H1918 H1918
Myrtle; the evergreen shrub Myrtus communis, a symbol of restoration and festive joy in prophetic and post-exilic texts.
The myrtle (Myrtus communis), an aromatic evergreen shrub native to the Mediterranean basin. In Zechariah's inaugural night vision (Zech 1:8, 10, 11), the angel of the Lord stands among myrtle trees in a ravine -- a lush, hidden setting that frames the message of divine comfort. Isaiah twice pairs the myrtle with other noble trees in visions of eschatological transformation: thorns replaced by myrtle (Isa 55:13), desert planted with myrtle alongside cedar and cypress (Isa 41:19). Nehemiah 8:15 includes myrtle branches among the foliage gathered for Sukkot booths. Spanish 'mirto' and French preserve the same botanical term through Latin myrtus.
Senses
1. myrtle (tree/plant) — The myrtle tree or shrub (Myrtus communis), an evergreen plant with fragrant leaves. It appears in Zechariah's visionary landscape (Zech 1:8, 10, 11), in Isaiah's twin portraits of eschatological restoration where it replaces thorns and joins other stately trees (Isa 41:19; 55:13), and among the festival branches gathered for Sukkot (Neh 8:15). Across languages -- Spanish 'mirto,' English 'myrtle,' German 'Myrte' -- the loanword from Latin/Greek myrtus is consistent, reflecting the plant's well-known identity throughout the Mediterranean world. 6×
AR["آسٌ", "آسٍ", "الْآسِ", "وَآسًا"]·ben["এবং-মেহেদী", "মেন্দি-গাছের", "মেহেন্দীগাছ"]·DE["Myrte", "[הדס]", "[והדס]"]·EN["and-myrtle", "myrtle", "the-myrtle-trees"]·FR["[הדס]", "[ההדסים]", "[והדס]", "les-myrtes"]·heb["ה-הדסים", "הדס", "ו-הדס"]·HI["और-मेंहदी", "मेंहदी", "मेंहदी-की", "मेंहदी-के-पेड़ों", "मेंहदी-के-पेड़ों-के"]·ID["dan-pohon-murad", "murad", "pohon-murad", "pohon-pohon-murad"]·IT["[הדס]", "[והדס]", "i-mirti", "mirto"]·jav["hadass", "lan-wit-hadhas", "wit-lawang", "wit-mirta"]·KO["그-화석류-나무들", "그리고-도금양과", "도금양의", "도금양이"]·PT["as-murtas", "e-murta", "murta"]·RU["-миртов", "и-мирт", "мирт", "мирта"]·ES["los-mirtos", "mirto", "y-mirto"]·SW["mhadasi", "miahadasi", "na-mhadasi"]·TR["mersin", "mersinlerin", "mersinlerin-", "ve-mersin"]·urd["اور-مہندی", "مہندی-کے-درختوں", "میندی", "ہدس-کے"]
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
† הֲדַס n.m. Is 55:13 myrtle (-tree), only late (NH, Aramaic id.; Arabic هَدَس (in the dialect of Yemen); also آسٌ, Aramaic אָסָה, ܐܳܣܳܐ; cf. LöwNo. 25)—abs. ה׳ Is 41:19 Ne 8:15; הֲדַ֑ס Is 55:13; pl. הַהֲדַסִּים Zc 1:8 + 2 times (on form cf. Ges§ 93, R. 4)—Is 41:19 (‖ תְּאַשּׁוּר, תִּדְהָר, בְּרוֹשׁ, עֵץ שָׁ֑מֶן, שִׁטָּה, אֶרֶז); Is 55:13 (‖ בְּרוֹשׁ; opp. הַסִּרְפַּד), עֲלֵי הֲדַס Ne 8:15 (‖ ע׳ עֵץ עָבוֹת, ע׳ תְּמָרִים, ע׳ עֵץ־שֶׁמֶן, עֲלֵי־זַיִת); pl. Zc 1:8, 10, 11.