Topical Bible: Herb

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Topical Encyclopedia

In the Bible, the term "herb" refers to various plants that are used for food, medicine, or other purposes. The Hebrew word often translated as "herb" is "eseb," which generally denotes green plants or vegetation. In the Greek New Testament, the word "lachanon" is used, which also refers to garden plants or vegetables.

Creation and Provision

Herbs are first mentioned in the account of creation. In Genesis 1:29 , God provides herbs as part of His provision for mankind: "Then God said, 'Behold, I have given you every seed-bearing plant on the face of all the earth and every tree whose fruit contains seed. They will be yours for food.'" This indicates that herbs were intended as a primary source of sustenance for humanity, highlighting their importance in God's creation.

Dietary Laws and Practices

In the Mosaic Law, herbs are included in the dietary regulations given to the Israelites. While the focus is often on clean and unclean animals, herbs and plants are implicitly part of the diet. In Numbers 11:5 , the Israelites recall the herbs they ate in Egypt: "We remember the fish we ate freely in Egypt, along with the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic." This passage reflects the variety of herbs and vegetables that were part of their diet.

Symbolism and Use in Worship

Herbs also hold symbolic significance in the Bible. In the Passover celebration, bitter herbs are used as a reminder of the bitterness of slavery in Egypt. Exodus 12:8 instructs, "They are to eat the meat that night, roasted over the fire, along with unleavened bread and bitter herbs." This use of herbs in religious observance underscores their role in the spiritual life of the Israelites.

Medicinal and Healing Properties

The Bible acknowledges the healing properties of herbs. In 2 Kings 20:7 , a poultice of figs, which can be considered a type of herb, is used to heal King Hezekiah: "Then Isaiah said, 'Prepare a poultice of figs.' So they brought it and applied it to the boil, and he recovered." This instance illustrates the medicinal use of herbs in biblical times.

New Testament References

In the New Testament, herbs are mentioned in the context of everyday life and teachings. Jesus uses the growth of herbs to illustrate the Kingdom of God. In Mark 4:32 , He says, "Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds can perch in its shade." This parable highlights the potential for growth and abundance inherent in God's Kingdom, using the familiar imagery of herbs.

Cultural and Historical Context

Herbs were a staple in the ancient Near Eastern diet and were cultivated in gardens and fields. They were used not only for food but also for medicinal purposes, perfumes, and even as offerings in religious rituals. The cultivation and use of herbs were integral to daily life, reflecting the agrarian society of biblical times.

In summary, herbs in the Bible are multifaceted, serving as food, medicine, and symbols in religious practices. They are a testament to God's provision and the natural order He established, playing a significant role in the physical and spiritual nourishment of His people.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

(1.) Hebrews `eseb, any green plant; herbage (Genesis 1:11, 12, 29, 30; 2:5; 3:18, etc.); comprehending vegetables and all green herbage (Amos 7:1, 2).

(2.) Yarak, green; any green thing; foliage of trees (2 Kings 19:26; Psalm 37:2); a plant; herb (Deuteronomy 11:10).

(3.) Or, meaning "light" In Isaiah 26:19 it means "green herbs;" in 2 Kings 4:39 probably the fruit of some plant.

(4.) Merorim, plural, "bitter herbs," eaten by the Israelites at the Passover (Exodus 12:8; Numbers 9:11). They were bitter plants of various sorts, and referred symbolically to the oppression in Egypt.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary

1. (n.) A plant whose stem does not become woody and permanent, but dies, at least down to the ground, after flowering.

2. (n.) Grass; herbage.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

HERB

hurb, urb:

(1) yaraq, "green thing" (Exodus 10:15 Isaiah 15:6); a garden of herbs" (Deuteronomy 11:10 1 Kings 21:2); "(a dinner, the margin portion of) herbs" (Proverbs 15:17).

(2) `esebh; compare Arabic `ushb, "herbage," "grass," etc.; "herbs yielding seed" (Genesis 1:11); "herbage" for food (Genesis 1:30 Jeremiah 14:6); translated "grass" (Deuteronomy 11:15 Amos 7:2); "herbs" (Proverbs 27:25, etc.).

(3) deshe', translated "herb" (2 Kings 19:26 Proverbs 27:25 Isaiah 37:27; Isaiah 66:14 the King James Version), but generally GRASS (which see).

(4) chatsir, vegetation generally, but translated GRASS (which see).

(5) 'oroth, 'owroth (plural only), "green plants" or "herbs." In 2 Kings 4:39 the Talmud interprets it to mean "colewort," but it may mean any edible herbs which had survived the drought. In Isaiah 26:19 the expression "dew of herbs" is in the margin translated "dew of light" which is more probable (see DEW), and the translation "heat upon herbs" (Isaiah 18:4 the King James Version) is in the Revised Version (British and American) translated "clear heat in sunshine."

(6) botane (Hebrews 6:7).

(7) lachana = yaraq (Matthew 13:32).

See also BITTER HERBS.

E. W. G. Masterman

Greek

3001. lachanon -- a garden herb, a vegetable
... a garden herb, a vegetable. Part of Speech: Noun, Neuter Transliteration: lachanon
Phonetic Spelling: (lakh'-an-on) Short Definition: an herb, garden plant ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3001.htm - 6k

5521. chole -- gall (a bitter herb)
... gall (a bitter herb). Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: chole Phonetic
Spelling: (khol-ay') Short Definition: gall, bitter herbs Definition: gall ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5521.htm - 6k

1008. botane -- grass, fodder
... Word Origin from bosko Definition grass, fodder NASB Word Usage vegetation (1).
herb. From bosko; herbage (as if for grazing) -- herb. see GREEK bosko. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1008.htm - 6k

4669. smurnizo -- to be like myrrh, to mingle with myrrh
... 4669 (from 4666 , "myrrh") -- properly, mingle with , a herb given to help
deaden the pain of criminals sentenced to crucifixion. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4669.htm - 7k

4615. sinapi -- mustard (a plant)
... of Speech: Noun, Neuter Transliteration: sinapi Phonetic Spelling: (sin'-ap-ee)
Short Definition: mustard Definition: mustard (probably the shrub, not the herb ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4615.htm - 6k

Strong's Hebrew

6212. eseb -- herb, herbage
... 6211, 6212. eseb. 6212a . herb, herbage. Transliteration: eseb Phonetic
Spelling: (eh'seb) Short Definition: grass. grass, herb ...
/hebrew/6212.htm - 5k

4844. maror -- bitter thing, bitter herb
... 4843, 4844. maror or maror. 4845 . bitter thing, bitter herb. Transliteration:
maror or maror Phonetic Spelling: (mer-ore') Short Definition: herbs. ...
/hebrew/4844.htm - 6k

6212a. eseb -- herb, herbage
... 6212, 6212a. eseb. 6212b . herb, herbage. Transliteration: eseb Short Definition:
vegetation. Word Origin from an unused word Definition ...
/hebrew/6212a.htm - 5k

219b. orah -- an herb
... 219a, 219b. orah. 220 . an herb. Transliteration: orah Short Definition: herbs.
Word Origin from or Definition an herb NASB Word Usage herbs (1). 219a, ...
/hebrew/219b.htm - 5k

7219. rosh -- (bitter and poisonous herb) venom
... 7218, 7219. rosh or rosh. 7220 . (bitter and poisonous herb) venom.
Transliteration: rosh or rosh Phonetic Spelling: (roshe) Short Definition: poison. ...
/hebrew/7219.htm - 6k

219. owrah -- a light
... 218b, 219. owrah. 219a . a light. Transliteration: owrah Phonetic Spelling:
(o-raw') Short Definition: herb. herb, light Feminine ...
/hebrew/219.htm - 5k

1877. deshe -- grass
... Word Origin from dasha Definition grass NASB Word Usage fresh grass (1), grass
(3), green (1), herb (3), new grass (1), new growth (1), tender grass (2 ...
/hebrew/1877.htm - 6k

2682. chatsir -- green grass, herbage
... grass, hay, herb, leek. Perhaps originally the same as chatsiyr, from the greenness
of a courtyard; grass; also a leek (collectively) -- grass, hay, herb, leek. ...
/hebrew/2682.htm - 6k

3387. yaroq -- a green thing
... thing (1). green thing. From yaraq; green, ie An herb -- green thing. see HEBREW
yaraq. 3386, 3387. yaroq. 3388 . Strong's Numbers.
/hebrew/3387.htm - 6k

4840. merqach -- spice, perfume
... Word Origin from raqach Definition spice, perfume NASB Word Usage sweet-scented
herbs (1). sweet. From raqach; a spicy herb -- X sweet. see HEBREW raqach. ...
/hebrew/4840.htm - 6k

Library

The Mustard-Seed.
... The diminutive proportions of our mustard-plant prove nothing regarding the magnitude
of the herb which bears the corresponding name in Syria. ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/arnot/the parables of our lord/iii the mustard-seed.htm

Doctrine of Scripture on the Subject of Part 3
... upon the harp, that covereth the heaven with clouds, that prepareth rain for the
earth, that bringeth forth grass upon the mountains, and green herb for the ...
/.../select works and letters or athanasius/section 46 doctrine of scripture.htm

Whether it was Fitting that the Production of Plants Should Take ...
... On the contrary, It is said (Gn.1:12): "The earth brought forth the green herb,"
after which there follows, "The evening and the morning were the third day.". ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether it was fitting that 2.htm

The Six Days' Work Described.
... And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed after his
kind and in his likeness, and the fruit-tree yielding fruit after his kind ...
/.../theophilus/theophilus to autolycus/chapter xi the six days work.htm

Limits of God's Plan for Human Salvation
... Our Lord also useth the same manner of speech in the Gospel, where he saith to the
Pharisees, "You tithe mint and rue and every herb." [227] Obviously, the ...
/.../augustine/handbook on faith hope and love/chapter xxvii limits of gods.htm

On Psalm Lxxvii. Or Lxxviii.
... first of all, which were entirely unable to stand out against the first attack;
then the cattle which grazed on the plains; and then every herb and tree, which ...
/.../the extant works and fragments of hippolytus/on psalm lxxvii or lxxviii.htm

In what Way God Wills all Men to be Saved.
... Just as it was said to the Pharisees, "Ye tithe every herb;" [3391] where the
expression is only to be understood of every herb that they had, for they did not ...
/.../augustine/anti-pelagian writings/chapter 44 in what way god.htm

Concerning the Garments of the Priests, and of the High Priest.
... embroidered, and round it was a golden crown polished, of three rows, one above
another; out of which arose a cup of gold, which resembled the herb which we ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 7 concerning the garments.htm

Psalm LXIX.
... 1. We have been born into this world, and added to the people of God, at that period
wherein already the herb from a grain of mustard seed hath spread out its ...
/.../augustine/exposition on the book of psalms/psalm lxix.htm

That Holy Complacency Gives Our Heart to God, and Makes us Feel a ...
... The herb aproxis (as we have said elsewhere) has so great a correspondence with
fire, that though at a distance from it, as soon as it sees it, it draws the ...
/.../francis/treatise on the love of god/chapter iii that holy complacency.htm

Thesaurus

Growing (31 Occurrences)
... Yahweh said to Moses, "Stretch forth your hand toward the sky, that there may be
hail in all the land of Egypt, on man, and on animal, and on every herb of the ...
/g/growing.htm - 15k

Green (72 Occurrences)
... animal of the earth, and to every bird of the sky, and to everything that creeps
on the earth, in which there is life, I have given every green herb for food ...
/g/green.htm - 31k

Willeth (14 Occurrences)
... Daniel 4:25 and they are driving thee away from men, and with the beast of the field
is thy dwelling, and the herb as oxen they do cause thee to eat, and by ...
/w/willeth.htm - 11k

Rue (1 Occurrence)
... Easton's Bible Dictionary A garden herb (Ruta graveolens) which the Pharisees were
careful to tithe (Luke 11:42), neglecting weightier matters. ...
/r/rue.htm - 8k

Mustard (5 Occurrences)
... This garden herb sometimes grows to a considerable height, so as to be spoken of
as "a tree" as compared with garden herbs. Noah Webster's Dictionary. ...
/m/mustard.htm - 11k

Sowing (28 Occurrences)
... Genesis 1:11 And God saith, 'Let the earth yield tender grass, herb sowing seed,
fruit-tree (whose seed 'is' in itself) making fruit after its kind, on the ...
/s/sowing.htm - 14k

Surface (71 Occurrences)
... Genesis 1:29 God said, "Behold, I have given you every herb yielding seed, which
is on the surface of all the earth, and every tree, which bears fruit yielding ...
/s/surface.htm - 29k

Hail (42 Occurrences)
... Yahweh said to Moses, "Stretch forth your hand toward the sky, that there may be
hail in all the land of Egypt, on man, and on animal, and on every herb of the ...
/h/hail.htm - 25k

Kinds (110 Occurrences)
... (See NIV). Luke 11:42 But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue
and every herb, but you bypass justice and the love of God. ...
/k/kinds.htm - 36k

Tender (66 Occurrences)
... "Tender grass" in 2 Samuel 23:4 Proverbs 27:25; the Revised Version (British and
American) Deuteronomy 32:2 (the King James Version "tender herb"); Isaiah 15:6 ...
/t/tender.htm - 33k

Resources

What is hyssop? What was hyssop used for in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

Will we eat food in heaven? | GotQuestions.org

What is the meaning of wormwood in Revelation? | GotQuestions.org

Herb: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus

Concordance

Herb (46 Occurrences)

Matthew 6:30
And if God so clothes the wild herbage which to-day flourishes and to-morrow is thrown into the oven, is it not much more certain that He will clothe you, you men of little faith?
(Root in WEY DBY YLT)

Matthew 13:26
and when the herb sprang up, and yielded fruit, then appeared also the darnel.
(YLT)

Matthew 13:32
which indeed is smaller than all seeds. But when it is grown, it is greater than the herbs, and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in its branches."
(Root in WEB KJV WEY ASV DBY WBS YLT)

Luke 11:42
But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and every herb, but you bypass justice and the love of God. You ought to have done these, and not to have left the other undone.
(WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Genesis 1:11
God said, "Let the earth put forth grass, herbs yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit after their kind, with its seed in it, on the earth;" and it was so.
(Root in WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT)

Genesis 1:12
The earth brought forth grass, herbs yielding seed after their kind, and trees bearing fruit, with its seed in it, after their kind; and God saw that it was good.
(Root in WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT)

Genesis 1:29
God said, "Behold, I have given you every herb yielding seed, which is on the surface of all the earth, and every tree, which bears fruit yielding seed. It will be your food.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT)

Genesis 1:30
To every animal of the earth, and to every bird of the sky, and to everything that creeps on the earth, in which there is life, I have given every green herb for food;" and it was so.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT)

Genesis 2:5
No plant of the field was yet in the earth, and no herb of the field had yet sprung up; for Yahweh God had not caused it to rain on the earth. There was not a man to till the ground,
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT RSV)

Genesis 3:18
Thorns also and thistles will it bring forth to you; and you will eat the herb of the field.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT)

Genesis 9:3
Every moving thing that lives will be food for you. As the green herb, I have given everything to you.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT)

Exodus 9:22
Yahweh said to Moses, "Stretch forth your hand toward the sky, that there may be hail in all the land of Egypt, on man, and on animal, and on every herb of the field, throughout the land of Egypt."
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT)

Exodus 9:25
The hail struck throughout all the land of Egypt all that was in the field, both man and animal; and the hail struck every herb of the field, and broke every tree of the field.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT)

Exodus 10:12
Yahweh said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand over the land of Egypt for the locusts, that they may come up on the land of Egypt, and eat every herb of the land, even all that the hail has left."
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT)

Exodus 10:15
For they covered the surface of the whole earth, so that the land was darkened, and they ate every herb of the land, and all the fruit of the trees which the hail had left. There remained nothing green, either tree or herb of the field, through all the land of Egypt.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT)

Numbers 22:4
And Moab said to the elders of Midian, Now will this company lick up all that is round about us, as an ox licks up the green herb of the field. Now Balak the son of Zippor was king of Moab at that time.
(DBY)

Deuteronomy 11:10
For the land, where you go in to possess it, isn't as the land of Egypt, from whence you came out, where you sowed your seed, and watered it with your foot, as a garden of herbs;
(Root in WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT)

Deuteronomy 29:23
('with' brimstone and salt is the whole land burnt, it is not sown, nor doth it shoot up, nor doth there go up on it any herb, like the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboim, which Jehovah overturned in His anger, and in His fury,) --
(YLT)

Deuteronomy 32:2
My doctrine shall drop as the rain. My speech shall condense as the dew, as the small rain on the tender grass, as the showers on the herb.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV)

2 Kings 19:26
Therefore their inhabitants were of small power. They were dismayed and confounded. They were like the grass of the field, and like the green herb, like the grass on the housetops, and like grain blasted before it has grown up.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS)

Job 5:25
And thou shalt know that thy seed is numerous, and thine offspring as the herb of the earth.
(DBY YLT)

Job 8:12
Whilst it is yet in his greenness, and not cut down, it withereth before any other herb.
(KJV JPS ASV WBS YLT)

Job 38:27
To satisfy the desolate and waste ground; and to cause the bud of the tender herb to spring forth?
(KJV JPS WBS)

Psalms 37:2
For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither like the green herb.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV)

Psalms 72:16
There shall be abundance of corn in the earth, upon the top of the mountains; the fruit thereof shall shake like Lebanon; and they of the city shall bloom like the herb of the earth.
(DBY YLT)

Psalms 92:7
When the wicked flourish as a herb, And blossom do all workers of iniquity -- For their being destroyed for ever and ever!
(YLT)

Psalms 102:4
Smitten as the herb, and withered, is my heart, For I have forgotten to eat my bread.
(YLT)

Psalms 102:11
My days as a shadow 'are' stretched out, And I -- as the herb I am withered.
(YLT)

Psalms 104:14
He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth;
(KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT)

Psalms 105:35
And did eat up all the herbs in their land, and devoured the fruit of their ground.
(Root in KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT)

Proverbs 19:12
The wrath of a king 'is' a growl as of a young lion, And as dew on the herb his good-will.
(YLT)

Isaiah 15:6
For the Waters of Nimrim shall be desolate; for the grass is withered away, the herbage faileth, there is no green thing.
(Root in JPS DBY WBS)

Isaiah 18:4
For so the LORD said unto me, I will take my rest, and I will consider in my dwelling place like a clear heat upon herbs, and like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest.
(Root in KJV DBY WBS YLT)

Isaiah 37:27
Therefore their inhabitants had little power. They were dismayed and confounded. They were like the grass of the field, and like the green herb, like the grass on the housetops, and like a field before its crop has grown.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS)

Isaiah 66:14
And when ye see this, your heart shall rejoice, and your bones shall flourish like an herb: and the hand of the LORD shall be known toward his servants, and his indignation toward his enemies.
(KJV WBS)

Jeremiah 12:4
How long shall the land mourn, and the herbs of the whole country wither? for the wickedness of those who dwell therein, the animals are consumed, and the birds; because they said, He shall not see our latter end.
(Root in WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT)

Jeremiah 14:6
The wild donkeys stand on the bare heights, they pant for air like jackals; their eyes fail, because there is no herbage.
(Root in WEB JPS ASV DBY YLT RSV)

Daniel 4:15
but the stump of its roots leave in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field, and with the dew of the heavens is it wet, and with the beasts 'is' his portion in the herb of the earth;
(YLT)

Daniel 4:25
and they are driving thee away from men, and with the beast of the field is thy dwelling, and the herb as oxen they do cause thee to eat, and by the dew of the heavens they are wetting thee, and seven times do pass over thee, till that thou knowest that the Most High is ruler in the kingdom of men, and to whom He willeth He giveth it.
(YLT)

Daniel 4:32
and from men they are driving thee away, and with the beast of the field 'is' thy dwelling, the herb as oxen they do cause thee to eat, and seven times do pass over thee, till that thou knowest that the Most High is ruler in the kingdom of men, and to whom He willeth He giveth it.
(YLT)

Daniel 4:33
In that hour the thing hath been fulfilled on Nebuchadnezzar, and from men he is driven, and the herb as oxen he eateth, and by the dew of the heavens his body is wet, till that his hair as eagles' hath become great, and his nails as birds.'
(YLT)

Daniel 5:21
and from the sons of men he is driven, and his heart with the beasts hath been like, and with the wild asses 'is' his dwelling; the herb like oxen they cause him to eat, and by the dew of the heavens is his body wet, till that he hath known that God Most High is ruler in the kingdom of men, and whom He willeth He raiseth up over it.
(YLT)

Hosea 10:4
They have spoken words, To swear falsehood in making a covenant, And flourished as a poisonous herb hath judgment, on the furrows of a field.
(YLT)

Amos 7:2
and it hath come to pass, when it hath finished to consume the herb of the land, that I say: 'Lord Jehovah, forgive, I pray Thee, How doth Jacob arise -- for he 'is' small?'
(YLT)

Micah 5:7
And the remnant of Jacob hath been in the midst of many peoples, As dew from Jehovah -- as showers on the herb, That waiteth not for man, nor stayeth for the sons of men.
(YLT)

Zechariah 10:1
They asked of Jehovah rain in a time of latter rain, Jehovah is making lightnings, And rain 'in' showers He doth give to them. To each -- the herb in the field.
(YLT)

Subtopics

Herb

Related Terms

Flowers (42 Occurrences)

Dries (10 Occurrences)

Drop (32 Occurrences)

Mankind (80 Occurrences)

Graze (11 Occurrences)

Resemble (15 Occurrences)

Beauty (98 Occurrences)

Herbage (10 Occurrences)

Herb (46 Occurrences)