The Hebrew noun devash (דְּבַשׁ) means honey — whether from bees or date syrup (both were common in the ancient Near East). It appears about 55 times in the Old Testament as both a literal food and a rich theological metaphor.
Devash is inseparably linked to the promise of the land: Canaan is described 20 times as a land 'flowing with milk and honey (devash)' — the language of abundance, fertility, and divine blessing. Honey also symbolizes the sweetness of God's Word: Psalm 19:10 declares the ordinances of the LORD 'sweeter than honey.' Ezekiel ate the scroll of God's word and found it sweet as honey (Ezekiel 3:3). In tasting God's Word as honey, Scripture invites us into a sensory, intimate encounter with divine revelation.