Lexical Summary qishshuah: Cucumber Original Word: קִשֻּׁא Strong's Exhaustive Concordance cucumber From an unused root (meaning to be hard); a cucumber (from the difficulty of digestion) -- cucumber. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom an unused word Definition a cucumber NASB Translation cucumbers (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs [קִשֻּׁאָה, Löwp. 330] noun feminine cucumber; — plural קִשֻּׁאִים Numbers 11:5. Topical Lexicon Biblical Occurrence Numbers 11:5 records Israel’s complaint in the wilderness: “We remember the fish we ate freely in Egypt, along with the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic”. The single mention is sufficient to illuminate both the daily fare of the Hebrew slaves and the spiritual struggle that lay behind their craving. Historical and Cultural Background Cucumbers were a staple in the irrigated gardens of the Nile Delta. Ancient texts and archaeological finds attest to their abundance and popularity, prized for high water content that refreshed laborers under a desert sun. In Egypt they were often eaten raw, pickled, or seasoned with vinegar and herbs. Their presence on Israel’s tongue in Numbers 11 evokes the familiarity, predictability, and sensory pleasure of Egyptian life, even though that life was one of bondage. Agricultural Characteristics Cucumbers thrive in hot climates with consistent moisture. Fields were usually situated near canals, and the crop yielded quickly, allowing multiple harvests during a single season. Because they were lightweight and easily transported, cucumbers became common rations for workers and travelers alike. This ready availability explains why the Israelites could recall them so vividly in the Sinai, where water and vegetation were scarce. Symbolism and Theological Implications 1. Memory versus Faith: The complaint highlights a heart that prefers past comforts to present dependence on God. The very produce that symbolized Egyptian oppression was recast in the minds of the Israelites as a lost blessing. Related Biblical Imagery Isaiah likens a forsaken city to “a shelter in a cucumber field” (Isaiah 1:8), an allusion that reinforces the transient, exposed nature of such plots. While Isaiah uses a cognate noun, the picture is consistent: cultivated luxury that cannot withstand divine judgment. Practical Ministry Applications • Contentment: Philippians 4:11–13 counsels believers to rest in God’s sufficiency rather than long for former pleasures. Christological Reflection Israel’s longing for cucumbers foreshadows humanity’s broader temptation to trade redemptive liberty for perishable satisfaction. Jesus Christ, who endured wilderness hunger yet trusted the Father (Matthew 4:1–4), fulfills what Israel failed to do. In Him believers find the sustaining grace that quenches every legitimate need and reorders every appetite. Summary Though mentioned only once, cucumbers embody the tension between temporal cravings and covenant faith. They remind the Church that longing for the past can rob God’s people of present joy, and that true refreshment is found not in the produce of Egypt but in the promises of God. Forms and Transliterations הַקִּשֻּׁאִ֗ים הקשאים hakkishshuIm haq·qiš·šu·’îm haqqiššu’îmLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Numbers 11:5 HEB: חִנָּ֑ם אֵ֣ת הַקִּשֻּׁאִ֗ים וְאֵת֙ הָֽאֲבַטִּחִ֔ים NAS: in Egypt, the cucumbers and the melons KJV: freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, INT: Egypt free the cucumbers and the melons and the leeks 1 Occurrence |
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