poison Summary and Overview

(1.) Heb. hemah, "heat," the poison of certain venomous reptiles (Deut. 32:24, 33; Job 6:4; Ps. 58:4), causing inflammation. (2.) Heb. rosh, "a head," a poisonous plant (Deut. 29:18), growing luxuriantly (Hos. 10:4), of a bitter taste (Ps. 69:21; Lam. 3:5), and coupled with wormwood; probably the poppy. This word is rendered "gall", q.v., (Deut. 29:18; 32:33; Ps. 69:21; Jer. 8:14, etc.), "hemlock" (Hos. 10:4; Amos 6:12), and "poison" (Job 20:16), "the poison of asps," showing that the "rosh" was not exclusively a vegetable poison. (3.) In Rom. 3:13 (compare Job 20:16; Ps. 140:3), James 3:8, as the rendering of the Greek ios.

POI'SON . This word is in our translation the rendering of two different Hebrew words, of which the one, derived from a root signifying "heat," is applied to animal poisons, Deut 32:24, 1 Sam 15:33; Ps 58:4; while the other, though its derivation is somewhat doubtful, seems to have been applied to vegetable poisons. The latter is sometimes translated with "gall" or "water of gall." Jer 8:14; Jer 9:15.

chemah, from a root "to be hot" (Deuteronomy 32:24; Deuteronomy 32:33,). Psalm 58:4; Psalm 140:3, "of serpents." In Job 6:4 allusion is made to poisoned arrows, symbolizing the burning pains which penetrated into Job's inmost parts ("spirit" as contrasted with surface flesh wounds of his body). Pliny (xi. 115) mentions that the Scythians poisoned their arrows with viper's venom mixed with human blood; a scratch of such arrows proved fatal. Also Arab pirates on the Red Sea used poisoned arrows (texicon, or toxicum from toxon a "bow", became the term for poison, so common was the usage). The Jews never adopted the barbarous custom. Ro'sh; Deuteronomy 32:32; Deuteronomy 29:18; Psalm 69:21; Lamentations 3:19; Amos 6:12. (See GALL.); Jeremiah 8:14 margin.