גֹּמֶא
𐤂𐤌𐤀
gômeʼ
H1573 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A type of marsh plant common in Nile regions, typically identified as papyrus (Cyperus papyrus), but may include other similar aquatic reed-like grasses. In biblical usage, refers to tall, absorbent, spongy-stemmed plants that grow in wet, marshy ground. Its semantic range includes papyrus, reed, bulrush, and marsh vegetation.
Semantic Range
papyrus, bulrush, marsh plant, reed, spongy aquatic vegetation
Root / Etymology
From the root גמא, meaning 'to swallow, absorb, drink in.' The noun גֹּמֶא derives from this root, indicating a plant that soaks up or absorbs water, hence a marsh plant such as the papyrus or bulrush.
Historical & Contextual Notes
גֹּמֶא appears rarely in the Hebrew Bible, notably in Exodus 2:3,5 in the context of the basket (teva) in which Moses was placed, and in Isaiah 19:7, referring to riverbank vegetation. It is most commonly associated in modern botanical terminology with Cyperus papyrus, which was economically significant in ancient Egypt for paper-making. However, it may sometimes refer more generally to similar water-loving plants, and not every instance should be equated strictly with papyrus. The word overlaps with other terms (e.g., קָנֶה, 'reed') but is distinguished by its association with absorbency or sponginess. English translations often render גֹּמֶא as 'bulrush,' 'papyrus,' or simply 'reed,' but may not capture the distinction inherent in the Hebrew. In historical context, its mention evokes both the Nile's ecosystem and material culture, particularly in Egypt-linked narratives. Later Jewish tradition sometimes identified גֹּמֶא with different marsh plants based on local flora.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from גָּמָא; properly, an absorbent, i.e. the bulrush (from its porosity); specifically the papyrus; (bul-) rush.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
גמא (g-m-ʾ) — to absorb, to swallow, to drink in
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H1572 | גָּמָא | cause me to drink |
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1573-01 |
גֹּ֔מֶא | gome | HNcmsa |
of papyrus | water-absorbing marsh-reed | marsh-reed | 3 |
H1573-02 |
וָ/גֹֽמֶא | vagome | HC/Ncmsa |
and rush | absorbent marsh-reed | absorbent marsh-reed | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
4 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1573-01 |
Exodus 2:3 | גֹּ֔מֶא | gome | HNcmsa |
papyrus | water-absorbing marsh-reed | marsh-reed |
H1573-01 |
Isaiah 18:2 | גֹמֶא֮ | gome | HNcmsa |
of papyrus | water-absorbing marsh-reed | papyrus |
H1573-02 |
Isaiah 35:7 | וָ/גֹֽמֶא | vagome | HC/Ncmsa |
and rush | absorbent marsh-reed | absorbent marsh-reed |
H1573-01 |
Job 8:11 | גֹּ֭מֶא | gome | HNcmsa |
the papyrus | water-absorbing marsh-reed | marsh-reed |