Bible Dictionaries
Herbs, Bitter

Holman Bible Dictionary

A salad of bitter herbs was eaten as part of the Passover observance (Exodus 12:8; Numbers 9:11 ). Such a meal could be quickly prepared and was appropriate to commemorate Israel's hasty retreat from Egypt (Exodus 12:11 ). Later the bitter herbs were associated with the bitterness of Egyptian slavery (compare Exodus 1:14 ). Bitter herbs possibly included lettuce, chicory, eryngo, horseradish, and sowthistle. See Plants in the Bible .