Jul. 7, 2021

A Land "flowing with milk and honey"

I just recently discovered something very interesting about the bible's description of ancient Israel, the “promised land”. It was described numerous times in the scripture as a land “flowing with milk and honey” and “the beauty of all lands”.

“So I have come down to deliver them from the power of the Egyptians, and to bring them up from that land to a good and spacious land, to a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanite and the Hittite and the Amorite and the Perizzite and the Hivite and the Jebusite.” -Exodus 3:8

Hence I have said to you, "You are to possess their land, and I Myself will give it to you to possess it, a land flowing with milk and honey " I am the LORD your God, who has separated you from the peoples. -Leviticus 20:24

Thus they told him, and said, "We went in to the land where you sent us; and it certainly does flow with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. Numbers 13:27

“On that day I swore to them that I would bring them out of Egypt into a land I had searched out for them, a land flowing with milk and honey, the most beautiful of all lands.” -Ezekiel 20:6

This is mentioned at least 20 times in the bible. Ancient Israel was one of the most fertile lands in the ancient world, and one of the most scenic, and the interesting part is that it is still this way today! Israel has the richest farmland in the entire world and despite being a tiny country they are a huge exporter of fresh produce and agricultural technology. They grow 95% of their own food. If you look carefully you can find fruits and vegetables from Israel in the produce section of your local grocery store! Israeli cows produce more milk than the United States, Europe and Australia. It is considered a world leader I milk production (it is still flowing with milk to this day). The historical notation of honey in the Old Testament is sometimes believed to be a date honey, and the land of Israel owns and harvests tens of thousands of date trees today (it is also still flowing with honey).

Another interesting thing-- the second most fertile farmland in the world is Lancaster county, Pennsylvania. God gave this to the Amish!