In 2 Kings 4:39, during a famine, someone gathers 'wild herbs' to add to a pot of stew, inadvertently including poisonous gourds. The plural noun denotes herbs or plants, possibly with a connotation of greenery or vegetation more broadly. The narrative context emphasizes desperation — foraging for any edible plants — and the community's dependence on Elisha's miraculous intervention to neutralize the poison. This detail underscores famine's severity and God's provision through prophetic ministry.