Bible Encyclopedia: Hyssop

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International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

HYSSOP

his'-up ('ezobh; hussspos, Exodus 12:22 Leviticus 14:4, 6, 4:9; Numbers 19:6, 18 1 Kings 4:33; Psalm 51:7 John 19:29 Hebrews 9:19): A plant used for ritual cleansing purposes; a humble plant springing out of the wall (1 Kings 4:33), the extreme contrast to the cedar.

The common hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis) of the Natural Order Labiatae, an aromatic plant with stomatic properties, cannot be the hyssop of the Bible as it is unknown in Palestine, but allied aromatic plants of the same Natural Order have by Maimonides (Neg. xiv.6) and other Jewish writers been identified with it. Probably hyssop is identical with the Arabic zat`ar, a name applied to a group of aromatic plants of the genus marjoram and thyme. They would any of them furnish a bunch suitable for sprinkling, and they have the important recommendation that they grow everywhere, being found even in the desert. Post thinks of all varieties the Origanum maru, a special variety of marjoram which favors terrace walls and rocks, is the most probable.

The proposal (Royle, Jour. Royal Asiatic Soc., VII, 193-213) to identify the caper (Capparis spinosa) with hyssop, which has been popularized by the works of Tristram, has not much to recommend it. It is true that the caper is very commonly seen growing out of walls all over Palestine (1 Kings 4:33), but in no other respect is it suitable to the requirements of the Biblical references. The supposed similarity between the Arabic 'acaf ("caper") and the Hebrew 'ezobh is fanciful; the caper with its stiff, prickly stems and smooth, flat leaves would not furnish a bunch for sprinkling as serviceable as many species of zat`ar. It has been specially urged that the hyssop suits the conditions of John 19:29, it being maintained that a stem of caper would make a good object on which to raise the "sponge full of vinegar" to the Saviour's face, the equivalent of the "reed" of Matthew 27:48 Mark 15:36. For such a purpose the flexible, prickly stems of the hyssop would be most unsuitable; indeed, it would be no easy matter to find one of sufficient length. It is necessary to suppose either that a bunch of hyssop accompanied the sponge with the vinegar upon the reed, or, as has been proposed by several writers (for references see article "Hyssop," EB), that hussopo is a corruption of husso, "javelin," and that the passage should read "They put a sponge full of vinegar upon a javelin."

E. W. G. Masterman

Greek

5301. hussopos -- hyssop
... hyssop. Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine Transliteration: hussopos Phonetic Spelling:
(hoos'-so-pos) Short Definition: hyssop Definition: hyssop, a stalk or stem ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5301.htm - 6k

Strong's Hebrew

231. ezob -- hyssop
... 230, 231. ezob. 232 . hyssop. Transliteration: ezob Phonetic Spelling:
(ay-zobe') Short Definition: hyssop. Word Origin of foreign ...
/hebrew/231.htm - 5k

229. Ezbay -- the father of one of David's men
... Ezbai. Probably from 'ezowb; hyssop-like; Ezbai, an Israelite -- Ezbai. see
HEBREW 'ezowb. 228, 229. Ezbay. 230 . Strong's Numbers.
/hebrew/229.htm - 6k

Library

The Red Heifer a Type of Christ.
... slay and burn it, and, that then boys should take the ashes, and put these into
vessels, and bind round a stick [1542] purple wool along with hyssop, and that ...
/.../barnabas/the epistle of barnabas /chapter viii the red heifer a.htm

The First Stage in the Leper's Cleansing
... the leper; 4. Then shall the priest command to take for him that is to be cleansed
two birds alive and clean, and cedar-wood, and scarlet, and hyssop: 5. And ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture k/the first stage in the.htm

What Kind of Spirit is Required for the Study of Holy Scripture.
... who celebrated the passover at that time in type and shadow, when they were ordered
to mark their door-posts with the blood of the lamb, used hyssop to mark ...
/.../on christian doctrine in four books /chapter 41 what kind of spirit.htm

But when the Student of the Holy Scriptures...
... who celebrated the Passover at that time in type and shadow, when they were ordered
to mark their door-posts with the blood of the lamb, used hyssop to mark ...
/.../augustine/on christian doctrine in four books/chapter 62 but when the.htm

Hebrews ix. 15-18
... Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the
blood of calves, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled ...
/.../homilies on the gospel of st john and hebrews/homily xvi hebrews ix 15-18.htm

John Chapter xix. 24-30.
... Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a sponge with
vinegar, and fixed it upon hyssop, and put it to His mouth. ...
/.../augustine/homilies on the gospel of john/tractate cxix john chapter xix.htm

On Baptism.
... 1. Rejoice, ye heavens, and let the earth be glad [566] , for those who are to be
sprinkled with hyssop, and cleansed with the spiritual [567] hyssop, the ...
/.../cyril/lectures of s cyril of jerusalem/lecture iii on baptism.htm

The Three Witnesses
... that there was no putting away of sin except with these three things; in proof of
which we will quote David's prayer, "Purge me with hyssop""that is, the ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 20 1874/the three witnesses.htm

The Knowledge Both of Language and Things is Helpful for the ...
... Many, again, by reason of their ignorance of hyssop, not knowing the virtue it has
in cleansing the lungs, nor the power it is said to have of piercing rocks ...
/.../on christian doctrine in four books /chapter 16 the knowledge both of.htm

Ignorance of Things, Too, Renders Figurative Expressions Obscure.. ...
... Many, again, by reason of their ignorance of hyssop, not knowing the virtue it has
in cleansing the lungs, nor the power it is said to have of piercing rocks ...
/.../on christian doctrine in four books/chapter 24 ignorance of things.htm

Easton's Bible Dictionary

(Hebrews `ezob; LXX. hyssopos), first mentioned in Exodus 12:22 in connection with the institution of the Passover. We find it afterwards mentioned in Leviticus 14:4, 6, 52; Numbers 19:6, 18; Hebrews 9:19. It is spoken of as a plant "springing out of the wall" (1 Kings 4:33). Many conjectures have been formed as to what this plant really was. Some contend that it was a species of marjoram (origanum), six species of which are found in Palestine. Others with more probability think that it was the caper plant, the Capparis spinosa of Linnaeus. This plant grew in Egypt, in the desert of Sinai, and in Palestine. It was capable of producing a stem three or four feet in length (Matthew 27:48; Mark 15:36. Comp. John 19:29).

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary

(n.) A plant (Hyssopus officinalis). The leaves have an aromatic smell, and a warm, pungent taste.

Thesaurus

Hyssop (12 Occurrences)
...HYSSOP. ... Probably hyssop is identical with the Arabic zat`ar, a name applied to
a group of aromatic plants of the genus marjoram and thyme. ...
/h/hyssop.htm - 14k

Cedar-wood (22 Occurrences)
... Leviticus 14:4 then shall the priest command to take for him that is to be cleansed
two clean living birds, and cedar-wood, and scarlet, and hyssop. ...
/c/cedar-wood.htm - 12k

Cedarwood (5 Occurrences)
... Leviticus 14:4 then shall the priest command to take for him that is to be cleansed
two living clean birds, and cedar-wood, and scarlet, and hyssop. (See RSV). ...
/c/cedarwood.htm - 7k

Thread (32 Occurrences)
... Leviticus 14:4 Then the priest is to give orders to take, for him who is to be made
clean, two living clean birds and some cedar wood and red thread and hyssop...
/t/thread.htm - 16k

String (12 Occurrences)
... Leviticus 14:4 then the priest shall command them to take for him who is to be cleansed
two living clean birds, and cedar wood, and scarlet, and hyssop. ...
/s/string.htm - 11k

Cedar (61 Occurrences)
... ment Leviticus 14:4 the cleansed leper was sprinkled with the blood of a "clean
bird" into which had been put "cedar-wood, and scarlet, and hyssop." In Numbers ...
/c/cedar.htm - 37k

Yarn (37 Occurrences)
... Leviticus 14:4 then the priest shall command them to take for him who is to be cleansed
two living clean birds, and cedar wood, and scarlet, and hyssop. ...
/y/yarn.htm - 18k

Dip (17 Occurrences)
... Exodus 12:22 You shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is in
the basin, and strike the lintel and the two doorposts with the blood that is ...
/d/dip.htm - 14k

Scarlet (54 Occurrences)
... spoken by Moses to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of the
calves and the goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled ...
/s/scarlet.htm - 26k

Dipped (17 Occurrences)
... Exodus 12:22 and ye have taken a bunch of hyssop, and have dipped 'it' in the blood
which 'is' in the basin, and have struck 'it' on the lintel, and on the two ...
/d/dipped.htm - 12k

Bible Concordance

Hyssop (12 Occurrences)

John 19:29 Now a vessel full of vinegar was set there; so they put a sponge full of the vinegar on hyssop, and held it at his mouth.
(WEB KJV WEY ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Hebrews 9:19 For when every commandment had been spoken by Moses to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of the calves and the goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people,
(WEB KJV WEY ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Exodus 12:22 You shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and strike the lintel and the two doorposts with the blood that is in the basin; and none of you shall go out of the door of his house until the morning.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Leviticus 14:4 then the priest shall command them to take for him who is to be cleansed two living clean birds, and cedar wood, and scarlet, and hyssop.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Leviticus 14:6 As for the living bird, he shall take it, and the cedar wood, and the scarlet, and the hyssop, and shall dip them and the living bird in the blood of the bird that was killed over the running water.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Leviticus 14:49 To cleanse the house he shall take two birds, and cedar wood, and scarlet, and hyssop.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Leviticus 14:51 He shall take the cedar wood, and the hyssop, and the scarlet, and the living bird, and dip them in the blood of the slain bird, and in the running water, and sprinkle the house seven times.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Leviticus 14:52 He shall cleanse the house with the blood of the bird, and with the running water, with the living bird, with the cedar wood, with the hyssop, and with the scarlet;
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Numbers 19:6 and the priest shall take cedar wood, and hyssop, and scarlet, and cast it into the midst of the burning of the heifer.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Numbers 19:18 and a clean person shall take hyssop, and dip it in the water, and sprinkle it on the tent, and on all the vessels, and on the persons who were there, and on him who touched the bone, or the slain, or the dead, or the grave:
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

1 Kings 4:33 He spoke of trees, from the cedar that is in Lebanon even to the hyssop that springs out of the wall; he spoke also of animals, and of birds, and of creeping things, and of fish.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Psalms 51:7 Purify me with hyssop, and I will be clean. Wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Subtopics

Hyssop

Hyssop in Sprinkling Blood in Purifications

Hyssop of Spiritual Cleansing

Hyssop used in Giving Jesus Vinegar on the Cross

Hyssop used in the Sacrifices of Separation

Hyssop: An Indigenous Plant to Western Asia and Northern Africa

Hyssop: The Israelites Used, in Sprinkling the Blood of the Paschal Lamb Upon the Lintels of Their Doors

Related Terms

Cedar-wood (22 Occurrences)

Cedarwood (5 Occurrences)