מַלּוּחַ (mal.lu.ach)
mal.lu.ach
mallow
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The noun malūaḥ refers to a specific type of mallow, a hardy plant adapted to thrive in salty, marshy environments. With only one occurrence in the Hebrew Bible, this word appears in Job 30:4, where it serves as a vivid image of destitution. The sources identify it as vegetation found in salt marshes, highlighting its resilience in harsh, inhospitable terrain.
In Job’s lament, the plant is not presented as a source of comfort but as a symbol of extreme poverty and degradation. Those who are driven from society are described as gathering this bitter, salt-tolerant shrub for food. The imagery underscores the depth of Job’s suffering: he has been reduced to eating wild plants that grow only in barren, saline soils, far removed from cultivated fields or fertile land.
Its singular usage gives the word a concentrated theological weight. It is not a general term for herbs but a precise marker of marginalization. By naming this specific salt-marsh plant, the text emphasizes the physical reality of Job’s loss, grounding his spiritual anguish in the tangible experience of hunger and social exclusion.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word malūaḥ appears only once in the Hebrew Bible, in Job 30:4. It describes a salt-tolerant plant gathered by those who have been cast out from society. In this context, it is not a symbol of hope but a marker of extreme poverty and social exclusion.
Job uses this image to describe his own suffering. He feels reduced to eating bitter herbs found in barren, saline soils. This vivid picture grounds his spiritual anguish in physical reality, showing how deep his loss has become.
When you face times of hardship or feeling abandoned, remember that even the most profound despair is seen by God. Your pain matters to Him, and He does not overlook your struggle. You are held in His care, even when life feels as barren as a salt marsh.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- mallow1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- מַלּ֣וּחַ1×
Key Verses
-
Job 30:4
They pluck salt herbs by the bushes. The roots of the broom tree are their food.
This verse uses malūaḥ to depict the extreme destitution of those driven from society, highlighting Job's own feeling of being reduced to gathering bitter, salt-marsh plants for survival.