Nettle

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Heb. qimmosh,  Isaiah 34:13;  Hosea 9:6;  Proverbs 24:31 (in both versions, "thorns"). This word has been regarded as denoting thorns, thistles, wild camomile; but probably it is correctly rendered "nettle," the Urtica pilulifera, "a tall and vigorous plant, often 6 feet high, the sting of which is much more severe and irritating than that of our common nettle."

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

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

Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible

Nettle 1 . chârûl (  Job 30:7 ,   Proverbs 24:31 ,   Zephaniah 2:9 ), more probably a generic name for thorn bushes growing in the wilderness, such as the Zizyphus and varieties of acacia. 2. qimmôs (  Isaiah 34:13 ,   Hosea 9:6 ), qimmÄ›s ônîm (  Proverbs 24:31 EV [Note: English Version.] ‘ thorns ’). These words all refer probably to nettles, which are abundant in deserted places in Palestine.

E. W. G. Masterman.

Fausset's Bible Dictionary

Charul .  Job 30:7, "brambles" (Umbreit). But the bushmen of whom Job speaks "gathered together under the (tall) nettles" to boil them for potherbs (see  Job 30:4). The root Chaaral "to burn" also favors the Urtica; Wrens , "burning" or "stinging nettle." Royle, from the Arabic Khardul , our charlock, argues for the wild mustard. Also Qimowsh ;  Isaiah 34:13.

Webster's Dictionary

(1): ( n.) A plant of the genus Urtica, covered with minute sharp hairs containing a poison that produces a stinging sensation. Urtica gracitis is common in the Northern, and U. chamaedryoides in the Southern, United States. the common European species, U. urens and U. dioica, are also found in the Eastern united States. U. pilulifera is the Roman nettle of England.

(2): ( v. t.) To fret or sting; to irritate or vex; to cause to experience sensations of displeasure or uneasiness not amounting to violent anger.

People's Dictionary of the Bible

Nettle. A well-known plant covered with minute sharp hairs, containing a poison that produces a painful, stinging sensation. It grows on neglected ground. A different Hebrew word in  Job 30:7;  Proverbs 24:31;  Zephaniah 2:9, seems to indicate a different species.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

Nettle. A well-known plant, covered with minute sharp hairs, containing a poison that produces a painful, stifling sensation. It grows on neglected ground. A different Hebrew word in  Job 30:7;  Proverbs 24:31;  Zephaniah 2:9, seems to indicate a different species.

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

A well known stinging plant, growing in neglected grounds,  Isaiah 34:13   Hosea 9:6 . A different Hebrew word in  Job 30:7   Proverbs 24:31   Zephaniah 2:9 , seems to indicate a larger species.

Holman Bible Dictionary

Urtica  Job 30:7 Proverbs 24:31 Isaiah 34:13 Hosea 9:6 Zephaniah 2:9 Job 30:7  Zephaniah 2:9

King James Dictionary

NETTLE, n. A plant of the genus Urtica, whose prickles fret the skin and occasion very painful sensations.

And near the noisome nettle blooms the rose.

NETTLE, To fret or sting to irritate or vex to excite sensations of displeasure or uneasiness, not amounting to wrath or violent anger.

The princes were nettled at the scandal of this affront.

Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types

 Isaiah 34:13 (b) This is a type of the multitude of little, tiny, sticking, pricking troubles that the Lord would send upon the inhabitants of Idumea because they rejected Him and His Word. (See also brambles, thistles, and thorns).

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

is the rendering in the Auth. Ver. of two Hebrew words. (See Torn).

1.' Charu , חָיוּל (so called from its Pricking or Burning; Sept. Φρύγανα Ἄγρια ; Vulg. Sentes, Urtica, and Spina), occurs in three places in Scripture. Thus in  Proverbs 24:30-31, "I went by the field of the slothful, etc., and, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles (charulbim, חֲרֻלַּים ) had covered the face thereof." So in  Job 30:7 it is stated that he was insulted by the children of those whom he would formerly have disdained to employ, and who were so abject and destitute that "among the bushes they brayed; under the Nettles they were gathered together;" and in  Zephaniah 2:9 , "Surely Moab shall be as Sodom, and the children of Ammon as Gomorrah, even the breeding of Nettles, and salt-pits, and a perpetual desolation." Considerable difficulty has been experienced in determining the plant which is alluded to in the above passages, which, as Celsius says, "has been sparingly mentioned, and not minutely described by the sacred writers." The majority of translators and commentators have thought that some thorny or prickly plant is intended by the charul, on account of the other plants which are mentioned along with it. Hence brambles, the wild plum, thistles, etc., have been severally selected; but nettles have had the greatest number of supporters. Celsius, however, prefers the Zizyphus Paliurus, or the plant called Christ's thorn, as best suited to the contexts. The cactus, or prickly pear, would be a very suitable representative, in many respects, as it is largely used in Palestine for a hedge or fence, and grows to the height of eight or ten feet. But there is this great objection to many of the plants proposed, that they are of too slow growth to suit the passage in Proverbs, which implies a rapid and general intrusion of the plant in question. All these determinations, however, amount to nothing more than conjectures, because, as Rosenmuller says, the cognate languages have not this word, and also because "the Greek translators of Alexandria in the first and last of the three places in which the Hebrew word occurs entirely deviate from our present Hebrew text; but in Job they translate charul by wild shrubs." It does not appear that a thorny plant is necessarily meant by the term. All that is implied is that neglected fields will become covered with weeds, and that these will be of a kind such as idlers may take shelter under. This passage, indeed, seems to preclude any thorny plant or nettle, as no one would voluntarily resort to such a situation; and Bar-Bahlul, as quoted by Celsius (2:168), considers pease, or rather vetches to be intended. Moreover, it is worthy of remark that there is an Arabic word not unlike charul which is applied to plants apparently suitable to all the above passages. The word khardul applies to different species of mustard, and also to plants which are employed for the same purposes as mustard. Some of the wild kinds of mustard spring up in corn-fields, and become very troublesome. One of these, indeed, sinapis arvensis, is abundant in corn- fields, where it is a pernicious weed, and also in waste ground when newly disturbed. Khardul is that indigenous in Asia. Some of the species are found in Syria and Palestine; and Russell mentions the above (sinapis arvensis), or charlock, as common in the neighborhood of Aleppo. It is also widely diffused in Europe (see Decandolle, Syst. Natural. 2:615). (See Mustard).

2. Kimmosh', קַמּוֹשׁ , kimosh', קַימוֹשׁ , and Kimmashon, קַמָּשׁוֹן , occur, the first in  Isaiah 34:13, the second in  Hosea 9:6, and the third in  Proverbs 24:31, where it is mentioned along with Charul, which we believe to indicate Charlock. The field of the slothful is there described as being grown over with thorns (Charullim), "and Nettles (Kimshon) had covered the face thereof." In Isaiah it is said, "And thorns (Choach) shall come up in the palaces, Nettles (Kimosh) and brambles in the fortresses thereof."  Hosea 9:6, "The pleasant places for their silver, Nettles (Kimosh) shall possess them; thorns (Choach) shall be in their tabernacles." Though different interpretations have been given of this word (Sept. Ἀκάνθινα Ξύλα , Ἄκανθα , Ὄλεθρος ; Vulg. Urticae), as thorns, thistles, wild camomile, etc., the greatest number of authors have united in adopting Nettles, chiefly in consequence of the authority of Jewish writers. Thus, Rosenmuller says, rabbi Tanchum, on  Hosea 9:6, explains Kilmosh by the common nettle, in Pococke's Commnent. on Hosea. So rabbi Ben- Melech, as quoted and translated by Celsius (Hierobot. 2:207), speaks of it as a kind of nettle, commonly called urtica. Nettles spring up rapidly in deserted as in inhabited places, in fields, ditches, and road-sides, especially where there is some moisture in the soil or climate. They are found in tropical situations as well as in temperate climes, but the springing up of nettles in deserted places is rather a European than an Oriental idea. (See Thorn).