TK: > Shimshon and Yonasan both ate bee honey. Not a mistake,
obviously.
From: R' Zev Sero:
>>Shimshon, yes. But Yonatan? IIRC, Metzudot David
translates it as
cane sugar; that's anachronistic, since sugar wasn't
introduced into
the Mediterranean until the early Moslem period, but the
Metzudot
would probably still say it was the sweet sap of some other
plant.<<
.
>>>>
Rashi says, quoting Targum, that "ya'aros devash" is to be
translated as "kinim of honey." Rashi understands the word "kinim" to
be something like "kaneh" -- cane, sugar cane. Rashi even says "In the
language of Yishmael they call that sap/honey sukaria."
However, Radak explains Targum -- "kinim" -- to be saying that ya'aros are
honeycombs, made of "kinim, kinim" -- many cells. To me Radak is
obviously correct in this case.
Metzudas Dovid says it's "honey that grows from kinim" but it is not clear
to me whether he is saying it's honey from canes or honey from
honeycombs.
I don't know what problem in the pasuk would cause Rashi to translate
"ya'aros devash" as anything other than honey. See Shmuel I,
14:27.
