Bulrush

גמא , Exo 2:3; Job 8:11; Isa 18:2; Isa 35:7. A plant growing on the banks of the Nile, and in marshy grounds. The stalk rises to the height of six or seven cubits, beside two under water. This stalk is triangular, and terminates in a crown of small filaments resembling hair, which the ancients used to compare to a thyrsus. This reed, the Cyperus papyrus of Linnaeus, commonly called “the Egyptian reed,” was of the greatest use to the inhabitants of the country where it grew; the pith contained in the stock served them for food, and the woody part for building vessels, figures of which are to be seen on the engraven stones and other monuments of Egyptian antiquity. For this purpose they made it up, like rushes, into bundles; and, by tying these bundles together, gave their vessels the necessary shape and solidity. “The vessels of bulrushes,” or papyrus, “that are mentioned in sacred and profane history,” says Dr.

Shaw, “were no other than large fabrics of the same kind with that of Moses, Exo 2:3; which, from the late introduction of plank and stronger materials, are now laid aside.” Thus Pliny takes notice of the “naves papyraceas armamentaque Nili,” “ships made of papyrus, and the equipments of the Nile; and he observes, “ex ipsa quidem papyro navigia texunt,” “of the papyrus itself they construct sailing vessels.” Herodotus and Diodorus have recorded the same fact; and among the poets, Lucan, “Conseritur bibula Memphitis cymba papyro,” “the Memphian” or Egyptian “boat is made of the thirsty papyrus;” where the epithet bibula, “drinking,” “soaking,” “thirsty,” is particularly remarkable, as corresponding with great exactness to the nature of the plant, and to its Hebrew name, which signifies to soak or drink up. These vegetables require much water for their growth; when, therefore, the river on whose banks they grew was reduced, they perished sooner than other plants. This explains Job 8:11, where the circumstance is referred to as an image of transient prosperity: “Can the flag grow without water? Whilst it is yet in its greenness, and not cut down, it withereth before any other herb.”

Or papyrus, a reed growing on the banks of the Nile, in marshy ground, Job 8:11, to the height of twelve or fifteen feet, Isa 35:7 . The stalks are pliable, and capable of being interwoven very closely, as is evident from their being used in the construction of arks, Exo 2:3,5 ; and also vessels of larger dimensions, Isa 18:2 . Boats of this material were very common in Egypt. Being exceedingly light and small, they sailed with great velocity, and might easily be borne on the shoulders around rapids and falls. The inner bark of this plant, platted and cemented together, furnished a writing material; and the pith was sometimes used for food. See BOOK.\par

Bulrush. (or papyrus). A reed growing, in the shallow water, on the banks of the Nile. It grows to the height of 12 or 15 feet, with a stal, two or three inches in diameter. The stalks are very pliable and can be very closely interwoven, as is evident from their having been used in the construction of arks. Exo 2:3; Exo 2:5). Paper was made from this plant, from which it derives its name.

’Agmon, from ’aagam, a marsh. "The head or tail, branch or rush," i.e. high or low; the lofty palm branch, or the humble reed (Isa 9:14-15; Isa 19:15). It used to be platted into rope; Job 41:2," canst thou put an hook (rather a rope of rushes) into his nose?" Moses’ ark was woven of it (gomeh): Exo 2:3; Isa 18:2. "Vessels of bulrushes," light canoes of papyrus of the Nile, daubed over with pitch; derived from gaamah, "to absorb."

The Egyptians used it for making also garments, shoes, and baskets. In Exo 2:3; Isa 18:2, it means the papyrus of which the Egyptians made light boats for the Nile; the same Hebrew (gomeh) is translated rush (Job 8:11; Isa 35:7). The Egyptian kam is related. This papyrus is no longer found below Nubia. It is a strong bamboo-like rush, as thick as a finger, three grainered, from 10 to 15 feet high. It is represented on the tomb of Tel, of the sixth dynasty, and other oldest Egyptian monuments.

is used synonymously with “RUSH” in the A. V. as the rendering of two Hebrew words.’ SEE REED.

1. AGMON’, אִגְמוֹן, in Isa 9:13; Isa 19:15, in the proverbial expression “branch and rush,” equivalent to high and low alike (the Sept. has μέγαν καὶ μικρόν in one passage, ἀρχὴν καὶ τέλος in the other), and in Isa 58:6, the Hebrew term is rendered “bulrush.” The word is derived from אָגָם, agan’, a marsh, because the bulrush grows in marshy ground. The bulrush was platted into ropes (A. V. “hook”), as appears from Job 41:2 (see Bochart, Hieroz. 2, 772; comp. Plin. Nat. Hist. 19, 2). The Sept. has κρίκος in the latter passages. SEE RUSH.

2. GOME’, גֹּמֶא(from גָּמָא, to drink up, referring to the porous nature of the plant, as absorbing moisture: hence the Latin name biblus; comp. “bibula papyrus” in Lucan, 4:136), occurs Exo 2:3 (where Sept. omits); Isa 18:2 (Sept. βίβλος); 35, 7 (Sept. ἕλος); Job 8:11 (Sept. πάπυρος); in the first two of which passages it is translated in our version by “bulrush,” and in the last two by “rush,” and is undoubtedly the Egyptian papyrus (papyrus Nilotica), so famous in the history of writing, and from which the word paper is derived. It is the Cyperus papyrus of modern botany. It was anciently very abundant in Egypt, but is now very scarce there. It is found in great abundance, however, in Syria and Abyssinia. The Egyptians used this plant for garments, shoes, baskets, various kinds of utensils, and especially for boats. It was the material of the ark (q.v.) in which Moses was exposed, and of it the vessels mentioned in Isa 18:2 were formed. This practice is referred to by Lucan (4. 136) and by Pliny (13. 11, s. 22). (Comp. Celsius, Hierob. 2, 137-152.) SEE PAPYRUS.

Bulrush. Isa 18:2, A. V.; "papyrus" in R. V. A species of reed found on the marshes of the Nile, and grows to the height of twelve or fifteen feet. The stalks are pliable, and capable of being interwoven very closely, as is evident from its being used in the construction of the "ark" or boat-cradle in which Moses was hid by his mother. Exo 2:3; Exo 2:5. It was from this vegetable that the papyrus was derived, which was used for writing. It was made of the inside bark, which was cut into strips, and the edges cemented together, and dried in the sun. The fact that the papyrus was used for food when prepared in one way, and for writing when prepared in another way, explains the passages in which the eating of books, etc., is mentioned. Jer 15:16; Eze 3:1; Eze 3:3; Rev 10:8-10.

In Exo 2:3; Isa 18:2, the papyrus is referred to, a reed of which anciently paper was made. It was of this that the ark was made in which the infant Moses was put, Exo 2:3, and the smaller boats on the Nile. Isa 18:2. In Isa 58:5 it is a different word, and is used for any kind of ’rush.’ Both words are also translated ’rushes.’

By: Morris Jastrow, Jr., Gerson B. Levi

A rush or reed. The term "bulrush" in the Bible occurs once as a translation for "agmon" (Isa. lviii. 5) and twice for "gome" (Ex. ii. 3; Isa. xviii. 15). Both of these words occur elsewhere in the Bible, where they are translated "rush." Both in Hebrew and in English the words "bulrush"and "rush" seem to be used interchangeably. According to Isa. lviii. 5, bulrushes grew quite high and had a large flower that, because of its weight, drooped over. The plant was peculiar to swampy places (Isa. xxxv. 7; Job viii. 11). By this description any one of the water-rushes might be meant, but the Typha elephantina comes nearest to it. The ancients put bulrushes to various uses. They made boxes (Ex. ii. 3) and even boats of them (Isa. xviii. 2). The bulrush was naturally used as fuel (Job xli. 12); and it would appear that it was used as a pier cing-tool (Job xl. 26). See Reed.

BULRUSH.—See Reed.

bool´rush. See REED.

Isa 58:5 (a) This is a type which describes the bowed head, the heavy heart, and the distressed spirit of one who has been crushed by his circumstances.

See Reed Rush