Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

GOURD

The wild gourds (Heb. paqquʿōṯ) that Elisha’s servant gathered near Gilgal were most likely the fruit of the Citrullus colocynthis (L.) Schrad., or colocynth (2 Kgs. 4:39). The colocynth is a ground-hugging vine which grows abundantly in dry conditions. Its fruit is round and yellow with green spots, and is approximately the size of an orange. Its pulp is poisonous, which fits the Elisha story well. Gourd-shaped carvings adorned Solomon’s temple (1 Kgs. 6:18). The squirting cucumber (Ecbalium elaterium) and the globe cucumber (Cucumis prophetarum) have also been suggested for the biblical gourd.

Heb. qîqāyôn has also been translated gourd. As Jonah waited outside of Nineveh, this plant grew quickly to provide him shade, but it was destroyed by a worm the next day (Jonah 4:6-7). Gourds do grow rapidly; however, the Bible provides no other clues that would support any firm identification of qîqāyôn.

Megan Bishop Moore

Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

GOURD

Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (2000)