Reed: 1. "Paper reeds"
(Isaiah 19:7) R.V., "reeds"). Heb. 'aroth, properly
green herbage growing in marshy places.2. Heb. kaneh
(1 Kings 14:15; Job 40:21; Isaiah 19:6) whence the Gr. kanna, a
"cane," a generic name for a reed of any kind. The reed of Egypt
and Palestine is the Arundo donax, which grows to the height of
12 feet, its stalk jointed like the bamboo, "with a magnificent
panicle of blossom at the top, and so slender and yielding that
it will lie perfectly flat under a gust of wind, and immediately
resume its upright position." It is used to illustrate weakness
(2 Kings 18:21; Ezekiel 29:6) also fickleness or instability
(Matthew 11:7) comp.
(Ephesians 4:14) A "bruised reed"
(Isaiah 42:3; Matthew 12:20)
is an emblem of a believer weak in grace. A reed was put into
our Lord's hands in derision
(Matthew 27:29) and "they took the
reed and smote him on the head"
(Matthew 27:30) The "reed" on
which they put the sponge filled with vinegar
(Matthew 27:48) was,
according to John
(Jo 19:29) a hyssop stalk, which must have
been of some length, or perhaps a bunch of hyssop twigs fastened
to a rod with the sponge.
(See CANE)
(See FLAG)
