Lexical Summary achu: Marsh, Meadow Original Word: אָחוּ Strong's Exhaustive Concordance flag, meadow Of uncertain (perhaps Egyptian) derivation; a bulrush or any marshy grass (particularly that along the Nile) -- flag, meadow. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originof foreign origin Definition reeds, rushes NASB Translation marsh grass (2), reeds (1), rushes (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs אָחוּ: noun masculineJob 8:11 collective reeds, rushes (Aramaic אַחְוָא, originally Egyptian, compare demotic axu from axa be green, see EbAG & BB Mos. 338; WiedSammlung 16) Genesis 41:2,18 (E) Job 8:11; also Hosea 13:15 where read אָחִים plural for אֲחָוִים (compare AW), or from a parallel form [אָחֶה], see DeCompl. Var. 23 f. אַחְוָה see חוה. Topical Lexicon Meaning and imagery אָחוּ evokes the picture of lush, water-saturated ground on the fringe of a river or lake—especially the Nile—with the thick, green reeds and papyrus that thrive there. The word therefore calls to mind life, plenty, and the delicate balance that exists wherever water sustains growth in an otherwise arid landscape. Occurrences in Scripture Genesis 41:2 records that “seven cows, sleek and fat, came up from the river and were grazing among the reeds”. The same wording appears in Genesis 41:18 when Pharaoh recounts the dream. In Job 8:11 Bildad asks, “Does papyrus grow where there is no marsh? Do reeds flourish without water?”. In each case אָחוּ marks a place where vegetation prospers only because it remains constantly supplied with water. Historical and geographic setting In the Nile Delta, broad expanses of marshland provided year-round pasture during times when the surrounding fields lay parched. Egyptian texts celebrate such regions for their bounty of cattle, fish, and fowl. By using a term readily associated with Egyptian wetlands, Genesis places Pharaoh’s dream squarely in its native environment, underscoring the authenticity of Joseph’s narrative. Job, spoken in the setting of the ancient Near East, shows that the same imagery resonated far beyond Egypt; marsh-based papyrus was well known in the wider cultural world. Theological insights 1. Divine warning and provision. In Genesis, the lush marsh contrasts sharply with the seven years of famine to follow. God employs the reeds to symbolize abundance that only He can both grant and withdraw (Genesis 41:25-32). Ministry application • Spiritual vitality requires continuous nourishment. Just as reeds cannot survive without marsh-water, believers cannot thrive without abiding in Christ (John 15:4-5). Christological reflection The green marsh anticipates the One who is “the fountain of living water” (Jeremiah 17:13). Jesus Christ promises believers a spring “welling up to eternal life” (John 4:14), ensuring that those planted in Him remain verdant even in drought (Psalm 1:3). Related passages for study Psalm 104:10-17; Isaiah 19:5-7; Jeremiah 17:7-8; Ezekiel 47:1-12; Luke 12:42-48 Forms and Transliterations אָ֥חוּ אחו בָּאָֽחוּ׃ באחו׃ ’ā·ḥū ’āḥū Achu bā’āḥū bā·’ā·ḥū baAchuLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Genesis 41:2 HEB: בָּשָׂ֑ר וַתִּרְעֶ֖ינָה בָּאָֽחוּ׃ NAS: and they grazed in the marsh grass. KJV: and they fed in a meadow. INT: and they grazed the marsh Genesis 41:18 Job 8:11 3 Occurrences |
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