Rue

An evergreen aromatic plant with small yellow flowers, often used for seasoning.

Rue flowers
Rue flowers (© Zeynel Cebeci (Wikimedia Commons)) Rue

About Rue

Rue is an aromatic plant from Eurasia with evergreen leaves that produce a strong-smelling oil once used in medicine.

There is little question about the correctness of the translation of "rue" in Luke 11:42, but there is some doubt about the exact species. Most scholars think that it was the common rue (Rue graveolens), a perennial shrubby plant with straight stems 0.6 to 0.9 meter (2 to 3 feet) tall and deeply cut leaves. A very strong odor comes from the leaves. This species is native to the Mediterranean region and grows wild in the Holy Land, especially on Mount Tabor.

Read full article
Go deeper
The plant itself Article

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

Key References

Luke 11:42

Woe to you Pharisees! For you pay tithes of mint, rue, and every herb, but you disregard justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter without neglecting the former.

All Scripture References (1)

Luke (1)
Luke 11:42

Woe to you Pharisees! For you pay tithes of mint, rue, and every herb, but you disregard justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter without neglecting the former.