I suspect that most people in this country familiar with the Bible passage were exposed to it not through Bible reading but through the Negro spiritual, “There Is a Balm in Gilead,” composed ...

Horticulturists are celebrating the growth of a 1,000 year old “Tsori” seed, discovered nearly 30 years ago, which is believed to produce a balm resin mentioned several times in the Bible.

The “tsori,” often translated into English as “balm,” is mentioned in the Bible a total of six ... Noted for its healing properties, as in Jeremiah 8:22’s “Is there no balm in Gilead; ...

The famous balm, or tsori in Hebrew, was cultivated in oases by the Dead Sea for at least 1,000 years. It was a valuable export and frequently mentioned by ancient writers describing the region.

For 14 years, scientists have been growing a tree akin to the Judean balsam — the source of the balm of Gilead — but with no modern counterpart. Science | A 1,000-Year-Old Seed Grows in Israel ...