Plants and Foods of the Bible · The Garden · Plant
Hyssop
The small plant that God used in big moments of protection and cleansing
- Key verse
- Psalm 51:7
- Where we find it
- Rocky places and old walls, where it grows in small tufts
- What it reminds us of
- Cleansing, forgiveness and a new heart
Stories from Scripture
Hyssop in the stories of the Bible
Moses and the people of Israel
The bunch of hyssop on the night of the Passover
On the night when God was about to bring His people out of Egypt, Moses told the Israelites to take a bunch of hyssop, dip it in the blood of the lamb and put it on the top and the sides of the door frame. The Lord would pass over the marked houses and protect the people inside.
Exodus 12:21-23King David
David’s prayer for a clean heart
After he did wrong, King David did not hide from God. He admitted his sin and prayed, “Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.”
Psalm 51:7King Solomon
From the cedar to the hyssop
God gave Solomon special wisdom. Solomon spoke about trees, from the huge cedar of Lebanon to the little hyssop that grows out of the wall, and about animals, birds, creeping things and fish.
1 Kings 4:33
From the world of the Bible
Did you know?
Many scholars think that the hyssop of the Bible was an aromatic plant like marjoram, which grows in the rocky places of Israel.
Its stems and tiny leaves, tied in a bunch, hold drops of liquid well. That is why hyssop was right for sprinkling.
Hyssop is a small, modest plant. Solomon mentions it at the opposite end from the cedar of Lebanon, one of the biggest trees known then.
From the Holy Scriptures
What do we read in the Bible about hyssop?
7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
In kids’ words: David knew that only God can truly wash a heart stained by sin.
22 And ye shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is in the bason, and strike the lintel and the two side posts with the blood that is in the bason; and none of you shall go out at the door of his house until the morning.
In kids’ words: The little hyssop plant was used on the night when God protected His people.
Verses are quoted from the King James Version (KJV). Read each passage in the context of its chapter in the Bible.
What hyssop teaches us
Cleansing and a new heart
Hyssop is a small plant, but God used it in big moments: at the Passover and in David’s prayer. It reminds us that when we do wrong, we can come to God, tell Him the truth and ask Him to forgive us. He can cleanse our hearts and give us a fresh start.
How we can live this out today
If you did something wrong to someone today, do not hide it. Say “I am sorry” and ask God to cleanse your heart.
Mini-Quiz
What did you learn about hyssop?
What is hyssop linked with in the Bible?
For parents and children
At home and in Sunday school
A question for parents and children
Why is it sometimes hard for us to admit a mistake? How do we feel after we ask for forgiveness and are forgiven?
“Lord, thank You for forgiving me when I come to You with the truth. Cleanse my heart and give me a fresh start every day. Amen.”
Activity at home
Clean water
Fill a glass with clean water. Say that, just as water washes our hands, God can cleanse our hearts.