Herbs

In the UPDV, herbs appear at the opening of creation as the food given to all living things, and reappear in the proverbs as a humble meal whose worth is measured by the love that surrounds it.

Given for Food at Creation

In the creation account, herbs are the original provision for humans and animals alike: "And [the Speech of] God said, Look, I have given you⁺ every herb yielding seed, which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree, in which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you⁺ it will be for food: and to every beast of the earth, and to every bird of the heavens, and to everything that creeps on the earth, in which there is a living soul, [I have given] every green herb for food: and it was so" (Gen 1:29-30).

A Plain Meal Set Against a Rich One

Proverbs uses a dish of herbs to mark the simplest table, set against the richest, with the question of love deciding which is better: "Better is a dinner of herbs, where there is love, Than a stalled ox and hatred with it" (Prov 15:17).