Herb

Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible

HERB . (1) yârâq, yereq , twice tr. [Note: translate or translation.] ‘green thing’ (  Exodus 10:15 ,   Isaiah 15:6 ); gan yârâq , ‘garden of herbs,’   Deuteronomy 11:10 ,   1 Kings 21:2 . (2) ‘çseb , herbage in general,   Genesis 1:11 (cf. Arab. [Note: Arabic.] ’ushb ). See Grass. (3) deshe’ is six times tr. [Note: translate or translation.] ‘herb’ ( Deu 32:2 ,   2 Kings 19:26 ,   Job 38:27 ,   Psalms 37:2 ,   Isaiah 37:27;   Isaiah 66:14 ). (4) ’ôrôth ,   2 Kings 4:39 ‘herbs.’ This is explained to be the plant colewort, but may have been any eatable herbs that survived the drought. The expressions ‘dew of herbs’ (  Isaiah 26:19 AV [Note: Authorized Version.] ) and ‘upon herbs’ (  Isaiah 18:4 AV [Note: Authorized Version.] ) are obscure. In the NT we have the Gr. terms botanç (  Hebrews 6:7 ‘grass’) and lachanon = yereq (  Matthew 13:32 ).

See also Bitter Herbs.

E. W. G. Masterman.

Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words

1: λάχανον (Strong'S #3001 — Noun Neuter — lachanon — lakh'-an-on )

denotes "a garden herb, a vegetable" (from lachaino, "to dig"), in contrast to wild plants,  Matthew 13:32;  Mark 4:32;  Luke 11:42;  Romans 14:2 .

2: βοτάνη (Strong'S #1008 — Noun Feminine — botane — bot-an'-ay )

denotes "grass, fodder, herbs" (from bosko, "to feed;" cp. Eng., "botany"),  Hebrews 6:7 .

Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament

HERB. —In modern botanical science, ‘herb’ is a well-defined term, and is applied to plants whose stem dies down annually. In the Bible it is used in a popular sense, being employed to translate several Hebrew and Greek words of varying significance. In the NT it is (except in  Hebrews 6:7, where the original has βοτάνη) the rendering of λάχανα ( Matthew 13:32,  Mark 4:32,  Romans 14:2) or λάχανον ( Luke 11:42), which denotes garden-herbs or vegetables. Many of these, such as lettuce, parsley, mint, etc., are in constant use to the present day. Delitzsch ( Heb. NT ) renders this word by יָרָק, which means ‘green herbs’ (cf.  Deuteronomy 11:10,  Proverbs 15:17). The other term, βοτάνη, means ‘pasture,’ but is evidently used (.c.) of herbage in general, including cereals. Delitzsch’s translation is עֵשְב, ‘çsebh, which has the same signification. Hugh Duncan.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

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.

Copyright Statement These dictionary topics are from M.G. Easton M.A., D.D., Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Third Edition, published by Thomas Nelson, 1897. Public Domain.

Bibliography Information Easton, Matthew George. Entry for 'Herb'. Easton's Bible Dictionary. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/ebd/h/herb.html. 1897.

King James Dictionary

HERB, n. erb. L. herba.

1. A plant or vegetable with a soft or succulent stalk or stem, which dies to the root every year, and is thus distinguished from a tree and a shrub, which have ligneous or hard woody stems. 2. In the Linnean botany, that part of a vegetable which springs from the root and is terminated by the fructification, including the stem or stalk, the leaves, the fulcra or props,and the hibernacle.

The word herb comprehends all the grasses, and numerous plants used for culinary purposes.

Webster's 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.

Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types

 2 Kings 19:26 (a) This figure represents the weakness and helplessness of the nations which were destroyed by Rabshakeh. (See  Isaiah 37:27).

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

hûrb , ûrb  :

(1) ירק , yārāḳ , "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) עשׂב , ‛ēsebh  ; 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) דּשׁא , 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) חציר , ḥācı̄r , vegetation generally, but translated Grass (which see).

(5) ארת , 'ōrōth , אורת , 'ōwrōth (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) βοτάνη , botánē (  Hebrews 6:7 ).

(7) λάχανα , láchana = yārāḳ (  Matthew 13:32 ). See also Bitter Herbs .