (Jgs 14:18; Ps 19:10; Rv 10:9-10).

Show passage in OET: JDG 14:8

OET-RV JDG 14:8

8 Some time later when he returned for the wedding, he turned off the path to look for the lion’s carcass, and to his surprise, a swarm of bees had nested in the carcass and there was honey there.

OET-LV JDG 14:8

8 And_he _returned from_days to_take_her and_he _turned _aside to_see DOM the _carcass _of the _lion and_BEHOLD/LO/SEE a _swarm _of bees was_in_the _carcass _of the _lion and_honey.

Show passage in OET: SA1 14:25–26

OET-RV SA1 14:25

25 But when they reached the forest, there was honeycomb on the ground.

OET-RV SA1 14:26

26 Although the warriors entered the forest and saw the honey, none of them tasted any because they were afraid of the curse.

OET-LV SA1 14:25

25 And_all the_earth/land they _went in_forest and_he/it _was honey on the _surface _of the_field.

OET-LV SA1 14:26

26 And_ the_people _it _came into the_forest and_BEHOLD/LO/SEE a _flowing _of honey and_there_was_not one _who_reached his/its_hand to mouth _of_his if/because the_people it _feared DOM the_oath.

Show passage in OET: CH2 31:5

OET-RV CH2 31:5

5 and as soon as the message reached them, the Israelis started giving the first portions of their harvests of grain, new wine, oil, and honey, and of all the produce from the countryside, so they brought a tenth of the harvests of all their crops.

OET-LV CH2 31:5

5 And_just_ the_message _as _spread the _people _of Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel) they _multiplied the_first _of grain new _wine and_fresh _oil and_honey and_all/each/any/every produce _of the_field and_the _tithe _of (the)_everything to_increase _in _number they _brought.

Show passage in OET: SIR 39:26

OET-RV SIR 39:26

26 The main things necessary for the life of man
⇔ are water, fire, iron, salt,
⇔ wheat flour, and honey, milk,
⇔ the blood of the grape, oil, and clothing.

OET-LV SIR 39:26

26 beginning all need toward life a_human, water, fire, and iron, and salt, and fine_flour ⟦πυροῦ⟧, and honey, and milk, blood ⟦σταφυλῆς⟧, and olive_oil, and clothing.

Show passage in OET: PRO 25:16; PRO 25:27

OET-RV PRO 25:16

16 When you find honey, eat just what you need,
⇔ otherwise you might vomit if you’ve had too much.

OET-RV PRO 25:27

27 It isn’t good to eat too much honey,
⇔ and nor is trying to make yourself look good.

OET-LV PRO 25:16

16 Honey you _have _found eat sufficiency _of_your lest you_should _be _surfeited _with _it and_you_will _vomit _it _up.

OET-LV PRO 25:27

27 To _eat honey _of much not is_good and_the _searching _of their _own _honour _of_their is_an _honour.

Show passage in OET: MRK 1:6

OET-RV MRK 1:6

6 Yohan was dressed in simple clothes made from camel hair with a leather belt around his waist, and he lived on locusts and wild honey.

OET-LV MRK 1:6

6 And the Yōannaʸs was having _dressed _in hairs of_a_camel, and a_ leather _belt around the waist of _him, and eating locusts and wild honey.

Show passage in OET: ISA 7:15

OET-RV ISA 7:15

15 ⇔He’ll know how to refuse evil and do good by the time that he can eat yoghurt and honey.

OET-LV ISA 7:15

15 Curd[s] and_honey he _will _eat to_knowing_his to _reject (in)_evil and_to _choose (in)_good.

Show passage in OET: LEV 2:11

OET-RV LEV 2:11

11 “Anything that’s presented to Yahweh as a grain offering must not be made with any rising agent, because any leaven or honey mustn’t be burnt as a gift to Yahweh.

OET-LV LEV 2:11

11 Any _of (the)_grain_offering which you(pl)_will _present to/for_YHWH not it _will _be _made leaven if/because any _of leaven and_all honey not you(pl)_must _make _to _smoke from_him/it a _fire _offering to/for_YHWH.

Show passage in OET: JDG 14:18

OET-RV JDG 14:18

18 Then the men of the city said to Shimshon before the sun went down on the seventh day,
⇔ “What is sweeter than honey?
⇔ And what’s stronger than a lion?”
§ So he said to them,
⇔ “If you all hadn’t ploughed with my heifer,
⇔ you wouldn’t have been able to solve my riddle.”

OET-LV JDG 14:18

18 And_they _said to_him/it the _men _of the_city in _the_day the_seventh before_before (to)_the_sun it _went what is_sweet more_than _honey and_what is_strong more_than _a _lion and_he/it _said to/for_them if _not you(pl)_had _plowed with_heifer _of_my not you(pl)_found _out riddle _of_my.

Show passage in OET: PSA 19:10

OET-RV PSA 19:10

10 They’re more valuable than gold, even fine gold.
⇔ ≈ They’re sweeter than honey, even the honey that drips from the honeycomb.

OET-LV PSA 19:11

11  (The)_desirable more_than _gold and_more_than _pure _gold much and_sweet more_than _honey and_the_honey _of honeycombs.

Show passage in OET: REV 10:9–10

OET-RV REV 10:9

9 So I went to the messenger and asked him to give me the little scroll, and he answered, “Take it and eat it. At first it’ll taste sweet like honey, but afterwards it’ll be uncomfortable in your stomach.”

OET-RV REV 10:10

10 So I took that little scroll from the messenger’s hand and ate it, and it tasted sweet like honey, but my stomach hurt afterwards

OET-LV REV 10:9

9 And I _went _away to the messenger, telling to _him to _give to _me the little _scroll.
And he _is _saying to _me:
Take and devour it, and it _will _be _making _bitter of _you the stomach, but in the mouth of _you, it _will _be sweet as honey.

OET-LV REV 10:10

10 And I _took the little _scroll out _of the hand of _the messenger, and I _devoured it, and it _was in the mouth of _me as honey sweet, and when I _ate it, was _made _bitter the stomach of _me.

Jump to OET JDG 14:8 section.

Jump to OET SA1 14:25–26 section.

Jump to OET CH2 31:5 section.

Jump to OET SIR 39:26 section.

Jump to OET PRO 25:16 section. · OET PRO 25:27 section.

Jump to OET MRK 1:6 section.

Jump to OET ISA 7:15 section.

Jump to OET LEV 2:11 section.

Jump to OET JDG 14:18 section.

Jump to OET PSA 19:10 section.

Jump to OET REV 10:9–10 section.

Tyndale Open Bible Dictionary