Suffocation, the act of being deprived of air or the inability to breathe, is a condition that, while not explicitly detailed in the Bible, can be understood through various scriptural references and narratives that involve breath, life, and death. The Bible often uses breath as a symbol of life, given by God, and its absence as a representation of death or divine judgment.

Biblical Context and Symbolism

1. Creation and Breath of Life: The concept of breath as life is foundational in the Bible. In Genesis 2:7, God breathes life into Adam: "Then the LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being." This act signifies that life itself is a divine gift, and the breath is a direct impartation from God.

2. Divine Judgment and Breath: The removal or cessation of breath is often associated with divine judgment or the end of life. In Job 34:14-15, it is stated, "If He were to set His heart to it and withdraw His Spirit and breath, all flesh would perish together and mankind would return to the dust." This passage highlights the dependence of all living beings on God's sustaining breath.

3. Metaphorical Suffocation: While physical suffocation is not explicitly mentioned, metaphorical suffocation can be seen in the spiritual sense. For instance, in the parable of the sower, Jesus describes how the worries of life and the deceitfulness of wealth can "choke" the word, making it unfruitful (Matthew 13:22). This choking is a form of spiritual suffocation, where the life-giving word of God is stifled by worldly concerns.

4. Instances of Physical Distress: The Bible records instances where individuals experience physical distress that could be likened to suffocation. Jonah, in the belly of the great fish, describes his experience in terms that suggest a lack of air and overwhelming pressure: "The waters engulfed me to take my life; the watery depths closed around me; the seaweed wrapped around my head" (Jonah 2:5). This imagery conveys a sense of being trapped and deprived of breath.

5. Martyrdom and Persecution: Early Christians faced persecution that sometimes led to death by suffocation, such as being thrown into dungeons or enclosed spaces. While specific instances are not detailed in the biblical text, the broader context of persecution in the New Testament era suggests that suffocation could have been a method of martyrdom.

6. Breath as a Metaphor for the Holy Spirit: In the New Testament, breath is also symbolic of the Holy Spirit. In John 20:22, Jesus breathes on His disciples and says, "Receive the Holy Spirit." This act signifies the impartation of spiritual life and empowerment, contrasting the physical suffocation with spiritual vitality and renewal.

Theological Implications

Theologically, suffocation can be understood as the absence of God's life-giving presence. Just as physical breath is essential for life, spiritual breath, or the presence of the Holy Spirit, is essential for spiritual life. The Bible emphasizes the importance of remaining connected to God, the source of all life, to avoid spiritual suffocation.

In summary, while the Bible does not explicitly address suffocation as a physical condition, it uses the concept of breath and its absence to convey deeper spiritual truths about life, death, and the sustaining power of God.(n.) The act of suffocating, or the state of being suffocated; death caused by smothering or choking.SUFFOCATION

suf-o-ka'-shun.

See PUNISHMENTS.

4267. machanaq -- strangling, suffocation
... 4266, 4267. machanaq. 4268 . strangling, suffocation. Transliteration: machanaq
Phonetic Spelling: (makh-an-ak') Short Definition: suffocation. ...
/hebrew/4267.htm - 6k

Unbroken Connection Above.
... Death by drowning and death by suffocation, both threaten constantly, and each is
held off, one by the air, and the other by the continual supply of fresh air. ...
/.../gordon/quiet talks with world winners/unbroken connection above.htm

To the Rev. A. Brandram
... holes mine was amongst the worst, the rest having been for the most part bespoken
before I arrived on board, so that to avoid the suffocation which seemed to ...
/.../borrow/letters of george borrow/to the rev a brandram 16.htm

Jesus Heals a Leper and Creates Much Excitement.
... The disease spreads inwardly, and ends in consumption, dropsy, suffocation, and
death], ^ca man full of leprosy [Some have thought that Luke meant to indicate ...
/.../mcgarvey/the four-fold gospel/xxxiv jesus heals a leper.htm

Letter cxxvi. (AD 411. )
... On this, being comforted in my perplexities as by a breath of air when in danger
of suffocation, I made no reply, but went with quickened pace to my brother ...
/.../augustine/the confessions and letters of st/letter cxxvi a d 411.htm

The Pythagoreans and Stoics, While they Hold the Immortality of ...
... [443] Zeno, the chief of the Stoic sect. He is said to have died from
suffocation. [444] Empedocles was a philosopher and poet. ...
/.../lactantius/the divine institutes/chap xviii the pythagoreans and stoics.htm

The Waves of Time
... overwhelm us, we can look up through the transparent water and say, 'Thy waves and
Thy billows have gone over me,' and so I die not of suffocation beneath them ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture g/the waves of time.htm

Self-Mutilation for Self-Preservation
... go into, and to stand in, positions that are full of temptation and danger, as it
is a fireman's business to go into a burning house at the risk of suffocation ...
/.../expositions of holy scripture b/self-mutilation for self-preservation.htm

Of visions. The Graces Our Lord Bestowed on the Saint. The Answers ...
... They are not an upheaving of the breast, nor those devotional sensations, not uncommon,
which seem on the point of causing suffocation, and are beyond control. ...
/.../teresa/the life of st teresa of jesus/chapter xxix of visions the.htm

The Civil War --Antecedents and Consequences.
... antislavery convictions which had characterized it only twenty-five years before,
violently suppressed from utterance, seem to have perished by suffocation. ...
/.../a history of american christianity/chapter xix the civil warantecedents.htm

To those who had not Attended the Assembly.
... Now in the market place where there is so much turmoil and crowding, and scorching
wind, how is it that you do not make suffocation and heat an excuse for ...
//christianbookshelf.org/chrysostom/on the priesthood/to those who had not.htm

Suffocation (1 Occurrence)
... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. SUFFOCATION. suf-o-ka'-shun. See PUNISHMENTS.
Multi-Version Concordance Suffocation (1 Occurrence). ...
/s/suffocation.htm - 7k

Sufficiently (3 Occurrences)

/s/sufficiently.htm - 7k

Suggest (1 Occurrence)

/s/suggest.htm - 7k

Punishments (31 Occurrences)
... 2 Samuel 12:31 Hebrews 11:37); (4) torturing (1 Chronicles 20:3 Hebrews 11:35);
(5) precipitation (2 Chronicles 25:12 Luke 4:29); (6) suffocation (2 Maccabees ...
/p/punishments.htm - 36k

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