Wormwood
lanah, genus Artemisia. Four species in Palestine: Nilotica, Judaica, Fruticosa, and Cinerea. Metaphorical for bitter sorrow (Jer 9:15, fulfilled in Lam 3:15; Lam 3:19); and evil with its bitter produce, or an apostate lurking in Israel and tainting others (Deu 29:18; Pro 5:4; Amo 5:7, rendered "hemlock"; Greek apsinthos; Rev 8:11, the star which at the third trumpet fell upon the rivers and made them wormwood).
Wormwood, though medicinal, if used as ordinary water would be fatal; heretical wormwood changes the sweet Siloas of Scripture into deadly Marahs (Wordsworth); contrast Exo 15:23, etc. Absinthe is literally embittering and destroying many hundreds of thousands in France and Switzerland.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia on Wormwood
Wormwood wurm'-wood (la'anah (De 29:18; Pr 5:4; Jer 9:15; 23:15; La 3:15,19; Am 5:7; 6:12, the King James Version hemlock); apsinthos (Re 8:11)): What the Hebrew la`anah may have been is obscure; it is clear it was a bitter substance and it is usually associated with "gall"; in the Septuagint it is variously translated, but never by apsinthos, "wormwood." Nevertheless all ancient tradition supports the English Versions of the Bible translation. The genus Artemisia (Natural Order Compositae), "wormwood," has five species of shrubs or herbs found in Palestine (Post), any one of which may furnish a bitter taste. The name is derived from the property of many species acting as anthelmintics, while other varieties are used in the manufacture of absinthe. ⇒See a list of verses on WORMWOOD in the Bible. E. W. G. Masterman ⇒See the definition of wormwood in the KJV Dictionary ⇒See also the McClintock and Strong Biblical Cyclopedia.
Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible on Wormwood
A. generic word for the species of Artemisia, It is always spoken WORSHIP WORSHIP IX NT 941 of as a bitter and deleterious plant. The root, in Arab, and peril, in Heb., signifies ' to curse.' Ldinnh is mentioned with "all {i-iish, Dt 29", Jer 9" 23", La 3'», Am 6'=). It is the .summing up of the career of a strange woman (Pr 5^). Figura- tively it signifies calamity (La 3") and injustice (Am 5'). The great star which fell from heaven (Rev 8'M is called 'Wormwood' ('A-^iveos). In point of fact, the excessive dread which tlie Hebrews had of most bitter sub.stances was founded not on clinical experience but on prejudice. Camels, at least, eat more or less of the sjiecies of Artemisia, of which tliere are live in Palestine and Syria, all known in Arabic by the name bu'aitcrdn. They a.re A.monospcrina, Del. (Ara.\). 'adiik), A. Heron- Alba, Asso. (Arab, shik), A. Judaica, h.,A. annmt, L., and A. arborcscens (Arab, dhokn-esh-sheikh). They are composite plants, mostly of the interior tablelands, esp. of the deserts. Their growth in desolate places, added to their bitterness, gave tliem tlif…
Smith's Bible Dictionary on Wormwood
Four kinds of wormwood are found in Palestine— Artemisia nilotica, A. Judaica, A. fructicosa and A. cinerea . The word occurs frequently in the Bible, and generally in a metaphorical sense. In (Jeremiah 9:15; 23:15; Lamentations 3:15,19) wormwood is symbolical of bitter calamity and sorrow; unrighteous judges are said to “turn judgment to wormwood.” (Amos 5:7) The Orientals typified sorrows, cruelties and calamities of any kind by plants of a poisonous or bitter nature.
References
- Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
- Easton, M.G. (1893) Easton's Bible Dictionary. 3rd edn. Thomas Nelson. [Public Domain]
- Nave, O.J. (1897) Nave's Topical Bible. Topical Bible Publishing Co.. [Public Domain]
- Hastings, J. (ed.) (1909) A Dictionary of the Bible. Edinburgh: T&T Clark. [Public Domain]
- Smith, W. (ed.) (1884) Smith's Bible Dictionary. London: John Murray. [Public Domain]
- Fausset, A.R. (1878) Fausset's Bible Dictionary. [Public Domain]A Critical and Expository Bible Cyclopaedia