Rose
The Biblical "Rose": A Case of Mistranslation
When English Bible readers encounter the word "rose" in passages like Song of Songs 2:1 ("I am a rose of Sharon") or Isaiah 35:1 ("the desert shall... blossom as the rose"), they are encountering a translation choice that modern scholarship largely considers inaccurate. The Hebrew word chabhatstseleth and Greek krinon used in these texts likely refer to bulbous flowering plants common to the ancient Near East, not the genus Rosa familiar to Western readers.
Botanical Identification: What Plant Was Meant?
Most scholars agree the "rose of Sharon" mentioned in Song of Songs 2:1 and the "rose" in Isaiah 35:1 refer to the autumn crocus (Colchicum autumnale), a member of the lily family that blooms in fall across Palestine. This beautiful purple or white flower carpets fields after the first autumn rains. Some Jewish traditions, recorded in the Targums, identified the plant as the narcissus (Narcissus tazetta or N. serotinus), another autumn-blooming bulb common in the region. Both plants share characteristics of sudden, beautiful flowering that made them powerful symbols in biblical poetry.
In the Apocryphal books (Ecclesiasticus 24:14; 39:13; 50:8; Wisdom of Solomon 2:8; 2 Esdras 2:19), the Greek word rhodon appears, which genuinely means "rose." This suggests that by the Second Temple period, roses were known in the region, possibly through trade with Persia where rose cultivation was advanced. Some scholars suggest these references might indicate the rhododendron or other rose-like flowering shrubs native to parts of Palestine.
Symbolic Meaning in Biblical Context
Despite the botanical confusion, the symbolic meaning remains clear across translations. In Song of Songs 2:1, the speaker's self-identification as a "rose of Sharon" (or "crocus of the plain") emphasizes both humility and beauty—a common wildflower rather than a cultivated specimen, yet one possessing natural splendor. This fits the book's celebration of natural, God-given love and beauty.
Isaiah 35:1 uses the flowering plant as a symbol of dramatic transformation: "The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad; the desert shall rejoice and blossom like the crocus" (ESV). Here, the sudden blooming of this autumn flower represents God's power to bring life and beauty to barren places, a central theme in Isaiah's vision of restoration. This imagery connects to broader biblical themes of renewal, hope, and divine intervention in seemingly hopeless situations.
The "Rose of Jericho" Confusion
A separate botanical confusion involves the "rose of Jericho" mentioned in some traditions. Ecclesiasticus 24:14 references "rose plants in Jericho," but this has been conflated with Anastatica hierochuntica, a small annual plant also called the "resurrection plant" for its ability to appear dead when dry but reopen when moistened. This plant, while interesting, is unrelated to biblical references and represents a later folk tradition.
Why the Translation Matters
The persistent use of "rose" in English translations, despite its botanical inaccuracy, reveals how translation choices can shape interpretation. The rose carries centuries of Western symbolic weight—associations with love, martyrdom, and mystery—that were foreign to the original biblical context. Understanding that the references point to common wildflowers like the autumn crocus or narcissus actually enhances their meaning: these were accessible beauties, sudden gifts of color in the landscape, symbols of God's provision in ordinary creation rather than exotic imports.
Biblical Context
The primary biblical references appear in Song of Songs 2:1, where the female speaker identifies herself as a "rose of Sharon," and Isaiah 35:1, where the desert's future flourishing is compared to this plant's blossoming. In the Apocrypha, roses appear more explicitly in Ecclesiasticus 24:14 (as plants in Jericho), 39:13 (in wisdom's praise), and 50:8 (in description of the high priest); Wisdom of Solomon 2:8 (in the wicked's speech); and 2 Esdras 2:19 (in eschatological promise). These plants serve primarily as symbols of beauty, flourishing, and divine blessing within poetic and prophetic literature.
Theological Significance
The biblical "rose" teaches about God's character as the source of beauty and the transformer of barrenness. In Isaiah's prophecy, the desert blossoming "as the rose" points to God's power to bring life where there seems to be none—a theme connecting to spiritual renewal, the coming Messiah, and ultimate restoration. In Song of Songs, the humble wildflower represents God-given natural beauty and the value of what grows freely by divine design rather than human cultivation. Together, these images emphasize that God notices and celebrates beauty in common places and brings unexpected flourishing through grace.
Historical Background
Ancient Israel's flora included numerous bulbous plants that bloomed spectacularly after rains, including the autumn crocus, narcissus, tulips, and lilies. The confusion in translation stems from early Greek translations (Septuagint) using krinon ("lily") for the Hebrew chabhatstseleth, which later Latin translations rendered as rosa. True roses (Rosa species) were likely unknown in ancient Israel during most of the Old Testament period but became more familiar during Hellenistic and Roman times through trade. The narcissus, favored in Jewish tradition as the identification, was widely cultivated in the ancient Near East for its fragrance and beauty, appearing in Egyptian and Persian art.