Topical Encyclopedia
In biblical times, the term "couch" refers to a piece of furniture used for reclining or resting. It is often mentioned in the context of daily life and domestic settings, serving as a place for relaxation, sleep, or even dining. The couch is a symbol of comfort and rest, but it can also carry connotations of idleness or indulgence, depending on the context.
Old Testament ReferencesThe Hebrew word often translated as "couch" is "miškāb," which can also mean "bed" or "place of lying down." In
Genesis 49:4, Jacob rebukes his son Reuben for defiling his father's couch, saying, "Turbulent as water, you shall no longer excel, because you went up to your father’s bed; then you defiled it—he went up to my couch." Here, the couch is a symbol of familial authority and sanctity, and Reuben's act is seen as a grave offense.
In the poetic and wisdom literature, couches are sometimes mentioned in the context of luxury and ease. For example,
Amos 6:4 criticizes those who "lie on beds of ivory and lounge on their couches," highlighting the complacency and self-indulgence of the wealthy in Israel. This usage underscores a moral lesson about the dangers of excessive comfort leading to spiritual neglect.
New Testament ReferencesIn the New Testament, the Greek word "klinē" is often used, which can mean "bed" or "couch." In
Mark 2:4, the account of the paralytic being lowered through the roof to reach Jesus mentions a "mat" or "couch": "Since they were unable to get to Jesus through the crowd, they uncovered the roof above Him, made an opening, and lowered the paralytic on his mat." Here, the couch serves as a symbol of the man's infirmity and his faith in seeking healing from Jesus.
The couch is also mentioned in the context of dining practices. In the Greco-Roman world, it was common to recline on couches during meals, a practice reflected in the Last Supper accounts. In
John 13:23, it is noted that "One of His disciples, the one whom Jesus loved, was reclining at His side." This indicates the intimate and communal nature of the meal, as well as the cultural setting of the time.
Symbolic and Theological ImplicationsThroughout Scripture, the couch can symbolize both physical rest and spiritual complacency. It serves as a reminder of the need for balance between rest and diligence, both in daily life and in one's spiritual walk. The couch's presence in various biblical narratives highlights the importance of hospitality, community, and the proper use of leisure.
In a broader theological sense, the couch can be seen as a metaphor for the rest that believers find in Christ. Just as a couch provides physical rest, so does faith in Jesus offer spiritual rest and peace. This is echoed in
Matthew 11:28, where Jesus invites, "Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."
In summary, the couch in biblical literature serves as a multifaceted symbol, representing both the comforts and potential pitfalls of earthly life, while pointing towards the ultimate rest found in a relationship with God.
Smith's Bible Dictionary
Couch[BED]
ATS Bible Dictionary
CouchSeeBED.
Easton's Bible Dictionary
(
Genesis 49:4;
1 Chronicles 5:1;
Job 7:13;
Psalm 6:6, etc.), a seat for repose or rest. (see
BED.)
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (
v. t.) To lay upon a bed or other resting place.
2. (v. t.) To arrange or dispose as in a bed; -- sometimes followed by the reflexive pronoun.
3. (v. t.) To lay or deposit in a bed or layer; to bed.
4. (v. t.) To transfer (as sheets of partly dried pulp) from the wire cloth mold to a felt blanket, for further drying.
5. (v. t.) To conceal; to include or involve darkly.
6. (v. t.) To arrange; to place; to inlay.
7. (v. t.) To put into some form of language; to express; to phrase; -- used with in and under.
8. (v. t.) To treat by pushing down or displacing the opaque lens with a needle; as, to couch a cataract.
9. (v. i.) To lie down or recline, as on a bed or other place of rest; to repose; to lie.
10. (v. i.) To lie down for concealment; to hide; to be concealed; to be included or involved darkly.
11. (v. i.) To bend the body, as in reverence, pain, labor, etc.; to stoop; to crouch.
12. (n.) A bed or place for repose or sleep; particularly, in the United States, a lounge.
13. (v. t.) Any place for repose, as the lair of a beast, etc.
14. (n.) A mass of steeped barley spread upon a floor to germinate, in malting; or the floor occupied by the barley; as, couch of malt.
15. (n.) A preliminary layer, as of color, size, etc.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
COUCHkouch (substantive.).
SeeBED.
Couch (verb): rabhats, "to crouch," "lurk," as a beast in readiness to spring on its prey. "If thou doest not well, sin coucheth at the door" (Genesis 4:7, the King James Version "lieth"), waiting for it to open. Cain is warned to beware of the first temptations to evil, in his case especially a sullen and jealous disposition (compare Dante, Inferno, I, 30). SeeABEL;CAIN. The tribe of Judah is compared for its bravery to a recumbent lion or lioness (Genesis 49:9; compareNumbers 24:9 f); and Issachar to "a strong ass, couching down between the sheepfolds" (Genesis 49:14, the King James Version "between two burdens"; compareJudges 5:16). "The deep that coucheth beneath" (Deuteronomy 33:13), probably the springs of water, or possibly, as Driver suggests, "the subterranean deep, pictured as a gigantic monster."
SeeABYSS.
M. O. Evans
Greek
2825. kline -- a smallcouch... a small
couch. Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: kline Phonetic Spelling:
(klee'-nay) Short Definition: a
couch, bed, mat, bier Definition: a
couch...2826. klinidion -- a smallcouch
... a smallcouch. Part of Speech: Noun, Neuter Transliteration: klinidion Phonetic
Spelling: (klin-id'-ee-on) Short Definition: acouch or litter Definition: a...
2825b. kline -- acouch
... kline. 2826 . acouch. Transliteration: kline Short Definition: bed. Word Origin
from klino Definition acouch NASB Word Usage bed (8). 2825a, 2825b....
2825a. klinarion -- a smallcouch
... klinarion. 2825b . a smallcouch. Transliteration: klinarion Short Definition:
cots. Word Origin dim. of kline Definition a smallcouch NASB Word Usage cots (...
2828. klisia -- a place for reclining
... a place for reclining. Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: klisia Phonetic
Spelling: (klee-see'-ah) Short Definition: a diningcouch, group of...
4746. stoibas -- branch.
... From a primary steibo (to "step" or "stamp"); a spread (as if tramped flat) of loose
materials for acouch, ie (by implication) a bough of a tree so employed...
2845. koite -- a bed
... bed, chambering, cohabitation. From keimai; acouch; by extension, cohabitation;
by implication, the male sperm -- bed, chambering, X conceive. see GREEK keimai...
4766. stronnuo -- to spread
... used only as an alternate in certain tenses) (probably akin to stereos through the
idea of positing); to "strew," ie Spread (as a carpet orcouch) -- make bed...
Strong's Hebrew
6210. eres -- acouch, divan... 6209, 6210. eres. 6211 . a
couch, divan. Transliteration: eres Phonetic
Spelling: (eh'res) Short Definition:
couch. Word Origin
...4904. mishkab -- place of lying, acouch, act of lying
... place of lying, acouch, act of lying. Transliteration: mishkab Phonetic Spelling:
(mish-kawb') Short Definition: bed.... bedchamber,couch, lying with....
4296. mittah -- acouch, bed
... 4295, 4296. mittah. 4297 . acouch, bed. Transliteration: mittah Phonetic
Spelling: (mit-taw') Short Definition: bed. Word Origin...
3326. yatsua -- acouch, bed
... 3325, 3326. yatsua. 3327 . acouch, bed. Transliteration: yatsua Phonetic Spelling:
(yaw-tsoo'-ah) Short Definition: bed. Word Origin pass. part....
4702. matstsa --couch, bed
...couch, bed. Transliteration: matstsa Phonetic Spelling: (mats-tsaw') Short Definition:
bed. Word Origin from yatsa Definitioncouch, bed NASB Word Usage bed (1)...
4903. mishkab --couch, bed
... 4902, 4903. mishkab. 4904 .couch, bed. Transliteration: mishkab Phonetic
Spelling: (mish-kab') Short Definition: bed. Word Origin...
3766. kara -- to bow down
... bow down, self, bring down low, cast down,couch, fall, feeble, kneeling,.
A primitive root; to bend the knee; by implication, to...
7817. shachach -- to bow, be bowed down, crouch
... A primitive root; to sink or depress (reflexive or causative) -- bend, bow (down),
bring (cast) down,couch, humble self, be (bring) low, stoop. 7816, 7817....
7258. rebets -- (place of) lying down, resting place, dwelling...
... where each lay, lie down in, resting place. From rabats; acouch or place of repose --
where each lay, lie down in, resting place. see HEBREW rabats....
Library
He Made the Pillars Thereof of Silver, theCouch of Gold, the...
... 10. He made the pillars thereof of silver, thecouch of gold, the ascent thereto
of purple; and the midst thereof he strewed with love for the daughters of...
St. Ambrose, Speaking of Tears, Explains David's Saying, "Every...
... Book III. Chapter V. St. Ambrose, speaking of tears, explains David's saying,
"Every night wash l mycouch with? St. Ambrose, speaking...
While the King was Reclining Upon hisCouch, My Spikenard Sent...
... COMMENTARY. CHAPTER I. 11. While the King was reclining upon hiscouch,
my spikenard sent forth the smell thereof. The Spouse is...
Second Latin Form.
... of her burial, and that palm of light which she had received from the angel,
instructing him that he should cause it to be carried before hercouch when she...
After These Things Joseph Departed Thence with Mary and Jesus to...
... Joseph, exceedingly rich. But he had wasted away under his infirmity,
and died, and was lying dead in hiscouch. And when Jesus...
Whether the Sacraments are the Cause of Grace?
... whereby it is moved by the principal agent: so that the effect is not likened to
the instrument but to the principal agent: for instance, thecouch is not like...
The Bed and Its Covering
... and clothing for his soul;and then, afterward, we shall briefly attempt to show
how God has accomplished this, and has given to the believer acouch upon which...
Christ Heals a Paralytic at Capernaum, and the Pharisees Accuse...
... palsy. Four men carried thecouch on which the sick man lay; but the throng
was so great that they could not make their way through....
The Sleeper.
... Never did sun sink so gently in its crimsoncouch"never did child, nestling
in its mother's bosom, close its eyes more sweetly!...
Meanwhile Cardinal Bonpre had once More Reached his Own Apartments...
... Sovrani suddenly clutched him by the arm, and drew him close to thecouch
where he had just laid the body of his daughter down....
Thesaurus
Couch (55 Occurrences)... 8. (vt) To treat by pushing down or displacing the opaque lens with a needle; as,
to
couch a cataract.
... Standard Bible Encyclopedia.
COUCH. kouch (substantive.).
...Bedstead (1 Occurrence)
... Used in Deuteronomy 3:11, but elsewhere rendered "couch," "bed." In 2 Kings 1:4;
16:2; Psalm 132:3; Amos 3:12, the divan is meant by this word....
Bedchamber (6 Occurrences)
... Because thou wentest up to thy father's bed; then defiledst thou it"); `eres (Proverbs
7:16, the "strange woman" says: "I have spread mycouch with carpets of...
Triclinium
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (n.) Acouch for reclining at meals, extending
round three sides of a table, and usually in three parts....
Walking (189 Occurrences)
... wasted bodies. (BBE). John 5:8 Jesus saith to him, 'Rise, take up thycouch,
and be walking;' (YLT). John 5:9 and immediately the...
Silk (4 Occurrences)
... AV, "in the corner of a bed, and in Damascus in acouch;" RV, "in the corner of
acouch, and on the silken cushions of a bed" (marg., "in Damascus on a bed")....
Tower (74 Occurrences)
... by 108 ft.). In these western chambers stood thecouch of the god, and the golden
throne mentioned by Herodotus, with other objects of great value....
Lamp-stand (17 Occurrences)
... house. (DBY YLT). Mark 4:21 And he said to them, Does the lamp come that
it should be put under the bushel or under thecouch? Is...
Recline (14 Occurrences)
... 2. (vi) To lean or incline; as, to recline against a wall. 3. (vi) To assume,
or to be in, a recumbent position; as, to recline on acouch....
Paralysed (5 Occurrences)
... Paralysed (5 Occurrences). Luke 5:18 And lo, men bringing upon acouch a man who
was paralysed; and they sought to bring him in, and put him before him. (DBY)....
Resources
What was the significance of the horns of the altar (Amos 3:14)? | GotQuestions.orgWhat is the significance of a footstool in the Bible? | GotQuestions.orgWhat can we learn from the tribe of Reuben? | GotQuestions.orgCouch: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
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