עֵ֫שֶׂב (e.sev)
e.sev
vegetation
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 27 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The noun esev refers to green vegetation, encompassing herbs, grass, and tender shoots that provide sustenance for both people and animals. Its etymology points to a root meaning "to glisten" or "be green," highlighting the fresh, vibrant quality of living plants rather than dried hay. This distinction is visible in Proverbs 27:25, where the text describes pastures yielding esev, implying lush, full-grown growth ready for harvest.
In the biblical narrative, this word carries significant theological weight regarding God’s provision and human consequence. It appears in Genesis 1:11 as part of the initial creation order, where God commands the earth to bring forth vegetation for food. Later, it serves as a marker of judgment; in Exodus 10:15, the locust plague consumes every esev in Egypt, stripping the land bare. The word also underscores human mortality, appearing in Genesis 3:18 where thorns and thistles replace cultivated herbs after the fall.
Translators typically render esev as "herb" or "grass," depending on context. While it overlaps with other terms for plant life, its focus remains on the edible, green shoot. This usage connects the physical reality of agriculture with spiritual themes of blessing and desolation, showing how the health of the vegetation reflects the state of the covenant relationship.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word esev points to the fresh, green life that sustains us. It describes the tender shoots and herbs that appear after rain, offering food for both people and animals. This imagery reminds us that our daily nourishment is a direct gift from God, who commands the earth to yield its bounty.
Yet this same word also carries a sobering weight. When esev withers or is consumed, it signals judgment or loss. In Genesis 3:18, the ground yields thorns instead of easy harvests after the fall, showing how sin disrupts our connection to the land. Conversely, Psalm 104 celebrates God causing the grass to grow for livestock, highlighting His ongoing care for all living things.
Understanding esev helps us see creation as a fragile trust. We are invited to appreciate the green life around us not just as scenery, but as evidence of God’s provision and sovereignty over nature.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 27 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- [the] vegetation of8×
- plant[s]4×
- vegetation3×
- grass2×
- vegetation/ their1×
- plant1×
- like/ [the] vegetation of1×
- and/ vegetation1×
- and/ on/ [the] vegetation of1×
- and/ [the] vegetation of1×
- [will be] like/ [the] vegetation of1×
- [the] vegetation<s> of1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- עֵ֣שֶׂב6×
- עֵ֥שֶׂב5×
- עֵֽשֶׂב\׃3×
- עֵ֤שֶׂב3×
- כְּ/עֵ֣שֶׂב2×
- עֶשְׂבָּ֖/ם1×
- עֵ֣שֶׂב\׀1×
- עֵ֚שֶׂב1×
- עֵ֖שֶׂב1×
- עֵ֔שֶׂב1×
- עִשְּׂב֥וֹת1×
- וּ/בְ/עֵ֥שֶׂב1×
Key Verses
-
Genesis 1:11
God said, “Let the earth yield grass, herbs yielding seeds, and fruit trees bearing fruit after their kind, with their seeds in it, on the earth;” and it was so.
This verse establishes esev as part of the original good creation, designated specifically to provide seed-bearing food for life on earth.
-
Genesis 3:18
It will yield thorns and thistles to you; and you will eat the herb of the field.
Here the word marks the consequence of sin, where the easy yield of herbs is replaced by thorns and thistles, requiring painful labor.
-
Exodus 10:15
For they covered the surface of the whole earth, so that the land was darkened, and they ate every herb of the land, and all the fruit of the trees which the hail had left. There remained nothing green, either tree or herb of the field, through all the land of Egypt.
The locusts eat every herb left by the hail, using esev to demonstrate the total devastation of God’s judgment on Egypt.
-
Psalms 104:14
He causes the grass to grow for the livestock, and plants for man to cultivate, that he may produce food out of the earth:
This psalm praises God for actively causing the grass to grow, linking vegetation directly to His sustaining power for both animals and humans.
-
Jeremiah 12:4
How long will the land mourn, and the herbs of the whole country wither? Because of the wickedness of those who dwell therein, the animals and birds are consumed; because they said, “He won’t see our latter end.”
The withering of the herbs reflects the spiritual drought caused by wickedness, showing how human sin impacts the physical land.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Hebrew word esev mean?
How is esev different from other words for plants?
Why is esev mentioned in the story of the Fall?
Where else does this word appear in the Bible?
Every Occurrence (27 verses across 11 books)
Genesis 7 verses
God said, “Let the earth yield grass, herbs yielding seeds, and fruit trees bearing fruit after their kind, with their…
Genesis 1:12The earth yielded grass, herbs yielding seed after their kind, and trees bearing fruit, with their seeds in it, after…
Genesis 1:29God said, “Behold, I have given you every herb yielding seed, which is on the surface of all the earth, and every tree,…
Genesis 1:30To every animal of the earth, and to every bird of the sky, and to everything that creeps on the earth, in which there…
Genesis 2:5No plant of the field was yet in the earth, and no herb of the field had yet sprung up; for Yahweh God had not caused…
Genesis 3:18It will yield thorns and thistles to you; and you will eat the herb of the field.
Genesis 9:3Every moving thing that lives will be food for you. As I gave you the green herb, I have given everything to you.