Meaning of Kikayon in the Hebrew Bible

The Hebrew word קִיקָיוֹן ( kikayon ) appears exclusively in the book of Jonah, referring to a plant that God miraculously causes to grow to provide shade for Jonah ^{[1, 7, 9, 11]}. The exact botanical identity of this plant has been a subject of discussion among commentators and translators.

Lexical and Etymological Considerations: Strong's Hebrew Dictionary defines קִיקָיוֹן ( kikayon ) as "the gourd (as nauseous)," suggesting a possible derivation from the root קָיָה ( qayah ), meaning "to vomit" or "to be nauseous" ^[4]. However, this etymology is not universally accepted. Brown-Driver-Briggs, another prominent lexicon, does not offer a definitive etymology for kikayon in its entry. The term is distinct from other similar-sounding Hebrew words such as קִשְׁיוֹן ( kishyon ), which refers to a place in Palestine meaning "hard ground" ^{[2, 3]}, or כִּיּוֹר ( kiyyor ), meaning "pot" or "basin" ^[8]. It is also unrelated to צִיּוֺן ( tsiyyon ), or Zion ^{[6, 10]}, or כִּיּוּן ( kiyyun ), a male deity mentioned in Amos ^[5].

Interpretations of the Plant's Identity: Various traditions and scholars have proposed different identifications for the kikayon plant:

Gourd: The Septuagint (LXX) translates kikayon as "gourd," and this rendering is adopted by Luther ^[17] and John Gill, who notes that some argue a worm would not touch a gourd ^[16]. Strong's also aligns with "gourd" ^[4].
Castor Oil Plant (Ricinus communis): Many scholars, including Adam Clarke and Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, identify the kikayon with the castor oil plant, also known as palma Christi ^{[13, 15]}. This plant is known for its rapid growth, large leaves that provide ample shade, and sudden decay when damaged ^{[13, 15]}. Herodotus, Dioscorides, Strabo, and Pliny mention a plant called kiki or cici in Egypt, from which oil was made, and the Talmudists refer to "oil of kik" which Reshlakish identifies with Jonah's kikayon ^[16].
Ivy: Jerome, a prominent early Christian scholar, rendered the word as "ivy" ^[16]. However, John Gill notes that ivy, like a gourd, typically requires props to grow upwards ^[16].
Elkeroa Shrub: Jerome also described the plant as an "Elkeroa" in Syriac, a common shrub in Palestine that grows quickly in sandy areas, providing pleasant shade with its broad leaves ^[17]. Keil & Delitzsch mention this description, noting its rapid growth to a considerable height ^[17].
Generic Fast-Growing Plant: Rashi, a medieval Jewish commentator, describes the kikayon simply as "A plant that grows high with many branches and it affords shade and that is its name" ^[12]. This emphasizes its function rather than a precise botanical identification. Adam Clarke also notes that the phrases "came up in a night" and "perishing in a night" are metaphorical for speedy growth and decay, as interpreted by the Chaldee ^[14].

The purpose of the kikayon in the narrative of Jonah is to provide shade and relief for Jonah from his "grief" or "evil" (referring to his distress) ^{[15, 17]}. Its sudden appearance and equally sudden destruction by a worm serve as a divine object lesson for Jonah, highlighting God's compassion for all living things and challenging Jonah's narrow perspective ^{[13, 14]}.

Sources

STEPBible TAHOT “Jon.4.6#04=L — Hebrew tagged text (TAHOT): קִיקָי֞וֹן [ki.ka.Yon] "a plant"”
Strong's Hebrew Dictionary “[H7191] קִשְׁיוֹן — Definition: Kishjon, a place in Palestine | Derivation: from H7190 (קְשִׁי); hard ground; | KJV usage: Kishion, Keshon.”
STEPBible TAHOT “Jos.21.28#04=L — Hebrew tagged text (TAHOT): קִשְׁי֖וֹן [kish.Yon] "Kishion"”
Strong's Hebrew Dictionary “[H7021] קִיקָיוֹן — Definition: the gourd (as nauseous) | Derivation: perhaps from H7006 (קָיָה); | KJV usage: gourd.”
STEPBible TIPNR “Biblical proper name: [email protected]=H3594 — A male deity in the Old Testament (refs: #A male deity in the Old Testament; called <strong="H3594">Kiyyun</strong> (כִּיּוּן))”
Brown-Driver-Briggs “[BDB H6726] Tsiyyon (part 1/2) — H6726. Tsiyyon צִיּוֺן154 proper name, of a location Σ(ε)ιων; ‚îyyôn, Zion (Syriac , older form, according to LagBn 84, compare 198); — ׳צ 2Sam 5:7 +; צִיּוֺ֫נָה Jer 4:6; — stronghold (of Jebusiteas), צ ׳מְצֻדַת captured by David, and made his residence 2Sam 5:7 = 1Chr 11:5 (both + דָּוִד עִיר הִיא), on southern part of east hill of Jerusalem, distinct from site of temple 1Kin 8:1 2Chr 5:2 (both ד ׳מֵעִיר צ ׳הִיא), not elsewhere in narrative, but often in poets and prophets: as name of Jerusalem, from political point of view (sometimes = inhabitants), Amos 6:7 ”
STEPBible TAHOT “Jon.4.9#09=L — Hebrew tagged text (TAHOT): הַ/קִּֽיקָי֑וֹן [ha./ki.ka.Yon] "the/ plant"”
Brown-Driver-Briggs “[BDB H3595] kiyyor — H3595. kiyyor כִּיּוֺר כִּיֹּר, noun masculine1Kin 7:38 pot, basin (Late Hebrew כִּיּוֺר wash-basin, so Aramaic כִּיּוֺרָא) — absolute כִּיֹּר 7:30 8t.; כִּיּוֺר 1Sam 2:14 5t.; construct כִּיּוֺר Exod 30:18 2t.; plural absolute כִּיֹּרוֺת 1Kin 7:40 (but see below), 2Chr 4:14; כְּיֹּרֹת 1Kin 7:43; כִּיּוֺרִים2Chr 4:6; construct כְּיֹּרוֺת 1Kin 7:38; — 1 pot for cooking 1Sam 2:14 (|| מָּרוּר קַלַּחַת, דּוּד,). 2 fire-pot אֵשׁ כִּיּוֺר Zech 12:6 (|| אֵשׁ לַמִּיד; figurative of chiefs of Judah). 3 basin of bronze for washing, laver; set on a bronze support a. before tabernacle E”
STEPBible TAHOT “Jon.4.7#09=L — Hebrew tagged text (TAHOT): הַ/קִּֽיקָי֖וֹן [ha./ki.ka.Yon] "the/ plant"”
Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Zion — Sunny; height, one of the eminences on which Jerusalem was built. It was surrounded on all sides, except the north, by deep valleys, that of the Tyropoeon (q.v.) separating it from Moriah (q.v.), which it surpasses in height by 105 feet. It was the south-eastern hill of Jerusalem. When David took it from the Jebusites (Josh. 15:63; 2 Sam. 5:7) he built on it a citadel and a palace, and it became "the city of David" (1 Kings 8:1; 2 Kings 19:21, 31; 1 Chr. 11:5). In the later books of the Old Testament this name was sometimes used (Ps. 87:2; 149:2; Isa. 33:14; J”
STEPBible TAHOT “Jon.4.6#18=L — Hebrew tagged text (TAHOT): הַ/קִּֽיקָי֖וֹן [ha./ki.ka.Yon] "the/ plant"”
Sefaria (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Rashi (Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki) on Jonah 4:6: kikayon —A plant that grows high with many branches and it affords shade and that is its name.”
Jonah (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Jonah 4:6: And the Lord God prepared a gourd - I believe this should be rendered in the preterpluperfect tense. The Lord Had prepared this plant, קיקיון kikayon. It had in the course of God's providence been planted and grown up in that place, though perhaps not yet in full leaf; and Jonah made that his tent. And its thick branches and large leaves made it an ample shelter for him, and because it was such, he rejoiced greatly on the account. But what was the kikayon? The best judges say the ricinus or palma Christi, from which we get what is vulgarly called castor oil, is meant.”
Jonah (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Jonah 4:10: Which came up in a night - St. Jerome, speaking of this plant, the kikayon, assigns to it an extraordinary rapidity of growth. It delights in a sandy soil, and in a few days what was a plant grows into a large shrub. But he does not appear to have meant the ricinus; this however is the most likely. The expressions coming up in a night and perishing in a night are only metaphorical to express speedy growth and speedy decay; and so, as we have seen, the Chaldee interprets it, די בליליא הדי הוה ובליליא אוחרנא אבד "which existed this night but in the next night perished;”
Jonah (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Jonah 4:6: gourd--Hebrew, kikaion; the Egyptian kiki, the "ricinus" or castor-oil plant, commonly called "palm-christ" (palma-christi). It grows from eight to ten feet high. Only one leaf grows on a branch, but that leaf being often more than a foot large, the collective leaves give good shelter from the heat. It grows rapidly, and fades as suddenly when injured. to deliver him from his grief--It was therefore grief, not selfish anger, which Jonah felt (see on ). Some external comforts will often turn the mind away from its sorrowful bent.”
Jonah (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Jonah 4:6: And the Lord God prepared a gourd,.... So the Septuagint render the word; but some say that a worm will not touch that; Jerom renders it an ivy; but neither the gourd nor that rise upwards without some props to support them. The Hebrew word is "kikaion", the same with the "kiki", or "cici", of Herodotus (c), Dioscorides (d), Strabo (e), and Pliny (f); a plant frequent in Egypt, of which the Egyptians made an oil; hence the Talmudists (g) make mention of the oil of "kik", which Reshlakish says is the "kikaion" of Jonah; and which is the same that the Arabians call "alche”
Jonah (Lutheran) “Keil & Delitzsch on Jonah 4:6: Jehovah-God appointed a Qiqayon, which grew up over Jonah, to give him shade over his head, "to deliver him from his evil." The Qiqayon, which Luther renders gourd (Krbiss) after the lxx, but describes in his commentary on the book of Jonah as the vitis alba, is, according to Jerome, the shrub called Elkeroa in Syriac, a very common shrub in Palestine, which grows in sandy places, having broad leaves that throw a pleasant shadow, and which shoots up to a considerable height in a very few days. (Note: Jerome describes it thus: "A kind of bush or shrub, having broa”

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