H0992 H0992
pistachio nuts, oval nuts from the pistacia tree
Genesis 43:11 mentions pistachio nuts among the choice products of Canaan that Jacob sends as a gift to the Egyptian vizier (unknowingly Joseph). The Hebrew בָּטְנִים refers to nuts from pistacia terebinthus or pistacia vera, still prized delicacies in the ancient Near East. Assyrian, Aramaic, and Arabic cognates confirm this identification. That Jacob includes them in a diplomatic gift to Egypt indicates their value as luxury items, representing the land's finest produce.
Senses
1. sense 1 — Genesis 43:11 lists 'pistachio nuts' (בָּטְנִים) alongside honey, spices, myrrh, and almonds as 'the choice fruits of the land' suitable for an Egyptian official. Spanish 'pistachos,' English 'pistachio nuts,' German 'Pistazien' all recognize these as the familiar nuts. The evidence from Assyrian, Aramaic, and Arabic cognates confirms this was a known commodity across the ancient Near East, valued enough to serve as a diplomatic gift in a time of famine. 1×
AR["فُسْتُقًا"]·ben["পেস্তা"]·DE["Pistazien"]·EN["pistachio-nuts"]·FR["pistachio-nuts"]·heb["בטנים"]·HI["पिस्ते"]·ID["kacang"]·IT["pistachio-nuts"]·jav["kacang-pistachio"]·KO["상수리-열매와"]·PT["pistácios"]·RU["фисташек"]·ES["pistachos"]·SW["pistachio"]·TR["antep-fıstığı"]·urd["پستے"]
Related Senses
H8081 1. oil (substance) (180×)H3196 1. wine (fermented grape juice) (141×)H1706 1. honey (54×)H4682 1. unleavened bread/cakes (53×)H2461 1. milk (42×)H8492 1. new wine / must (38×)H0400 1. food, nourishment (36×)G3631 1. wine (34×)H3978 1. food, nourishment (30×)H1314 1. spice / perfume / balsam (29×)H7416 1. pomegranate (fruit/ornament) (28×)H3323 1. fresh oil, olive oil (23×)H2964 1. prey, torn flesh (19×)H3899 2. food, sustenance (19×)G1033 1. food (17×)G5160 1. food (16×)H5561 1. spices, aromatic substances (16×)H0402 1. food, nourishment (14×)G2219 1. leaven (13×)H4478a 1. manna (13×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† בָּטְנִים n.[m.]pl. pistachio, an oval nut (cf. Assyrian buṭnu COTGloss & Schr mbak 1881, 419, Aramaic בּוּטְנָא, ܒܶܛܡܬܳܐ, Arabic بُطْمٌ; on Punic βουτνούμ Blau ZMG 1873, 527) = pistacia terebinthus RobBR i. 208, ii. 222, PostPEF Oct. 1888, 218, No. 214 f.; Tr. Vict. Inst. xxii. 271 etc. (pist. vera Löw No. 44); Gn 43:11 one of the articles carried from Canaan to Egypt by sons of Jacob as present to Joseph; still a delicacy in Egypt and Syria, cf. Wetzst in Löw p. 420.