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herbs in the Bible

There are 4 Hebrew words translated as “herb.”

  1. Eseb

    Hebrew: עֶשֶׂב —transliteration: eseb —meaning: grass, herb, vegetation

    This word includes any green plant; herbage (Genesis 1:11-12, 29-30; 2:5; 3:18, etc.); all vegetables and all green herbage (Amos 7:1-2).

  2. Yaraq

    Hebrew: יָרָק —transliteration: yaraq

    This refers to any green thing; grass; foliage of trees (2 Kings 19:26; Psalm 37:2); a plant; vegetables (Proverbs 15:17); herbs (Deuteronomy 11:10).

  3. Owrah

    Hebrew: אוֹרָה —transliteration: owrah —meaning: light, luminousness, prosperity, a plant

    In Isaiah 26:19, it was translated “dew of herbs” in the King James Version. The more correct translation is “dew of the dawn.”

    In 2 Kings 4:39 it is translated in all versions of the Bible as “herbs” or sometimes “plants”.

  4. Merorim

    Hebrew: מְרֹר —transliteration: maror —plural: merorim —meaning: bitter herb —derivation: marar, meaning “to be bitter”

    Bitter herbs were eaten by the Israelites at the Passover (Seder) (Exodus 12:8; Numbers 9:11).

    They were bitter plants of various sorts, and referred symbolically to the oppression in Egypt.

    In Lamentations 3:15 it is translated simply as “bitterness”.

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Article Version: April 16, 2025