Weed (סוּŠ, suph, Jon 2:6; elsewhere rendered "flag," Ex 2:3; Isa 19:6, but usually as an epithet of the Red Sea, lit. the weed-sea; Sept. φῦκος; Lat. alga, see Pliny, 31:46,4; 9:25), the sea-weed (Fucus natans of Linn.; Fucus marinus, Pliny, 26:66 and 79), a sort of sea-grass with lanciform, serrated leaves, and threadlike knotted stalks, which grows in great abundance on the shores of the Mediterranean (Jon 2:6; see Hirtius, Bell. Afric. 24), but especially of the Hellespont (Ovid, Heroid. 18:108; Belon, Observ. 2:3), as likewise of the Red Sea (comp. Strabo, 16:773; Diod. Sic. 3:19, μνίον), the last taking its name (יִם סוּŠ) from that circumstance. SEE RED SEA. The plant is described by Acosta (in Clusii Exoticor. Libb. [Antw. 1605], page 293), Delile (Flora AEgypt. in Descr. de I'Egypte, 19:113), Bochart (Phaleg, 4:29), Celsius (Hierobot. 2:67 sq.). There are several varieties (see Pliny, 27:25; 32:22; Galen, Med. Sinpl. vin.l 21, 9), of which it is uncertain which is the Egyptian species (Pliny, 13:44; Theophr. Plant. 4:9: see Gesenius, Thesaur. page 944). SEE FLAG. Noxious weeds in general seem to be denoted by the phrase "thorns and thistles" (Ge 3:18). SEE THORN.
The Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature was edited by John McClintock and James Strong. It contains nearly 50,000 articles pertaining to Biblical and other religious literature, people, creeds, etc. It is a fantastic research tool for broad Christian study.
John McClintock was born October 27, 1814 in Philadelphia to Irish immigrants, John and Martha McClintock. He began as a clerk in his father's store, and then became a bookkeeper in the Methodist Book Concern in New York. Here he converted to Methodism and considered joining the ministry. McClintock entered the University of Pennsylvania in 1832 and graduated with high honors three years later. Subsequently, he was awarded a doctorate of divinity degree from the same institution in 1848.WikipediaRead More