Ficus Sycomorus - in Literature

In Literature

In the Bible, the sycomore is referred to seven times in the Old Testament [Hebrew shiqmah ; Strong's number 8256) and once in the New Testament (Greek sycomorea; Strong's number 4809).

• In the Psalms, sycomores are listed with vines as sources of food destroyed in the plagues inflicted on the Egyptians Ps 78:47

• King David appointed an officer to look after the olives and sycomores of the western foothills 1Chron 27:28

• King Solomon made cedars as common as sycomores 1Kings 10:27 = 2Chron 1:15,2Chron 9:27

• In condemning his people's arrogance the prophet Isaiah also makes a contrast between sycomores and cedars Isaiah 9:10.

• The prophet Amos refers to his secondary occupation as a dresser or tender of sycomores Amos 7:14; this involved slashing the fruits to induce ripening (vd citation from Zohary & Hopf supra)

• In Luke's Gospel, little Zacchaeus resorted to climbing a sycomore in order to get a better view of Jesus in Jericho Luke 19:4.

• In the Mishnah, in chapter 9 of tractate Shevi'it of order Zera'im, the borders of the various districts of the Land of Israel are delineated. The Upper Galillee is defined as the area north of Kfar Hananya where the sycamore does not grow; the Lower Galillee is the area south of Kfar Hananya where the sycamore does grow.