Reed

A tall grass, over 2 meters high, that grows in lakes and streams, used for making various items like baskets, mats, and flutes.

Reed, common
Reed, common (Botaurus stellaris (Wikimedia Commons)) Reed (common reed, giant reed)

About Reed

Tall grass that grows in damp places and beside bodies of water. Numerous species of rush and bulrush grow in the region of Palestine. There are at least 21 varieties of rushes. The common soft rush or bog rush (Juncus effusus) is found in wet places, even in the Sinai and other deserts. The sea or hard rush (Juncus maritimus) is found in damp places throughout the region of Palestine and even in Sinai.

At least 15 kinds of bulrushes (Scirpus) are known in the region of Palestine. The cluster-headed club rush (Scirpus holoschoenus) is common in damp places throughout the region of Palestine to the Sinai. The lake club rush or tall bulrush (Scirpus lacustris) is found in swamps and ditches throughout northern Africa to the Dead Sea. The sea club rush or salt marsh club rush (Scirpus maritimus) is found in ditches and swamps in many places of the region of Palestine. Any of these species may be the one referred to in Job 8:11; Isaiah 9:14; 19:6, 15.

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The plant itself Article

Habitat, identification, and how translators render the term across languages.

Key References

Matthew 27:48

One of them quickly ran and brought a sponge. He filled it with sour wine, put it on a reed, and held it up for Jesus to drink.

Isaiah 42:3

A bruised reed He will not break and a smoldering wick He will not extinguish; He will faithfully bring forth justice.

Matthew 11:7

As John’s disciples were leaving, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swaying in the wind?

All Scripture References (33)

1 Kings (1)
1 Kings 14:15

For the LORD will strike Israel as a reed is shaken in the water. He will uproot Israel from this good land that He gave their fathers, and He will scatter them beyond the Euphrates, because they have made their Asherah poles, provoking the LORD to anger.

2 Kings (1)
2 Kings 18:21

Look now, you are trusting in Egypt, that splintered reed of a staff that will pierce the hand of anyone who leans on it. Such is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who trust in him.

Job (1)
Job 40:21

He lies under the lotus plants, hidden among the reeds of the marsh.

Psalms (1)
Psalm 68:31

Envoys will arrive from Egypt; Cush will stretch out her hands to God.

Isaiah (4)
Isaiah 19:6

The canals will stink; the streams of Egypt will trickle and dry up; the reeds and rushes will wither.

Isaiah 35:7

The parched ground will become a pool, the thirsty land springs of water. In the haunt where jackals once lay, there will be grass and reeds and papyrus.

Isaiah 36:6

Look now, you are trusting in Egypt, that splintered reed of a staff that will pierce the hand of anyone who leans on it. Such is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who trust in him.

Isaiah 42:3

A bruised reed He will not break and a smoldering wick He will not extinguish; He will faithfully bring forth justice.

Ezekiel (11)
Ezekiel 29:6

Then all the people of Egypt will know that I am the LORD. For you were only a staff of reeds to the house of Israel.

Ezekiel 40:3

So He took me there, and I saw a man whose appearance was like bronze. He was standing in the gateway with a linen cord and a measuring rod in his hand.

Ezekiel 40:5

And I saw a wall surrounding the temple area. Now the length of the measuring rod in the man’s hand was six long cubits (each measuring a cubit and a handbreadth), and he measured the wall to be one rod thick and one rod high.

Ezekiel 40:6

Then he came to the gate facing east and climbed its steps. He measured the threshold of the gate to be one rod deep.

Ezekiel 40:7

Each gate chamber was one rod long and one rod wide, and there were five cubits between the gate chambers. The inner threshold of the gate by the portico facing inward was one rod deep.

Ezekiel 40:8

Then he measured the portico of the gateway inside;

Ezekiel 41:8

I saw that the temple had a raised base all around it, forming the foundation of the side rooms. It was the full length of a rod, six long cubits.

Ezekiel 42:16

With a measuring rod he measured the east side to be five hundred cubits long.

Ezekiel 42:17

He measured the north side to be five hundred cubits long.

Ezekiel 42:18

He measured the south side to be five hundred cubits long.

Ezekiel 42:19

And he came around and measured the west side to be five hundred cubits long.

Matthew (5)
Matthew 11:7

As John’s disciples were leaving, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swaying in the wind?

Matthew 12:20

A bruised reed He will not break, and a smoldering wick He will not extinguish, till He leads justice to victory.

Matthew 27:29

And they twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on His head. They put a staff in His right hand, knelt down before Him, and mocked Him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!”

Matthew 27:30

Then they spit on Him and took the staff and struck Him on the head repeatedly.

Matthew 27:48

One of them quickly ran and brought a sponge. He filled it with sour wine, put it on a reed, and held it up for Jesus to drink.

Mark (3)
Mark 15:19

They kept striking His head with a staff and spitting on Him. And they knelt down and bowed before Him.

Mark 15:36

And someone ran and filled a sponge with sour wine. He put it on a reed and held it up for Jesus to drink, saying, “Leave Him alone. Let us see if Elijah comes to take Him down.”

Mark 16:18

they will pick up snakes with their hands, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not harm them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will be made well.”

Luke (1)
Luke 7:24

After John’s messengers had left, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swaying in the wind?

1 Corinthians (1)
1 Corinthians 3:12

If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or straw,

3 John (1)
3 John 1:13

I have many things to write to you, but I would prefer not to do so with pen and ink.

Revelation (3)
Revelation 11:1

Then I was given a measuring rod like a staff and was told, “Go and measure the temple of God and the altar, and count the number of worshipers there.

Revelation 21:15

The angel who spoke with me had a golden measuring rod to measure the city and its gates and walls.

Revelation 21:16

The city lies foursquare, with its width the same as its length. And he measured the city with the rod, and all its dimensions were equal—12,000 stadia in length and width and height.