Lexical Summary boshah: Shame, disgrace Original Word: בְּאְשָׁה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance cockle Feminine of b'osh; stink-weed or any other noxious or useless plant -- cockle. see HEBREW b'osh NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfem. of beosh Definition stinking or noxious weeds NASB Translation stinkweed (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs בָּאְשָׁה noun feminine (stinking things) stinking or noxious weeds, Job 31:40 תַּחַת חִטָּה יֵצֵא חוֺחַ וְתַחַתֿ שְׂעֹרָה בָאְשָׁה instead of wheat may there spring forth bramble, and instead of barley stinking weeds (compare Assyrian bîšu ZehnpfBAS i. 633). Topical Lexicon Strong’s Hebrew 890 – בְּאֲשָׁה Botanical Identification The term points to a rank, foul-smelling weed that springs up in cultivated fields when the soil is not carefully tended. Suggested identifications include darnel or various species of wild mustard—plants that look harmless in early growth but prove useless or even harmful at harvest. Its presence signals neglect and serves as a vivid contrast to valuable grain. Biblical Context Job 31 records Job’s final self-examination. After listing a series of oaths that declare his integrity, he concludes: “then let thorns grow instead of wheat, and stinkweed instead of barley” (Job 31:40). The noxious weed becomes the physical sign of covenantal curse Job is willing to accept if he is found guilty. Because the passage functions as Job’s sworn testimony, the image carries judicial weight; the weed would stand as evidence in the field that Job’s moral crop had failed. Symbolic and Theological Themes • Fruitlessness versus fruitfulness Cultivated barley symbolizes labor rewarded by God, while stinkweed is the inversion of blessing (compare Genesis 3:17-18; Deuteronomy 28:38-40). The text reminds readers that moral disorder produces visible disorder in creation. • Discernment of genuine righteousness Just as an untrained eye may mistake young weeds for barley, superficial piety can masquerade as true holiness (Matthew 13:24-30). Job appeals to the Lord as the flawless Inspector of the field (James 5:11). • Integrity under scrutiny Job accepts the strictest standard: if any hidden sin exists, let the land itself testify against him. The image confronts modern believers with the call to live transparently before God, whose evaluation cannot be evaded (1 Corinthians 4:4-5). Historical Reception Jewish sages saw the single appearance of the word as purposeful, emphasizing the seriousness of Job’s oath. Medieval commentators often linked the weed with Isaiah 5:1-7, where Israel’s unfaithfulness turns a vineyard into waste. Reformers such as Calvin highlighted the verse when teaching on the providence that intertwines moral and material realms; if God’s law is violated, the earth itself becomes an accuser. Lessons for Ministry 1. Self-examination is essential for leaders. Job’s willingness to let harmful weeds expose him sets a pattern for pastors and elders, who are to “keep watch over yourselves” (Acts 20:28). Related Scriptural Imagery • “Thorns and thistles it will bring forth for you” (Genesis 3:18). Practical Application Believers cultivate either a harvest or a weed bed by daily choices. Prayerful confession, diligent obedience, and continual reliance upon grace uproot spiritual stinkweed before it matures. May God, “who makes the ground produce its yield” (Psalm 67:6), grant that our lives display barley, not בְּאֲשָׁה. Forms and Transliterations בָאְשָׁ֑ה באשה ḇā’əšāh ḇā·’ə·šāh vaeShahLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Job 31:40 HEB: וְתַֽחַת־ שְׂעֹרָ֥ה בָאְשָׁ֑ה תַּ֝֗מּוּ דִּבְרֵ֥י NAS: of wheat, And stinkweed instead KJV: instead of wheat, and cockle instead of barley. INT: instead of barley and stinkweed are ended the words 1 Occurrence |
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