Henna, in the Bible, is Camphire, and is mentioned in the Song of Solomon, as well as in the Talmud.


Rashi, a Jewish scholar from 11th c France, interpreted this passage that the clusters of henna flowers were a metaphor for forgiveness and absolution, showing that God forgave those who tested Him (the Beloved) in the desert.  Henna was grown as a hedgerow around vineyards to hold soil against wind erosion in Israel as it was in other countries.  A henna hedge with dense thorny branches  protected a vulnerable, valuable crop such as a vineyard from hungry animals.  The hedge, which protected and defended the vineyard, also had clusters of fragrant flowers.  This would imply a metaphor for henna of a "beloved", who defends, shelters, and delights his lover.  In the first millennium BCE, in Canaanite Israel, henna was closely associated with human sexuality and love, and the divine coupling of goddess and consort.

More clearly descriptive of the sexual associations of henna is,

Pomegranate and henna blossoming time would have occurred in late April or early May,  when the weather is warm but not hot in Israel.  It is a time when one would be comfortable outdoors, wearing little or no clothing.  Henna trees are short and bushy, providing potential outdoor privacy for two people.  "Lodging among  the henna shrubs" would only be possible if two people were sitting or lying down.  Since henna branches have thorns, a person would be encouraged to stay low. The flowering henna bushes would have made an intensely fragrant bower for two young lovers hoping for some private moments with each other, on the excuse that they were going out to tend the vineyards.

In the Song of Solomon, IV, 13,  King David, or the beloved, is praised as:

The scholar Metzudat David interprets this as a metaphor for wisdom and good deeds of the wisest and most righteous people being widely influential, as the fragrance of the henna blossom cluster carries to a distance.

The Roman soldiers garrisoned in Jerusalem during the first century CE commented that henna blossoming time was the best time to visit the poorer quarters, as the flowers' scent masked the usual stenches.

Henna Blossoms are so fragrant, they've been used in perfumes since 1500 BCE.  They were the Prophet Mohammed's favorite scent.  Henna flower attars are called Gulhina Attar and are produced commercially in Uttar Pradesh, India.

Click HERE to investigate henna flower perfumes