HERB.(1) yârâq, yereq, twice tr. [Note: translate or translation.] green thing (Exo_10:15, Isa_15:6); gan yârâq, garden of herbs, Deu_11:10, 1Ki_21:2. (2) çseb, herbage in general, Gen_1:11 (cf. Arab. [Note: Arabic.] ushb). See Grass. (3) deshe is six times tr. [Note: translate or translation.] herb (Deu_32:2, 2Ki_19:26, Job_38:27, Psa_37:2, Isa_37:27; Isa_66:14). (4) ôrôth, 2Ki_4:39 herbs. This is explained to be the plant colewort, but may have been any eatable herbs that survived the drought. The expressions dew of herbs (Isa_26:19 AV [Note: Authorized Version.] ) and upon herbs (Isa_18:4 AV [Note: Authorized Version.] ) are obscure. In the NT we have the Gr. terms botanç (Heb_6:7 grass) and lachanon = yereq (Mat_13:32).
See also Bitter Herbs.
E. W. G. Masterman.
Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible
Edited by James Hastings, D.D. Published in 1909
hûrb, ûrb:
(1) ירק, yārāḳ, ?green thing? (Exo_10:15; Isa_15:6); a garden of herbs? (Deu_11:10; 1Ki_21:2); ?(a dinner, the margin portion of) herbs? (Pro_15:17).
(2) עשׂב, ‛ēsebh; compare Arabic ‛ushb, ?herbage,? ?grass,? etc.; ?herbs yielding seed? (Gen_1:11); ?herbage? for food (Gen_1:30; Jer_14:6); translated ?grass? (Deu_11:15; Amo_7:2); ?herbs? (Pro_27:25, etc.).
(3) דּשׁא, deshe', translated ?herb? (2Ki_19:26; Pro_27:25; Isa_37:27; Isa_66:14 the King James Version), but generally GRASS (which see).
(4) חציר, ḥācı̄r, vegetation generally, but translated GRASS (which see).
(5) ארת, 'ōrōth, אורת, 'ōwrōth (plural only), ?green plants? or ?herbs.? In 2Ki_4:39 the Talmud interprets it to mean ?colewort,? but it may mean any edible herbs which had survived the drought. In Isa_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? (Isa_18:4 the King James Version) is in the Revised Version (British and American) translated ?clear heat in sunshine.?
(6) βοτάνη, botánē (Heb_6:7).
(7) λάχανα, láchana = yārāḳ (Mat_13:32). See also BITTER HERBS.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
PRINTER 1915.
2Ki_19:26 (a) This figure represents the weakness and helplessness of the nations which were destroyed by Rabshakeh. (See Isa_37:27).
Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types
press 1957.