HERBS, BITTER (Erbs, bleier), (Heb. 174-71-1'?, mer-o-reem').
The Israelites were commanded to eat "bitter herbs" with the Passover bread (Exod. xii :8 ; Num. ix :II) to remind them of the bitterness of their bondage in Egypt (Exod. i :14). "The Mishnah mentions these five as falling within the designation of 'bitter herbs,' viz., lettuce, endive, succory, what is called 'Charchavina (urtica, beets?), and horehound' " (Edersheim, The Tem ple, p. 2o4).
HERD (herd), (Heb. baw-kawr'; Gr.
a71Xri, ag-ef ay).
"The herd was greatly regarded both in the patriarchal and Mosaic period. This word is generic for oxen. lt is not like z.,514 applicable to two or more species. Wherever it is used, there fore, it might without loss, and with sensible ad vantage, be translated oxen. Other Hebrew words are translated herds of cattle, and flocks of sheep.
The ox was the most precious stock next to horse and mule. The herd yielded the most es teemed sacrifice (Nun). vii :3; Ps. lxix :31; Is. lxvi :3) ; also fresh meat and milk, chiefly con verted, probably, into butter and cheese (Deut. xxxii :14; 2 SaM. XVII :29), WhiCh Stith milk yields more copiously than that of small cattle. The full-grown ox was hardly ever slaughtered in Syria ; but, both for sacrificial and convivial pur poses, the young animal was preferred (Exod. xxix :1). The agricultural and general usefulness of the ox, in plowing, thrashing, and as a beast of burden (1 Chron. xii :4o; Is. xlvi :1), made such
a slaughtering seem wasteful. The animal was broken to service probably in his third year (Is. xv:5; Jer. xlvia:34). In the moist season, when grass abounded in the waste lands, espe cially in the 'south' region, herds grazed there. Especially was the eastern table-land (Ezek. xxxix :18; Num. xxxii :4) 'a place for cattle.' Herdsmen, etc., in Eplit were a low, perhaps the lowest caste; but of the abundance of cattle in Egypt, and of the care there bestowed on them, there is no doubt (G,m. xlvii :6, 37; Exod. ix :4. 2o). So the plague of hail was sent to smite especially the cattle (Ps. lxxviii :48), the first born of which also were smitten (Exod. xii :29). The Israelites departing stipulated for (Exod. x : 26) and took 'much cattle with them' (xii :38). Cattle formed thus one of the traditions of the Israelitish nation in its greatest period, and became almost a part of that greatness. When pasture failed, a mixture of various grains (Job vi :5) was used, as also 'chopped straw' (Gen. xxiv :25; Is. xi:7; lxv :25), which was torn in pieces by the thrashing machine and used probably for feeding in stalls. These last formed an important adjunct to cattle keeping, being indispensable for shelter at certain seasons (Exod. ix :6, 19)." (Smith, Bib. Diet.)