baca Summary and Overview

(weeping), The Valley of, A valley in Israel, through which the exiled Psalmist sees in vision the pilgrims passing in their march towards the sanctuary of Jehovah at Zion. #Ps 84:6| That it was a real locality is most probable from the use of the definite article before the name. The rendering of the Targum is Gehenna, i.e. the Ge-Hinnom or ravine below Mount Zion. This locality agrees well with the mention of became (Authorized Version "mulberry") trees in #2Sa 5:23|

BA'CA (weeping). The margin reads "mulberry trees." Ps 84:6. It is generally supposed to refer to a valley near Jerusalem, though some later writers, as Robinson and Hackett, are inclined to regard it as not a proper name, but a figurative "valley of weeping."

(Psalm 84:6). "Valley of Baca". i.e. "the vale of tears" (compare Bochim, Judges 2:5, "the place of weepers.") The Hebrew form in Psalm 84:6 means "mulberry trees." The Hebrew poet, by a play on the name, refers to the similarly sounding word for "tears." The Baca (mulberry) trees delight in a dry valley; such as the ravine of Hinnom below mount Zion, where the bacaim (mulberry trees) are expressly mentioned on the ridge separating the valley of Rephaim from that of Hinnom (2 Samuel 5:23). Abulfadl says Baca is the Arabic for a balsam-like shrub with round large fruit, from which if a leaf be plucked a tear-like drop exudes. As the valley of Baca represents a valley of drought spiritually and dejection, where the only water is that of "tears," so the pilgrim's "making it a well" (by having "his strength in Jehovah") symbolizes ever flowing comfort and salvation (John 4:14; Isaiah 12:3; compare Psalm 23:4). David, to whom Psalm 84 refers, passed through such a valley of drought and tears when, fleeing from Absalom, he went up mount Olivet weeping as he went.