H0231 H0231
Hyssop — a small bushy herb used in Israelite purification rites for sprinkling blood and lustral water
The noun אֵזוֹב (ezov) refers to hyssop, a small aromatic plant used as a ritual sprinkling instrument in Israel's purification ceremonies. At the first Passover, Israelites dipped hyssop bunches in lamb's blood to mark their doorframes (Exod 12:22). In the purification of lepers, hyssop is bundled with cedarwood and scarlet yarn and dipped in sacrificial blood (Lev 14:4, 6, 49, 51-52). The red heifer rite likewise employs hyssop (Num 19:6, 18). The psalmist's plea 'purge me with hyssop and I shall be clean' (Ps 51:9) internalizes the ritual as spiritual metaphor. Botanical identification remains debated — origanum syriacum (Syrian oregano) is the leading candidate. Spanish 'hisopo' and French 'hysope' both derive from the same Semitic root.
Senses
1. hyssop (plant) — A small bushy herb (probably Origanum syriacum or a related species) used as a ritual sprinkling tool in Israelite purification ceremonies. Central to three major rituals: the Passover blood-marking of doorframes (Exod 12:22), the cleansing of skin disease and contaminated houses (Lev 14:4, 6, 49, 51-52), and the red heifer water of purification (Num 19:6, 18). David's penitential cry 'purge me with hyssop' (Ps 51:9) transforms the botanical-ritual item into a metaphor for spiritual cleansing. Solomon's botanical knowledge extended 'from the cedar to the hyssop' (1 Kgs 5:13), marking it as the humblest plant. Spanish 'hisopo' and French 'hysope' both reflect the Semitic loanword. 10×
AR["الزُّوفَا", "الْزُوفَا", "بِ-الزُّوفَا", "زُوفَا", "وَ-بِ-الزُّوفَا", "وَ-زُوفَا"]·ben["এজোব", "এজোবের", "এবং-এজোব", "এবং-এজোবে", "দ্বারা-এজোব", "সেই-এজোব"]·DE["Ysop", "der-Ysop", "der-hyssop", "mit-hyssop", "und-Ysop", "und-mit-der-Ysop"]·EN["and-hyssop", "and-with-the-hyssop", "hyssop", "the-hyssop", "with-hyssop"]·FR["dans-hysope", "et-avec-le-hyssop", "et-hyssop", "hysope", "hyssop", "le-hyssop"]·heb["אזוב", "ב-אזוב", "ה-אזב", "ה-אזוב", "ו-אזב", "ו-אזוב", "ו-ב-ה-ובאזב"]·HI["और-जूफ़ा", "और-जूफा", "और-में", "जूफ़ा", "जूफ़ा-का", "जूफ़े-से", "जूफा", "लकड़ी"]·ID["dan-dengan-hisop", "dan-hisop", "dan-hisop.", "hisop", "hisop;"]·IT["[באזוב]", "e-con-il-issopo", "e-issopo", "il-hyssop", "il-issopo", "issopo"]·jav["hisop", "ing-kadursilanan", "isop", "lan-hisop", "lan-mawi-hisop"]·KO["그-우슬초", "그리고-안에서-우슬초로", "그리고-우슬초", "그리고-우슬초를", "우슬초-로", "우슬초-를", "우슬초를", "우슬초의"]·PT["com-hissopo", "e-com-o-hissopo", "e-hissopo", "hissopo", "o-hissopo"]·RU["и-в-иссопе", "и-иссоп", "иссоп", "иссопа", "иссопом"]·ES["con-hisopo", "e-hisopo", "el-hisopo", "hisopo", "y-con-el-hisopo"]·SW["cha-hisopo", "hisopo", "hutoka", "kwa-hisopo", "na-hisopo", "na-kwa-hisopo"]·TR["mercankişnesini", "mercankorek", "mercanköşk-ile", "ve-mercankişnesi", "ve-mercankişnesiyle", "ve-mercankorek", "zufa"]·urd["اور-زوفا", "اور-زوفہ", "اور-سے-زوفا", "زوفا", "زوفہ", "زوفے-سے", "زوفے-کا"]
Related Senses
H3754 1. vineyard, cultivated grape plot (92×)H0730 1. cedar tree or wood (73×)H1612 1. vine, grapevine (55×)H3293a 1. forest, wood, thicket (55×)H5560 1. fine flour (53×)H5193 1. plant vegetation (48×)H2232 1. sow seed, plant crops (41×)H1715 1. grain, cereal crop (40×)H7114b 1. reap, harvest grain (36×)H2132 1. olive tree (34×)H8184 1. barley (34×)H2406 1. wheat (grain crop) (30×)H7070 1. reed, cane (plant) (30×)H7848 1. acacia (28×)H8328 1. root of a plant (28×)H8384 1. fig tree (25×)H5488 1. reeds, rushes (in 'Sea of Reeds') (24×)G0290 1. a vineyard (23×)G2325 1. reap, harvest a crop (21×)G4687 1. sow seed, plant (21×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† אֵזוֹב n.m. 1 K 5:13 hyssop (Mish. אזוב, Aramaic ܙܽܘܦܐ, Arabic زُوفَا Frey., Ethiopic አዞብ 𝔊 ὕσσωπος, herb of purging qualities, but perhaps not precise botanical term, v. Di Lv 14:6f, also Löw93) prob. a kind of wild marjoram (origanum Maru) PostHast DB Hyssop.—א׳ abs. Ex 12:22 + 4 times; אֵזֹב Lv 14:4 + 4 times;—hyssop, little plant (contr. אֶרֶז cedar) 1 K 5:13, הָא׳ אֲשֶׁר יֹצֵא בַּקִּיר;…