Bible Word Study
שׁוּם
shûwm · garlic (from its rank odor)
שׁוּם
garlic (from its rank odor)
Definition
The Hebrew word שׁוּם (shûwm) refers specifically to garlic, a pungent bulbous plant used as a seasoning. It appears only once in the Old Testament, in Numbers 11:5, where the Israelites, complaining in the wilderness, fondly recall the foods they ate in Egypt, including garlic. The definition is straightforward, denoting the common culinary plant known for its strong aroma and flavor. No other biblical senses or metaphorical meanings are attested for this term.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only in Numbers 11:5, within the context of the Israelites' complaint about their diet of manna. It is listed among other desirable foods from Egypt—fish, cucumbers, melons, leeks, and onions—highlighting their longing for the variety and sensory pleasures of their former life, despite their slavery. The usage is purely descriptive and culinary, with no other occurrences in the Hebrew Bible.
Etymology
The noun שׁוּם (shûwm) is derived from an unused Hebrew root meaning 'to exhale' or 'to breathe,' likely referring to the plant's strong, distinctive odor. This etymological connection emphasizes its most notable characteristic. Cognates exist in related Semitic languages, such as Arabic thūm and Aramaic tūmā, all meaning 'garlic,' indicating a shared cultural and linguistic heritage for this common food item.
Semantic Range
In the ancient Near East, garlic was a common, affordable food flavoring and was likely consumed by all social classes in Egypt. Its mention in Numbers 11:5 reflects the Israelites' mundane yet powerful nostalgia for the stable, familiar diet of their past, contrasting with the miraculous but monotonous provision of manna. This highlights the human tendency to romanticize former circumstances, even oppressive ones, when faced with discomfort and uncertainty in God's provision. bātsāl (H1211) — onion, another bulb vegetable recalled in the same complaint (Num. 11:5). ḥāṣîr (H2682) — leek, a related aromatic plant also listed in Numbers 11:5.
Word Details
How this works
Definitions are from the Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (BDB, 1906, public domain). Concordance and morphology data are from the OSHB (Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible).
Full methodology & sources →References
- Abbott-Smith, G. (1921) A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament. Edinburgh: T&T Clark. [Public Domain]
- Brown, F., Driver, S.R. and Briggs, C.A. (1906) A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament. Oxford: Clarendon Press. [Public Domain]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Tyndale Brief lexicon of Extended Strongs for Greek (TBESG). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Formatted full LSJ (TFLSJ). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Thayer, J.H. (1889) A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. [Public Domain]
- Gesenius, W. (1846) Gesenius' Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon to the Old Testament. [Public Domain]
- Dodson, J. (2010) Greek Lexicon. Biblical Humanities. [CC0]