Bulrush: 1. In
(Isaiah 58:5) the rendering of a word which denotes
"belonging to a marsh," from the nature of the soil in which
it grows
(Isaiah 18:2) It was sometimes platted into ropes
(Job 41:2) A.V., "hook," R.V., "rope," lit. "cord of rushes").
2. In
(Exodus 2:3; Isaiah 18:2) (R.V., "papyrus") this word is the
translation of the Hebrew gome, which designates the plant as
absorbing moisture. In
(Isaiah 35:7; Job 8:11) it is rendered
"rush." This was the Egyptian papyrus (papyrus Nilotica). It was
anciently very abundant in Egypt. The Egyptians made garments
and shoes and various utensils of it. It was used for the
construction of the ark of Moses
(Exodus 2:3,5) The root portions of
the stem were used for food. The inside bark was cut into
strips, which were sewed together and dried in the sun, forming
the papyrus used for writing. It is no longer found in Egypt,
but grows luxuriantly in Palestine, in the marshes of the Huleh,
and in the swamps at the north end of the Lake of Gennesaret.
