A general term referring to tall hollow grasses growing in shallow water by streams, rivers, lakes, and marshes throughout Palestine. The giant reed grows to over 10 feet high, forming dense thickets along lake margins (Job 40:21). Reed mace or cattail, topped by a cylindrical brown spike, is often depicted as the mock scepter of Jesus in (Matt 27:29-30). The common reed sports dense purple plumes atop its tall stems, which move gracefully in the wind (Matt 11:7). The tall, sturdy stems of these grasses had diverse uses. The jagged edges of the broken stems were capable of piercing flesh (2Kgs 18:21) and may have been used as fishing spears. Some were sturdy enough to have been used as walking sticks (Ezek 29:7). Reeds were also effective as makeshift flutes, pens (3John 1:13; 3 Maccabees 4:2), and even a form of measuring rod (Ezek 40:3).
