Herb - 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; 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

Bibliography Information
Orr, James, M.A., D.D. General Editor. "Entry for 'HERB'". "International Standard Bible Encyclopedia". 1915.