James Duke, a medicinal plant specialist, describes close to 60 plants used in Biblical times. Not all the plants he mentions are herbs, as the title of the book may suggest. He includes nuts, fruits, legumes, and spices. In his introduction, he explains which plant names are used in the Bible, why the Bible does not go into detail about their medicinal values, and how translation errors have lead to misinterpretations of Bible passages. The major portion of the book is dedicated to the plants themselves. Duke explains their possible benefits and their use in medicine and cooking. He offers folklore, and for some plants even recipes, such as a skin softener made with almond oil, a dandruff shampoo with olive oil, or a wart removal remedy with figs. It's not a book for herbal self-medication, but an herbal encyclopedia on a small scale.