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

Growing Hyssop

Hyssop and the Bible

Planting Hyssop
Giving Hyssop a home in my garden!

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? 

Hyssop in the herb garden
Finding a spot for Hyssop in my herb garden

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.  

Proud Hyssop mama
Proud Hyssop mama

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

Young Hyssop Plant
Young Hyssop Plant

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.

Zaatar or Hyssop?
Zaatar or Hyssop?

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.

Medicinal properties of Hyssop
Hyssop, the plant of cleanliness

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!

Zaatar
Zaatar

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

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Welcome to the Know, Grow, Love Series

A Moment of prayer in the Garden

Know, Grow, Love, The Plants of the Bible

 

Welcome to the Know, Grow, Love series!  We will ultimately cover so many different plants in this series and I hope you will join me in Knowing, Growing and Loving each one we look at.  Every series will have a specific plant we dive into.  However this first series will have many as we will be covering the plants of the Bible. Why? Because there are so many amazing plants found in Gods word; how could I not what to understand them?  And more so... when it comes to plants in general how could I be a gardener and not love them?  Their smell, look, taste and texture give us so much joy!  Simply walking on grass, what has now been coined as grounding, has been shown to lower stress levels, strengthen foot and leg muscles, help with sleep and improve mental health.  No wonder God created grass, not man, as the first forms of life.

Before God created man he planted a Garden

Enjoying the View down the path
barefoot in the Garden

 Grass you say?  Yes Genesis 1:11 tells us, “And God said , Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so”.  This was day 3; and man was not even there yet!  Seeing how he created us right after this, I am confident he knew that man was coming.  His creation of the grass and herbs and fruit trees was not simply guesswork. Why?   Because, God has a logical order about him. He does nothing without having a plan in place long before we ever came into the picture.  We can see this in his creation and in his Word as he describes the beginning of life.  God is logical!  The order of our world's creation, including the grass we walk on, is evidence of this. 

God is logical! 

Looking at the layers of plants in a space
Enjoying a beautiful Garden

In Isaiah 1:18 God says, “"Come now, let us reason together."  Reason is the ability to think logically about information.   Consider this, God wants to reason with us!!  This in itself is amazing to me.  That the God of creation wants us to talk to him, reason with him. Just consider the path he took to creation.  He created light and dark, day 1, The firmament, the waters day 2, dry land, the earth, the seas, grass herbs and fruit trees all before he created man.  God wasn't doing a trial experiment.  He didn't say, I want to create life followed by, but what is life?  Does life need sustenance?  No, he had a deliberate logical order to the steps he took in creating our world. He literally created sustenance for our bodies before he created us.  Apparently our God knew that life had to have sustenance to survive.  He knew we needed the atmosphere, land, water, plants, herbs and the sun to make the place that we live and breathe, livable for us. He created the grass for our feet, the soil for our food and our bodies all in his amazingly, logically, reasonable order and his creation is one of the things that drew me to him and to gardening.  Afterall if I read God's word or simply look around our world I see this logic.  He willingly presents himself to us.

The heavens declare the glory of God

Sunrise in the Garden
Sunrise in the Garden

Psalms 19:1 says, “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands.” We can literally see his glory.  Have you ever heard of the Fibonacci sequence? 

The Beauty of Gods Logic
The Beauty of Gods Logic

 It's a mathematical series of numbers where the sum of the new number is the total of the two preceding numbers.  It grows in a spiral pattern that can be found in much of nature and plants that arise from a process called optimization.  Sunlight is maximized and things are packed together in ways that spaces them in perfect alignment.  You see it in sunflowers, pinecones, pineapples, the branching of trees, leaf arrangements and even the growth patterns of shells and horns. “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse” (Romans 1:20).  Simply put, our God is not random! He is logical and everything around us displays that amazing logic. We see it in the sky, in the trees, in the food we eat and even our plants. We see it in math, in science, in the universe itself.  Yes as Romans 1:20 claims those who have eyes to see will see. In theology they call this Common Knowledge. Meaning his work is commonly seen around us.  If you never read the Bible or picked it up you will still instinctively ask who created this world I live in?  Why do we do this? The answer to me is that God's creation  call says through the world we live in.  Like the artist that put a bit of himself in everything he made; God signed his handiwork in ways everyone can see and we instinctively look for our creator's signature.

To Plant a Garden is to Commune with God

Beautiful Yarrow
Beautiful wild Yarrow

So back to my original question. How could I be a gardener and not love plants? It's not possible, or as God would say, it's not reasonable.    Putting my hands in the soil he made, touching the plants he created and watching them grow is one of the many joys of the garden world.  It's this love that called me to put together a series where we can learn how to Know, Grow and Love the plants around us. But in this case , not just any plants, the Plants of the Bible.  There are around 150 different plants found throughout the Bible. I pray that learning about these smatterings of plants with a focus on God's word will bring you as much joy as they consistently bring me.   I'm so excited to join you in the first of my series called Know, Grow, Love: The Plants of Bible .  We will look into all the biblical plants and what we can learn from them. And we will begin with Hyssop.  Together we'll Know its history and biblical events, Grow it in our own gardens while growing from what God teaches us through it, and ultimately Love it — in our kitchens, our pantries and our lives.

Oma

Next up in this series :  This is Hyssop🌿 and KNOW, Grow, Love: The Plants of the Bible – Hyssop

 

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Growing Tabasco Peppers

I get simple enjoyment out of growing Tabasco peppers. They remind me of thanksgiving and Christmas all rolled into one.  I know it sounds strange but it's the colors.  They are like little bulbs standing straight and tall in beautiful shades of orange and red.  The happiness they make me feel when I see them in the yard all bright and beautiful against the dying fall garden is just that, pure happiness.  

About Tabasco

Tabasco originates in mexico. They have a heat level that ranges from 30,000 to 50,000 on the heat scale. It's heat compares to the Cayenne pepper and has a hotter burn than the jalapeno pepper.  I love it however, on eggs and in stews and salsa. Tabasco's are tapered and grow about 2 to 3 inches in length and are most famous for the world renowned Tabasco hot sauce.

Growing Tabasco

    • Tabasco takes about 80 to 90 days to grow.  Therefore one should plan to start them indoors if living in a climate with short summer periods. 
    • Start seeds in loose soil set about ½ inch down.  I like using Grow mate Organics Root Max to give them an exceptional start.
    • Tabasco needs warm temperatures from 75 degrees up.
    • Plant in a sunny location with well draining soil and feed them monthly with Epsom salt and Coffee Grinds. I also had great results spraying them monthly with Happy Tree Microbes 
    • Tabasco needs room to branch! Plant to space the plants between 1.5-2 feet apart from each other.
    • Harvest Tabasco when the peppers have turned orange or red.  Be careful though they turn quick! They can hit that red color and within a day or so start to brown out. As such be ready for harvest! Tabasco can be harvested when green or pale yellow and allowed to ripen indoors if needed. Their flavor however is best when harvested at the last minute!
    • Tabasco needs around an inch of water a week, heavier watering during fruiting!  I allow them to dry between watering.  However, if temps reach above 95 degrees and they are fruiting, lean towards a consistent slightly moist soil to help avoid calcium issues. For example,  blossom end rot.

Companion Planting with Tabasco Plants

There is mixed opinion on Tabasco plants in regards to companion planting.  I read years ago from Homeguides SFGates to plant them separate from tomatoes, eggplants and potatoes. to avoid soil borne diseases prevalent in these types of plants.  Other sites promote them together.  Personally I have always kept my peppers separate, grown in another spot away from tomatoes and eggplant and practice planting with the following:

    • Zinnias, Basil, Garlic Chives, Marigolds, Lavender and Rosemary.
    • Planting peppers around these flowers supports both plants.  The flowers bring pollinators that help peppers have the best possible fruiting,  In return peppers help protect the flowers from insects that don't like the smell of hot spicy peppers.  

In The Works

    • Tabasco Hot Sauce Recipe !

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