Bible Dictionary
Juniper
The biblical juniper is probably the broom shrub known as retama, common in the deserts south of Palestine. It provided Elijah with shade and travelers with shelter, while its root furnished hot charcoal.
Biblical Usage
Elijah lay beneath this shrub in the desert. Scripture also refers to its charcoal and to people reduced to using its root for nourishment. Rithmah, one of Israel’s wilderness encampments, means “place of broom.”
Scripture References