Heath

Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary

ערער ,  Jeremiah 17:6;  Jeremiah 48:6 . "He shall be like the heath in the desert. He shall not see when good cometh; but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, a salt land." The LXX and Vulgate render oror, "the tamarisk;" and this is strengthened by the affinity of the Hebrew name of this tree with the Turkish oeroer . Taylor and Parkhurst render it "a blasted tree stripped of its foliage." If it be a particular tree, the tamarisk is as likely as any. Celsius thinks it to be the juniper; but from the mention of it as growing in a salt land, in parched places, the author of "Scripture Illustrated" is disposed to seek it among the lichens, a species of plants which are the last production of vegetation under the frozen zone, and under the glowing heat of equatorial deserts; so that it seems best qualified to endure parched places, and a salt land. Hasselquist mentions several kinds seen by him in Egypt, Arabia, and Syria. In   Jeremiah 48:6 , the original word is ערוער , which the Septuagint translators have read ערוד , for they render it ονος αγριος , wild ass; and, as this seems best to agree with the flight recommended in the passage, it is to be preferred. See Wild Ass .

Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types

 Jeremiah 17:6 (a) This figure represents a worthless, useless Christian. He lives in a desert, with no joy of the Lord, none of the peace of GOD, and does not bring a blessing to GOD's people.

 Jeremiah 48:6 (a) It is said that the heath in this verse represents the tumble weed of the western plains in our own country. It is about the same size and shape. It bears a small bloom. It flourishes in the wet season in southern Palestine. When the dry season comes, the entire plant shrinks, the roots shrink in the ground so that it is only loosely held in place. When the wind comes, it blows the whole plant out of the ground, it rolls along before the wind until it finds a marsh, or a swamp. Here the roots take hold, replant themselves, and the plant again broadens out its little branches and blooms. (I have not seen this plant, but have read this description given by others). The lesson it teaches us is that if the Christian finds himself in that society or association where the Word of GOD is not loved and preached, where the Spirit of GOD is grieved and quenched, where the soul is drying up for lack of the living water, then he should loosen his hold on that place, or that association, and let the Holy Spirit take him into a new association where the living water abounds and the work of GOD is prospering.

Fausset's Bible Dictionary

Hebrew Aroer , Arar ; Arabic Dnax ; the Juniper Sabina or Juniper Savin with small scale-like leaves, close to the stem, a gloomy looking bush on a sterile soil, symbolizing "the man that trusteth in man and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the Lord" ( Jeremiah 17:6); the Hebrew means "naked"; such is he whose defense is other than Jehovah, a shrub in a barren soil, contrasted with the "tree spreading out her roots by the river," i.e. the man that trusteth in Jehovah ( Jeremiah 17:7-8; compare  Jeremiah 48:6, margin).

Webster's Dictionary

(1): ( n.) A low shrub (Erica, / Calluna, vulgaris), with minute evergreen leaves, and handsome clusters of pink flowers. It is used in Great Britain for brooms, thatch, beds for the poor, and for heating ovens. It is also called heather, and ling.

(2): ( n.) A place overgrown with heath; any cheerless tract of country overgrown with shrubs or coarse herbage.

(3): ( n.) Also, any species of the genus Erica, of which several are European, and many more are South African, some of great beauty. See Illust. of Heather.

Morrish Bible Dictionary

arar, aroer. These words are supposed to refer to the Arabic Arar, which is a juniper (the Juniperus sabina ). It grows on the rocks even to their summits in most sterile soil. It stands therefore as a fit emblem of the man who "maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the Lord."  Jeremiah 17:6 . Moab also, under the judgement of God, is compared to 'the heath in the wilderness.'  Jeremiah 48:6 . The Juniperus communis is another species.

King James Dictionary

Heath n.

1. A plant of the genus Erica, of many species. It is a shrub which is used in Great Britain for brooms, thatch, beds for the poor, and for heating ovens. Its leaves are small and continue green all the year. It is called also ling. 2. A place overgrown with heath. 3. A place overgrown with shrubs of any kind.

Holman Bible Dictionary

 Jeremiah 17:6 Jeremiah 48:6 Jeremiah 17:6 Jeremiah 40:8 Juniperus oxycedrus Juniperus phoenicea Plants In The Bible

Smith's Bible Dictionary

Heath.  Jeremiah 17:6 Heath was some species of juniper, probably the Savin , a dwarf, stunted juniper which grows in the most sterile parts of the desert.

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Supposed to be the Juniper, a low tree found in desert and rocky places, and thus contrasted with a tree growing by a water-course,  Jeremiah 17:5-8;  48:6 .

Easton's Bible Dictionary

 Jeremiah 17:6 48:6

Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible

HEATH . See Tamarisk.

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

( עִרְעָר , Arar',  Jeremiah 17:6; Sept. Ἀγριομυρίκη , Vulg. myricce; or עֲרוֹעֵר , Aroem ‘ ,  Jeremiah 48:6; Sept. Ὄνος Ἄγριος , perh. by reading עָרוֹד , a wild ass; Vulg. Myricae) has been variously translated, as Myrica, Tamarisk; Tamarin which is an Indian tree, the tamarind; Retama, that is. the broom; and also, as in the French and English versions, Bruiere, Heath, which is, perhaps, the most incorrect of all, though Hasselquist mentions finding heath near Jericho, in Syria. Gesenius, however, renders it Ruins in the latter of the above passages (as in  Isaiah 17:2), and Needy in the former (as in  Psalms 102:18). As far as the context is concerned, some of the plants named, as the retain and tamarisk, would answer very well, (See Tamiarisk); but the Arabic name, Arar, is applied to a totally different plant, a species of juniper, as has been clearly shown by Celsius (Hierobot. 2, 195), who states that Arias Montanus is the only one who has so translated the Hebrew in the first of the passages in question ( Jeremiah 17:6): "For he shall be like the Heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh, but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land, and not inhabited." Both the Heb. words are from the root עָרִר , "to be Naked." in allusion to the Bare nature of the rocks on which the juniper often grows (comp.  Psalms 102:17, הָעִרְעָר תְּפַלִּת , "the prayer of the destitute," or ill-clad). Several species of juniper are no doubt found in Syria and Palestine. (See Cedar); (See Juniper).

Dr. Robinson met with some in proceeding from Hebron to wady Musa, near the romantic pass of Nemela: "On the rocks above we found the juniper- tree, Arabic Ar'Ar; its berries have the appearance and taste of the common juniper, except that there is more of the aroma of the pine. These trees were ten or fifteen feet in height, and hung upon the rocks even to the summits of the cliffs and needles" (Bibl. Researches, 2, 506). In proceeding S.E. he states: "Large trees of the juniper become quite common in the wadys and on the rocks." It is mentioned in the same situations by other travelers, and is no doubt common enough, particularly in wild, uncultivated, and often inaccessible situations, and is thus suitable to  Jeremiah 48:6 : "Flee, save your lives, and be like the Heath in the wilderness." This appears to be the Juniperus Sabina, or savin, with small scale-like leaves, which are pressed close to the stem, and which is described as being a gloomy-looking bush inhabiting the most sterile soil (see English Cyclop. Hist. 3: 311); a character which is obviously well suited to the Naked or Destitute tree spoken of by the prophet. Rosenm Ü ller's explanation of the Hebrew word, which is also adopted by Maurer, "qui destitutus versatur" (Schol. Ad  Jeremiah 17:6), is very unsatisfactory. Not to mention the Tameness of the comparison, it is evidently contradicted by the antithesis in  Jeremiah 17:8 : "Cursed is he that trusteth in man he shall be like the juniper that grows on the bare rocks of the desert: Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord he shall be as a tree planted by the waters." The contrast between the shrub of the arid desert and the tree growing by the waters is very striking; but Rosenm Ü ller's interpretation appears to us to spoil the whole. Even more unsatisfactory is Michaelis (Supp. Lex. Heb. p. 1971), who thinks "Guinea-hens" (Numida Meleagris) are intended! Gesenius (Thes. p. 1073 4) understands these two Heb. terms to denote "parietinse, aedificia eversa" (ruins); but it is more in accordance with the scriptural passages to suppose that some tree is intended, which explanation, moreover, has the sanction of the Sept. and Vulgate, and of the modern use of a kindred Arabic word. — Smith. Modern travelers do not mention the species; but those which have been named as growing in Palestine are the Phoenician juniper, the common savin, and the brown-berried juniper. The first of these is a tree of about twenty feet high, growing with its branches in a pyramidal form. Rosenm Ü ller states that "Forskal found it frequently in the sandy heaths about Suez. The caravans use it for fuel." The species best known in America are the common red cedar (Jun. Virginiana) and the Bermuda cedar, from which the wood of lead pencils is manufactured. They all have long, narrow, prickly leaves, and bear a soft, pulpy berry, from which a carminative oil is extracted. The wood is light, highly odorous, and very durable. (See Juniper).

Kitto's Popular Cyclopedia of Biblial Literature

Oror, the word thus rendered occurs in two or three places of Scripture, and has been variously translated, as tamarisk; tamarin, which is an Indian tree, the tamarind; retama, that is the broom; and also, as in the French and English versions, heath, which is perhaps the most incorrect of all, though Hasselquist mentions finding heath near Jericho, in Syria. As far as the context is concerned, some of these plants, as the retam and tamarisk, would answer very well; but the Arabic name arar, is applied to a totally-different plant, a species of juniper.

Several species of juniper are no doubt found in Syria and Palestine. Robinson met with some in proceeding from Hebron to Wady Musa, near the romantic pass of Nemela: 'On the rocks above we found the juniper tree, Arabic ar'ar; its berries have the appearance and taste of the common juniper, except that there is more of the aroma of the pine. These trees were ten or fifteen feet in height, and hung upon the rocks even to the summits of the cliffs and needles.' In a note the author says: 'This is doubtless the Hebrew aroer whence both the English version and Luther read incorrectly heath' (Bibl. Researches, ii. 506). In proceeding S.E. he states: 'Large trees of the juniper become quite common in the Wadys and on the rocks.' It is mentioned in the same situations by other travelers, and is no doubt common enough, particularly in wild, uncultivated, and often inaccessible situations, and is thus suitable to : 'Flee, save your lives, and be like the heath (oror) in the wilderness.'