BULRUSH:
A rush or reed. The term "bulrush" in the Bible occurs once as a translation for "agmon" (Isa. lviii. 5) and twice for "gome" (Ex. ii. 3; Isa. xviii. 15). Both of these words occur elsewhere in the Bible, where they are translated "rush." Both in Hebrew and in English the words "bulrush"and "rush" seem to be used interchangeably. According to Isa. lviii. 5, bulrushes grew quite high and had a large flower that, because of its weight, drooped over. The plant was peculiar to swampy places (Isa. xxxv. 7; Job viii. 11). By this description any one of the water-rushes might be meant, but the Typha elephantina comes nearest to it. The ancients put bulrushes to various uses. They made boxes (Ex. ii. 3) and even boats of them (Isa. xviii. 2). The bulrush was naturally used as fuel (Job xli. 12); and it would appear that it was used as a pier cing-tool (Job xl. 26). See Reed.
