KNOW, Grow, Love: The Plants of the Bible – Hyssop

What did people do in the days of the Bible when illness sprung up in tents or houses? Especially when living in close quarters to each other. How did they keep sickness from spreading?   How did they cleanse themselves after moving or burying the bodies of the dead? What about their homes? What did one do for cleanliness in their homes? They didn't run to their local pharmacy and pick up cough medicine, visit their Doctor for a prescription or pick up cleaning supplies at the local grocery store.   What most did in those days was use plants! Not any plant though.  Hyssop! Hyssop is one of the most documented plants for disease, mold and illness found in the Bible!  So what is Hyssop? 

What is Hyssop?

Hyssop, called Hyssop Officinalis, is an evergreen plant commonly known as a garden herb and is classified in the Mint family. Hyssop originated from Southern Europe, the Middle East and Central Asia, it can be grown in zones 4-9 and gets approximately 24 to 30 inches tall. It’s known to help with cough, respiratory issues like bronchitis, asthma, fever and ulcers as well as common cold symptoms, parasites, insect bites, stings and increasing circulation in the body.  Hyssop can help with muscle pain and inflammation or reduce bruising when used topically as a healing balm and it's effective for digestion including optimizing the digestion process.  For Women, Hyssop has been used for relieving premenstrual symptoms such as cramps and pain, help with anxiety and stress and even lowering blood pressure.  

Hyssop is truly an amazing plant!  But it wasn't just for ailments. Hyssop was widely available in the days of the Bible. It grew across Israel and the surrounding areas of the middle east.  As such it was also used as a herb for flavoring.  It can be used in savory dishes like stews, soups or roasted vegetables, raw in salads or as a garnish.  Hyssop has a minty floral flavor so it has also been used in liqueurs, teas and baked goods.  How do we know this is the Hyssop the Bible talks about?

Hyssop or Zaatar?  The Biblical Debate

That's a good question! One that has absolutely been explored and highly debated.  Some say Hyssop Officinalis is not the plant of the Bible and insist the plant referenced as Hyssop (Hebrew: אזוב, ezov) is Zaatar, Origanum Syriacum. However the confusing thing about Zaatar is that the actual spice known as Zaatar is not a single plant.  Zaatar, the spice,  is made from a mix of many plants.  It includes the Zaatar plant,  Origanum Syriacum and other spices like Oregano, Thyme, Marjoram and sometimes includes seeds like sesame seeds.  Zaatar spice recipes are passed down through generations and are specialized to what each family making them may love. And yes, I will dig deeper into that in our Love Hyssop section. For now though, which plant is it?   Many, but not all,  debaters will agree that the plant known as Zaatar,  (Origanum Syriacum) is more likely the actual Hyssop of the Bible. Why? Because the characteristics of Origanum Syriacum more likely match the characteristics of the area the people of the bible were living in.

Characteristics of Zaatar the plant?

Origanum Syriacum hereafter, called Zaatar, is a tender perennial that can grow up to 24” tall in zones 9 - 11. These are pretty warm zones. Zaatar is a plant that loves the heat.  Very much like the area the people of the Bible would have lived in. Zaatar, like hyssop,  has also been used medicinally.

Its uses range from things like heart problems, cough, toothaches, colds, anxiety and wounds.  Zaatar is also a part of the Mint family. It is an upright herb which is neat, to me anyway, as most Oregano fall over! It has gray to silver velvet like leaves topped with white flowers.  The Greek meaning of the plant is made from oros - mountain and ganos which means joy. So the name means Joy of the mountains.  That is another thing about this plant I personally think is awesome.  I mean, who doesn't want to have a bit of joy from the mountains in their garden?  So which one is Hyssop?  Since we can't 100% confirm we will cover both! A two for one so to speak.  Because more is always better in the garden!

Where does Hyssop Appear in Scripture?

Seeing everything about the Hyssop plant may leave you wondering what it has to do with the Bible? First, this beautiful plant is actually found in 12 different verses in the Bible. That's more than any of the other plants we will look at together. That in itself makes it interesting. Second, you will find that each verse has something to do with cleansing sickness, mold or washing people of sin.   But to me personally it has a far deeper meaning; as one of the verses lands us right with Christ on the day of his crucifixion and leads us to his final act of removing sin from the people of the world. So let's start our journey by looking quickly at the Bible verses that highlight it:

• The Israelites used Hyssop to protect their first born from death during the passover, Ex. 12:22,  “22 And ye shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is in the bason, and strike the lintel and the two side posts with the blood that is in the bason; and none of you shall go out at the door of his house until the morning.”

 

• Managing and cleansing any sick with leprosy  Lev. 14: 4-6, “4 Then shall the priest command to take for him that is to be cleansed two birds alive and clean, and cedar wood, and scarlet, and hyssop… 6 As for the living bird, he shall take it, and the cedar wood, and the scarlet, and the hyssop, and shall dip them and the living bird in the blood of the bird that was killed over the running water”
• Cleansing a house after leprosy Lev. 14: 49, 51-52, “49 And he shall take to cleanse the house two birds, and cedar wood, and scarlet, and hyssop…51 And he shall take the cedar wood, and the hyssop, and the scarlet, and the living bird, and dip them in the blood of the slain bird, and in the running water, and sprinkle the house seven times… 52 And he shall cleanse the house with the blood of the bird, and with the running water, and with the living bird, and with the cedar wood, and with the hyssop, and with the scarlet…”

 

• Cleansing the people of sin with sacrifice & purified water & cleansing the person doing the cleansing  Num.19: 6, “6 And the priest shall take cedar wood, and hyssop, and scarlet, and cast it into the midst of the burning of the heifer.”
• Cleansing anyone who touched the dead, moved the bones of the dead in a graveyard or had a death occur in a tent or home. Num. 19:18, “18 And a clean person shall take hyssop, and dip it in the water, and sprinkle it upon the tent, and upon all the vessels, and upon the persons that were there, and upon him that touched a bone, or one slain, or one dead, or a grave...

 

• King Solomon spoke of the plants and trees and called out Hyssop 1 Kin. 4:33, “33 And he spake of trees, from the cedar tree that is in Lebanon even unto the hyssop that springeth out of the wall: he spake also of beasts, and of fowl, and of creeping things, and of fishes.”
• King David cried to God to "cleanse me with Hyssop” after he committed adultery and caused the death of one of his men, yes he planned a murder. Ps. 51:7, “7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.”
• Moses after speaking every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and goats, with water, scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people to cleanse them of their sins. Heb. 9:19-20, “19 For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people, 20 saying, This is the blood of the covenant which God has commanded you.”
• Used at the crucifixion of Jesus Christ John 19:29, “19 Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a spunge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth.”

What's Next?

Hyssop has traveled across generations, lands, Biblical Authors and past many, many kitchens and gardens just to arrive in our own gardens today. God felt it was such an important plant he mentioned it 12 different times and wrote its use directly into the laws of the people of Israel.   Now we can use it too and study it starting with Exodus!   Before we move forward though... do these 2 things: 

1) If you missed the introduction to this series find it here -  Welcome to the Know, Grow, Love Series , This is Hyssop🌿

2) Take some personal study time with God.  Read through each of the chapters associated with the above passages, and any other on the outline that sound interesting to you, then come back and let's travel back to the time of Pharaoh, Moses and the book of Exodus together!

How do we do that?  The book !  Know, Grow, Love: The Plants of the Bible -  Hyssop is coming soon!  It will include what we can learn from these passages in our lives today; and, how to grow and use Hyssop in your own garden, kitchen, and herbal pantry. Sign up below to be notified the moment it's live and lets dig into each passage together, one chapter at a time.

Oma