Original Word: הֲדַס
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: hadac
Pronunciation: hah-DAS
Phonetic Spelling: (had-as')
KJV: myrtle (tree)
NASB: myrtle, myrtle trees
Word Origin: [of uncertain derivation]

1. the myrtle

myrtle tree

Of uncertain derivation; the myrtle -- myrtle (tree).

Word Origin
from the same as hadom
Definition
myrtle (tree)
NASB Translation
myrtle (3), myrtle trees (3).

הֲדַס noun masculine^{Isaiah 55:13} myrtle (-tree), only late (Late Hebrew, Aram id.; Arabic (in the dialect of Yemen); also , Aramaic אָסָה, ; compare Löw^{No. 25}) — absolute ׳ה Isaiah 41:19; Nehemiah 8:15; הֲדַ֑ס Isaiah 55:13; plural הַהֲדַסִּים Zechariah 1:8 2t. (on form compare Ges^{§ 98}, R. 4) — Isaiah 41:9 ("" תְּאַשּׁוּר, תִּדְהָר, בְּרוֺשׁ, עֵץ שָׁ֑מֶן, שִׁטָּה אֶרֶז); Isaiah 55:13 ("" בְּרוֺשׁ; opposed to הַסִּרְמַֹּד), עֲלֵי הֲדַס Nehemiah 8:15 ("" עֵץ עָבוֺת ׳ע, תְּמָרִים ׳ע, עֲץשֶֿׁמֶן ׳ע עֲלֵיזַֿיִת); plural Zechariah 1:8,10,11.

Botanical profile and cultural setting

The myrtle (Myrtus communis) is an evergreen shrub native to the Mediterranean and Near East. Dark, glossy leaves release a sweet aroma when crushed; star-shaped white blossoms give way to blue-black berries. Because it thrives in rocky soil yet remains verdant year-round, ancient Israel regarded the plant as a sign of enduring vitality. Jewish tradition later incorporated three myrtle sprigs (hadassim) into the Four Species waved during the Feast of Tabernacles, underscoring its covenant associations of joy and peace.

Occurrences in Scripture

1. Nehemiah 8:15 records that returned exiles gathered myrtle branches to construct booths for the restored celebration of Tabernacles.
2. Isaiah 41:19 places the myrtle among a divinely planted forest in the wilderness, pledging life where barrenness once reigned.
3. Isaiah 55:13 contrasts the myrtle with thorn and brier, portraying the removal of the curse and the emergence of blessing.

4–6. Zechariah 1:8, 10, 11 situates the Angel of the LORD and His mounted scouts “among the myrtle trees in the valley,” a scene of watchful divine presence during Israel’s humble but hopeful post-exilic era.

Feast of Tabernacles and covenant remembrance

When Nehemiah urged the people to “bring back branches of olive, wild olive, myrtle, palm, and leafy trees to make booths” (Nehemiah 8:15), he intentionally reenacted Leviticus 23:40. The myrtle’s fragrance filled the temporary shelters, reminding worshipers that the LORD had turned the bitterness of bondage into the sweetness of fellowship. Every waft of scent testified that restored obedience brings restored joy.

Symbol of divine restoration

Isaiah’s twin promises (41:19; 55:13) place the myrtle at the heart of creation’s renewal. Thorn and brier—emblems of the fall—give way to an evergreen whose Hebrew name shares a root with “joyful celebration.” The prophet thus pictures salvation as both agricultural abundance and spiritual reversal, anticipating the messianic age when “creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay” (Romans 8:21).

The valley vision: Zechariah 1

Zechariah’s night visions open in a low place shaded by myrtles. The humble location mirrors Judah’s diminished political status, yet evergreen trees declare that covenant life endures. The Angel of the LORD stands amid them, assuring that heavenly patrols find “all the earth…at rest and quiet” (Zechariah 1:11). The scene blends surveillance with solace: God oversees global affairs while personally dwelling among His people, even in their valleys.

Typological and pastoral insights

• Evergreen constancy: Like the myrtle, believers are called to display unwithering fruitfulness through every season (Psalm 1:3).
• Fragrant witness: Crushing releases scent; trials that press the righteous can spread “the pleasing aroma of Christ” (2 Corinthians 2:15).
• Humility before exaltation: The low-lying myrtle grove anticipates the gospel pattern in which meekness precedes glory (Philippians 2:5-11).

Historical echoes

Esther’s Hebrew name Hadassah (“myrtle”) links the plant with providential preservation during exile. Jewish sources describe bridal crowns of myrtle, associating the tree with covenant love—a motif that resonates with the Church as the Bride of Christ.

Eschatological horizon

The myrtle reappears in prophetic landscapes that look beyond the post-exilic era to the consummation of God’s kingdom. When “instead of briers the myrtle will spring up” (Isaiah 55:13), the earth itself becomes a living monument “to the LORD, an everlasting sign.” New-creation imagery assures believers that present obedience and suffering are not ends in themselves but preludes to a fragrant, evergreen destiny in the renewed heavens and earth.

Summary

Across its six appearances, the myrtle embodies restoration, constancy, and joyful worship. Whether sheltering pilgrims in Nehemiah’s Jerusalem, transforming deserts in Isaiah’s vision, or shading angelic horsemen in Zechariah’s valley, the tree whispers the same assurance: the covenant LORD turns barrenness into blessing and remains faithfully present among His people until the wilderness blooms forever.

הֲדַ֑ס הֲדַס֙ הַהֲדַסִּ֔ים הַהֲדַסִּ֖ים הדס ההדסים וַהֲדַ֖ס והדס hă·ḏas ha·hă·ḏas·sîm haDas hăḏas hahadasSim hahăḏassîm vahaDas wa·hă·ḏas wahăḏasInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts