King James Bible Dictionary

1. Heb. rosh (Hosea 10:4; rendered "gall" in Deuteronomy 29:18; 32:32; Psalms 69:21; Jeremiah 9:15; 23:15; "poison," Job 20:16; "venom," Deuteronomy 32:33). "Rosh is the name of some poisonous plant which grows quickly and luxuriantly; of a bitter taste, and therefore coupled with wormwood (Deuteronomy 29:18; Lamentations 3:19). Hence it would seem to be not the hemlock cicuta, nor the colocynth or wild gourd, nor lolium darnel, but the poppy so called from its heads" (Gesenius, Lex.).

2. Heb. la'anah, generally rendered "wormwood" (q.v.), Deuteronomy 29:18, Text 17; Proverbs 5:4; Jeremiah 9:15; 23:15. Once it is rendered "hemlock" (Amos 6:12; R.V., "wormwood"). This Hebrew word is from a root meaning "to curse," hence the accursed.

A poisonous and bitter plant.
Hosea 10:4; Amos 6:12
Gall

the common ground or dwarf hemlock, a bitter, poisonous plant. The Hebrew rosh is rendered "hemlock" in two passages, (Hosea 10:4; Amos 6:12) but elsewhere "gall." [GALL] (It is possible that the plant is rather the poppy than an hemlock.

Cook.)

HEM'LOCK, noun

1. A plant of the genus Conium, whose leaves and root are poisonous. Also, the Cicuta maculata.

2. A tree of the genus Pinus, an evergreen.

3. A poison, an infusion or decoction of the poisonous plant.

Popular liberty might then have escaped the indelible reproach of decreeing to the same citizens the hemlock on one day, and statues on the next.