Stinging hairs of Urtica pilulifera.
UNLIKE MANY BIBLE PLANTS, nettle is common in north temperate regions.
Some translations use the word “nettle” for these Bible verses: “Among the bushes they cry out; under the nettles they are gathered together” (Job 30:7, NASB); “I passed by the field of the sluggard, and by the vineyard of the man lacking senses, and behold, it was completely overgrown with thistles, its surface was covered with nettles, and its stone wall was broken down” (Proverbs 24:30–31, NASB); “Egypt will round them up, Memphis will bury them; nettles will inherit their fields, and thorn-bushes invade their homesteads” (Hosea 9:6b, NJB; NASB translates as “weeds”); and, “Surely Moab will be like Sodom, and the sons of Ammon like Gomorrah—a place possessed by nettles and salt pits, and a perpetual desolation” (Zephaniah 2:9b, NASB). In the verses noted, NIV does not use “nettles.” In that translation, therefore, the identity of what is obviously some kind of weed is not certain. What is certain is that nettles were common throughout the Middle East.
The most widespread nettle in the Middle East is Urtica pilulifera. Like other nettles, these weeds grow in areas of high nitrogen concentration, so they are most abundant in places where livestock are kept and around habitations, including ruins and archaeological sites. The entire plant is covered with long, highly specialized hairs that can puncture the skin. Each hair is really like a miniature hypodermic needle ready to spring into action. At the tip is a lopsided bulblike structure that is easily broken at a prestressed spot. When even lightly brushed against, the tip falls off, leaving a sharp point that can easily penetrate skin. At the base of the hair is a reservoir of irritant, believed to be chemically similar to that injected in ant stings; the substance is under pressure and escapes through the tip into the victim. The result is a minor dermatitis that will go away in most individuals after 30 minutes or so. The dermatitis, known as urticaria, gives the genus its Latin name Urtica; pilulifera refers to the ball-shaped fruits in this species. The seeds are edible but small, and are literally a pain to harvest.
Camels grazing nettles and other plants at Um al Jamal in northern Jordan in December. Nettles, while stinging, are edible and nutritious for animals and humans. They are commonly found around ruins like this once prosperous Byzantine town.
Urtica pilulifera at the best stage for eating. Boiling destroys the stinging hairs.
Though not widely appreciated today, nettles were valued by ancient cultures throughout the world as a source of food and fiber. It would not be surprising, therefore, that native nettles would be mentioned in the Bible. However, caution is needed in reaching conclusions, since the word translated “nettles” could mean a different armed plant or, very likely, could be a general term for armed plants.