In biblical literature, the term "briar" is often used to describe a type of thorny plant or shrub. It is frequently mentioned in the context of desolation, judgment, and the consequences of sin. The imagery of briars is employed to convey the idea of obstacles, difficulties, and the results of turning away from God.

Biblical References:

1. Isaiah 5:6 : "I will make it a wasteland, neither pruned nor cultivated, and briers and thorns will grow there. I will command the clouds not to rain on it." In this passage, briars symbolize the desolation that comes upon the vineyard of the Lord, representing the nation of Israel, due to their unfaithfulness and disobedience.

2. Isaiah 7:23-25 : "And on that day, in every place where there were a thousand vines worth a thousand shekels of silver, only briers and thorns will be found. Men will go there with bows and arrows because the land will become briers and thorns. For all the hills once cultivated by the hoe, you will no longer go there for fear of the briers and thorns; they will become places for oxen to graze and sheep to trample." Here, briars and thorns are used to depict the transformation of a once fertile and prosperous land into a place of desolation and danger, a result of divine judgment.

3. Ezekiel 28:24 : "No longer will the people of Israel have malicious neighbors who are painful briers and sharp thorns. Then they will know that I am the Lord GOD." In this context, briars and thorns metaphorically represent hostile nations surrounding Israel. The promise of their removal signifies God's protection and the restoration of peace.

4. Micah 7:4 : "The best of them is like a brier; the most upright is sharper than a hedge of thorns. The day of your watchmen has come, the day of your visitation. Now is the time of their confusion." This verse uses briars to illustrate the moral corruption and treachery among the people, emphasizing the need for divine intervention and judgment.

Symbolism and Interpretation:

In the Bible, briars are often symbolic of the consequences of sin and rebellion against God. They represent the natural outcome of a life lived apart from divine guidance and blessing. The presence of briars in a land or among a people is frequently associated with divine judgment, serving as a physical manifestation of spiritual desolation.

The imagery of briars also serves as a warning to the faithful, reminding them of the importance of obedience and the dangers of turning away from God's commandments. In contrast, the removal of briars is a sign of restoration and divine favor, indicating a return to righteousness and the blessings that accompany it.

Overall, the use of briars in biblical texts underscores the themes of judgment, repentance, and redemption, highlighting the transformative power of God's intervention in the lives of His people.1. (n.) Same as Brier.

2. (n.) A plant with a slender woody stem bearing stout prickles; especially, species of Rosa, Rubus, and Smilax.

3. (n.) Fig.: Anything sharp or unpleasant to the feelings.

942. batos -- a bramble bush
... bramble. Word Origin a prim. word Definition a bramble bush NASB Word Usage
briar bush (1), bush (2), thorn bush (2). bramble, bush. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/942.htm - 6k2312. chedeq -- a briar
... 2311, 2312. chedeq. 2313 . a briar. Transliteration: chedeq Phonetic
Spelling: (khay'-dek) Short Definition: briar. Word Origin ...
/hebrew/2312.htm - 5k

5544. sillon -- a briar
sillon or sallon. 5543c, 5544. sillon or sallon. 5545 . a briar. Transliteration:
sillon or sallon Phonetic Spelling: (sil-lone') Short Definition: brier. ...
/hebrew/5544.htm - 6k

2336. choach -- briar, bramble, hook, ring, fetter
... 2335, 2336. choach. 2337 . briar, bramble, hook, ring, fetter. Transliteration:
choach Phonetic Spelling: (kho'-akh) Short Definition: bush. ...
/hebrew/2336.htm - 6k

'The Sword of the Spirit'
... One sometimes sees on a wild briar a graft which has been carefully inserted and
bandaged up, but which has failed to strike, and so the strain of the briar ...
/.../expositions of holy scripture ephesians peter/the sword of the spirit.htm

The Release of Saint George.
... and heard the same sounds as did Saint David and the faithful Owen; but, equally
dauntless, they clove their onward way through brake and briar, in spite of ...
/.../kingston/the seven champions of christendom/chapter eleven the release of.htm

Concerning Persecution
... A persecutor is a pricking briar' (Ezekiel 28:24); therefore the church
is described to be a lily among thorns' (Canticles 2:2). ...
/.../the beatitudes an exposition of matthew 51-12/21 concerning persecution.htm

A Thanksgiving to God, for his House
... small; A little buttery, and therein A little bin, Which keeps my little loaf of
bread Unchipt, unflead; Some brittle sticks of thorn or briar Make me a fire ...
/.../wells/bible stories and religious classics/a thanksgiving to god for.htm

The Young Knight: a Parable
... He twined the wild briar, red and white, Upon his head the garland dight, The green
leaves withered black as night, And burnt into his brain O! ...
/.../kingsley/andromeda and other poems/the young knight a parable.htm

Pilgrim Song
... What if our feet be torn? Where He has marked the pathway. All hail the briar and
thorn! Scarce seen, scarce heard, unreckoned,. Despised, defamed, unknown,. ...
/.../bevan/hymns of ter steegen suso and others/pilgrim song.htm

A Thanksgiving to God for his House
... Which keeps my little loaf of Bread. Unchipt, unflead [95] : Some brittle sticks
of thorn or briar. Make me a fire,. Close by whose living coal I sit,. ...
/.../palgrave/the treasury of sacred song/xciv a thanksgiving to god.htm

On Easter
... the Church. By cultivating rustic hearts with mild conversations, a crop
is produced from a briar by the bounty of Felix. The Saxon ...
//christianbookshelf.org/venantius/on easter/on easter.htm

Supposing Him to be the Gardener
... He can cause the fir tree to flourish instead of the thorn, and the myrtle instead
of the briar; but no one else can accomplish such a change. ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 29 1883/supposing him to be the.htm

Concerning Peaceableness
... Grace turns the vulture into a dove, the briar into a myrtle tree (Isaiah
55:13), the lion-like fierceness into a lamb-like gentleness. ...
/.../the beatitudes an exposition of matthew 51-12/18 concerning peaceableness.htm

Briar (2 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Briar (2 Occurrences). ... (See NAS). Micah 7:4 The best of
them is as a briar; the most upright, worse than a thorn-fence. ...
/b/briar.htm - 7k

Briars (11 Occurrences)

/b/briars.htm - 9k

Thorn-fence (1 Occurrence)
... Multi-Version Concordance Thorn-fence (1 Occurrence). Micah 7:4 The best of them
is as a briar; the most upright, worse than a thorn-fence. ...
/t/thorn-fence.htm - 6k

Brethren's (2 Occurrences)

/b/brethren's.htm - 7k

Brier (10 Occurrences)
... Matthew 7:16, "thistle.". Noah Webster's Dictionary. (n.) Alt. of Briar. Int. Standard
Bible Encyclopedia. BRIER. bri'-er. See THORNS. Multi-Version Concordance ...
/b/brier.htm - 11k

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