In the world of Islamic scholarship, many learned Muslim men have claimed that Mecca (the most holy city of Islam) is mentioned in the Bible. And these Muslim scholars cite the 84th chapter of the book of Psalms, located in the Old Testament, as the basis for their argument. For in Psalms 84:6, it is written, “Who passing through the valley of Baca make it a well; the rain also filleth the pools.” Now the key word in this Biblical verse is “Baca,” which, when translated from the original Hebrew into English, means “weeping.” However, the actual meaning of the Arabic word “Mecca” may not in fact mean “weeping,” yet this has not deterred the scholars of Islam from turning to the Qur’an in order to substantiate their claims. For in the 3rd surah of the Qur’an titled Aal-i-Imraan verse 96, it is explained as saying, “Indeed, the first House [of worship] established for mankind was that at Makkah – blessed and a guidance for the worlds” (Qur’an, Aal-i-Imraan, 3:96). Now the exact phonetic form for “Mecca” in the Qur’an in 3:96 is pronounced as”Bakkah” with a b and not with an m. But this slight linguistic deviation is explained away by Muslim scholars as they point out how during the time of Muhammad, in the southern half of the Arabian Peninsula, the b and the m (in the dialect of the Arabic spoken then and there) were interchangeable. Thus, these aggravating factors spark confidence in the hearts of the Muslims as to the legitimacy of the Qur’an as the authoritative word of God and to the religion of Islam as the only genuine faith. That being said, the following presentation will not be an attempt to defend or support Islam, but rather it will serve as an objective study into Islamic claims, function as an intellectual exercise into linguistics, and most importantly it will be guided by an Orthodox Christian understanding of the scriptures.
Now, in the various translations of the Hebrew Bible into English, it is interesting to note that the Hebrew word “Baca” (written in Psalms 84:6) is left untranslated into its English counterpart. However, as we have already discussed, the Hebrew word “baca” or “baka” is commonly translated into English as “weeping.” Furthermore, there are other instances in the Old Testament where “baka” is used, but not all translations associate it with the English equivalent of “weeping.” For example, in II Samuel 5:23-24, the original Hebrew does use “weeping” to describe a certain type of tree. However, in the King James Version (KJV), these “weeping” trees are translated as “mulberry” trees and in the New International Version (NIV), they are referred to as “balsam” trees. In I Chronicles 14:13-16, we encounter “baka” trees again, and similarly, the original Hebrew translates them as weeping trees. However, the King James Version translates them as mulberry trees, and the NIV as balsam trees. Interestingly, in the Greek Septuagint, the trees mentioned in I Chronicles are referred to as pear trees, even though the Septuagint uses the word “weeping” in II Samuel, just like the original Hebrew. But to further expand upon the significance of the valley of Baca, its relationship with weeping, and how it ties into the territory of Mecca, we must first examine the properties of the baka or balsam tree.
Regarding the valley of Baca mentioned in Psalms 84:6, it is widely accepted that this valley is associated with weeping. However, due to the poetic language used in the Psalms, it is possible that this valley of weeping carries with it a metaphorical or figurative meaning and may not specifically refer to a physical location. Nevertheless, in eastern Lebanon, which shares a border with the Holy Land, there is a fertile agricultural region known as the Bekaa Valley. While the Arabic word “Bekaa” sounds similar to the Hebrew word “Baca,” we cannot definitively claim that the Bekaa Valley in Lebanon is synonymous with the “valley of Baca” mentioned in the Bible. On the other hand, it is certain that the balsam tree grows in and is native to the region of Israel/Palestine. Historical records and accounts suggest that the balsam tree may have also grown in the areas surrounding Mecca at some point in history. The balsam tree is renowned for producing a resin with aromatic and medicinal properties, and is referred to as the “Balm of Gilead” in the book of Jeremiah 8:22. This resin was also a highly valued commodity in ancient times. Considering the balsam tree’s ability to emit a moist substance it is appropriately categorized as a weeping tree, and because of this it can also be easily understood why the valley of Baca (or balsam) means the place of weeping.
As we have already established, the holy Muslim city of Mecca is referenced in the Qur’an in surah Aal-i-Imran (3:96). Additionally, the name Mecca is also mentioned in the 48th surah of the Qur’an, titled Al-Fath, in verse 24 (48:24). Now, what is important for English-speaking people to know is that the word “Mecca” has an official English spelling used by the government of Saudi Arabia, which differs from how it is commonly spelled by non-Muslim Westerners. Instead of spelling it as “M-E-C-C-A,” the proper English transliteration is spelled as “M-A-K-K-A-H,” which is a more accurate pronunciation derived from the original Arabic. By considering this pronunciation, it becomes more evident why Muslims attribute the Hebrew term “Baca” as the equivalent to the Arabic “Makkah,” thus supporting the Islamic claim that Mecca (or Makkah) is indeed mentioned in the Holy Bible. It is also interesting to note the phonetic similarity between the Hebrew name “Micah,” a prophet in the Old Testament, and the Arabic name “Mecca.” Although Micah and Mecca are not an exact match, their similarity demonstrates the linguistic familiarity held between the Hebrew of the Bible and the Arabic of the Qur’an.
Based on the available information, it is reasonable to interpret the Biblical term “valley of Baca” as the “valley of weeping.” However, there are two possible interpretations to consider. On one hand, the valley of weeping may have allegorical significance. On the other hand, “Baca” in the Bible could be synonymous with the Muslim city of Mecca. In the Bible, when it describes people passing through the valley of Baca, Muslims may interpret this as pilgrims on Hajj walking around the Kaaba, the holiest structure in Islam. Biblically speaking, the Psalmist uses the valley of Baca as a symbolic representation of individuals who navigate a difficult and sorrowful path in life. Conversely, Muslims associate the name of this valley with a literal indication of a dry and arid region, similar to the conditions found in and surrounding Mecca. Consequently, it is up to those seeking the truth to determine whether the Arabic word Mecca is indeed mentioned in the Bible or if the Hebrew word Baca is merely a linguistic coincidence when compared to other similar-sounding words and phrases found within the Semitic languages of Hebrew and Arabic.
References:
Brenton. The Septuagint with Apocrypha: Greek and English. (London: Samuel Bagster & Sons, Ltd., 1851).
Green, J.P. The Interlinear Hebrew-Greek-English Bible. (Lafayette, IN: Sovereign Grace Publishers, 2000).
Maulana Muhammad Ali. The Holy Qur’an with English Translation and Commentary.(Dublin, Ohio: Ahmadiyya Anjuman Isha’at Islam Lahore Inc., 2002).
Strong, J. The New Strong’s Expanded Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible. (Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson, Inc., 2010).
The Jewish Publication Society of America. The Holy Scriptures, According to the Masoretic Text. (Philadelphia, PA: The Jewish Publication Society of America, 1917).
Zondervan. The Holy Bible, King James Version. (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 2009).
Zondervan. The NIV Study Bible. (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 1995).