Topical Encyclopedia
In the Bible, the egg is mentioned a few times, symbolizing various aspects of life and nature. The egg, as a symbol of potential and new beginnings, is a fitting metaphor in the biblical context, where themes of creation, life, and providence are prevalent.
Biblical References:1.
Job 6:6 : "Is tasteless food eaten without salt, or is there flavor in the white of an egg?" In this passage, Job uses the egg to illustrate the concept of tastelessness and dissatisfaction. The white of an egg, being bland, serves as a metaphor for something that lacks substance or appeal. This reflects Job's feelings of despair and the futility he perceives in his suffering.
2.
Isaiah 10:14 : "My hand reached as into a nest to seize the wealth of the nations; like one gathering abandoned eggs, I gathered all the earth. There was no wing that fluttered, no beak that opened or chirped." Here, the egg is used in a metaphorical sense to describe the ease with which the Assyrian king claims victory over nations. The imagery of gathering abandoned eggs suggests a lack of resistance and the vulnerability of those conquered.
3.
Luke 11:12 : "Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion?" In this teaching, Jesus uses the egg to illustrate the goodness of God in providing for His children. Just as a father would not give something harmful when asked for something good, God, too, gives good gifts to those who ask Him. The egg here symbolizes nourishment and the basic needs of life, contrasting with the danger represented by the scorpion.
Symbolism and Interpretation:In biblical symbolism, the egg can represent life, potential, and the promise of new beginnings. It is a natural emblem of creation, reflecting the intricate design and providence of God in the natural world. The egg's potential to bring forth life aligns with the biblical themes of fertility and renewal.
The egg also serves as a metaphor for vulnerability and the need for protection. Just as an egg is fragile and requires care, so too are the people of God depicted as needing the protection and guidance of their Creator.
Cultural and Historical Context:In ancient Near Eastern cultures, eggs were a common food item and would have been familiar to the biblical audience. They were valued for their nutritional content and simplicity. The use of eggs in biblical metaphors would have resonated with the everyday experiences of the people, making the teachings more relatable and understandable.
Theological Insights:From a theological perspective, the egg can be seen as a symbol of God's provision and care. It reminds believers of the potential for growth and new life that God offers. The egg's presence in Scripture, though limited, underscores the richness of biblical imagery and the depth of meaning that can be drawn from even the simplest elements of creation.
Easton's Bible Dictionary
(Hebrews beytsah, "whiteness"). Eggs deserted (
Isaiah 10:14), of a bird (
Deuteronomy 22:6), an ostrich (
Job 39:14), the cockatrice (
Isaiah 59:5). In
Luke 11:12, an egg is contrasted with a scorpion, which is said to be very like an egg in its appearance, so much so as to be with difficulty at times distinguished from it. In
Job 6:6 ("the white of an egg") the word for egg (hallamuth') occurs nowhere else. It has been translated "purslain" (R.V. marg.), and the whole phrase "purslain-broth", i.e., broth made of that herb, proverbial for its insipidity; and hence an insipid discourse. Job applies this expression to the speech of Eliphaz as being insipid and dull. But the common rendering, "the white of an egg", may be satisfactorily maintained.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (
n.) The oval or roundish body laid by domestic poultry and other birds, tortoises, etc. It consists of a yolk, usually surrounded by the white or albumen, and enclosed in a shell or strong membrane.
2. (n.) A simple cell, from the development of which the young of animals are formed; ovum; germ cell.
3. (n.) Anything resembling an egg in form.
4. (v. t.) To urge on; to instigate; to incite/
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
EGG(betsah; oon; Latin ovum):
An oval or spheroid body produced by birds, fishes and reptiles, from which their young emerge when incubated or naturally developed. The fertile egg of a bird consists of the yolk, a small disk from which the embryo develops, the albuminous white, and a calcareous shell. The most ancient records prove that eggs have been used as an article of diet ever since the use of the flesh of fowl began. Chickens were unknown in Palestine in the days of Job, so that his query concerning the taste of the white of an egg might have referred to those of pigeons, ducks, eggs taken from the nests of geese or swans, game birds or ostriches. "Can that which hath no savor be eaten without salt? Or is there any taste in the white of an egg?" (Job 6:6, the Revised Version, margin "the juice of purslain"). InLuke 11:12 there is every possibility that the egg of our common domestic fowl is referred to as "chickens" (which see) had been imported and were numerous in Palestine at that time. "Or if he shall ask an egg, will he give him a scorpion?" The reference inIsaiah 59:5 is to the egg of a serpent, and is figurative of the schemes of evil men: "They hatch adders' eggs, and weave the spider's web: he that eateth of their eggs dieth; and that which is crushed breaketh out into a viper."
Gene Stratton-Porter
Greek
5609. oon -- anegg... 5608, 5609. oon. 5610 . an
egg. Part of Speech: Noun, Neuter Transliteration:
oon Phonetic Spelling: (o-on') Short Definition: an
egg Definition: an
egg.
...Strong's Hebrew
1000. betsah -- anegg... 999, 1000. betsah. 1001 . an
egg. Transliteration: betsah Phonetic Spelling:
(bay-tsaw') Short Definition: eggs. Word Origin
... 6).
egg. From
...2495. challamuth -- (a plant), probably a purslane
... 2494, 2495. challamuth. 2496 . (a plant), probably a purslane. Transliteration:
challamuth Phonetic Spelling: (khal-law-mooth') Short Definition:egg....egg....
7388. riyr -- to flow (like slime)
... spittle, white of anegg From ruwr; saliva; by resemblance, broth -- spittle, white
(of anegg). see HEBREW ruwr. 7387, 7388. riyr. 7388a . Strong's Numbers
Library
Egg-Shell Christians
... TALK SEVEN.EGG-SHELL CHRISTIANS. You have sometimes heard it said of people
that "they have to be handled like eggs"; eggs must...
There is a Popular Philosophical Joke Intended to Typify the...
... popular philosophical joke intended to typify the endless and useless arguments
of philosophers; I mean the joke about which came first, the chicken or theegg...
A Life for a Life
... I had anegg for breakfast this morning, and I saw that it was anegg;
there it was, shell and all. God made thategg. I had an...
The Name of God
... Why does an eagle'segg always produce an eagle, and a dove'segg a dove, and
so forth? No man knows, no man can give any reason whatsoever....
Fabulous Heathen Genealogies.
... called "The Birds," having taken upon him to handle the subject of the Creation,
said that in the beginning the world was produced from anegg, saying: [558...
Kronos and Rhea Explained.
... [1064] For the whole body of matter was borne about for some Time, before it brought
forth, like anegg, the sphere-like, all-embracing heaven (ouranos), which...
Whether the Image of God is in Man?
... For an "image" is so called because it is produced as an imitation of something
else; wherefore, for instance, anegg, however much like and equal to another...
A Whitsun Sermon
... Who can tell that? What is life? What is it which changes the seed into a flower,
theegg into a bird? It is not the seed itself; theegg itself....
Stones Rolled Away
... a certain lady of that point as they were sitting at dinner; and he said to her
that in the pudding which they had just eaten there was anegg, and that that...
On the Words of the Gospel, Luke xi. 5, "Which of You Shall have a...
... serpent? or if he ask anegg, will he offer him a scorpion?... 7. There remains
hope, which, as I think, is compared to anegg. For...
Thesaurus
Egg (3 Occurrences)... Eggs deserted (Isaiah 10:14), of a bird (Deuteronomy 22:6), an ostrich (Job 39:14),
the cockatrice (Isaiah 59:5). In Luke 11:12, an
egg is contrasted with a
...Scorpion (6 Occurrences)
... Luke 10:19), "Behold, I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions,"
and again in Luke 11:12 He says, "Or if he shall ask anegg, will he...
Anchor (4 Occurrences)
... of certain moldings. It is seen in the echinus, oregg-and-anchor (called
alsoegg-and-dart,egg-and-tongue) ornament. 7. (n.) One...
Ostrich (9 Occurrences)
... It is the custom of natives on finding a nest to take a long stick and draw
out anegg. If incubation has advanced enough to spoil...
Juice (8 Occurrences)
... translation of `acic, the Revised Version margin "sweet wine"), and once in the
Revised Version margin of Job 6:6, where for "the white of anegg" margin reads...
Pelican (5 Occurrences)
... three eggs. The brown birds deposited a creamy-whiteegg with a rosy flush;
the white, a whiteegg with bluish tints. The young...
Blow (124 Occurrences)
... to blow an organ. 17. (vt) To clear of contents by forcing air through;
as, to blow anegg; to blow one's nose. 18. (vt) To burst...
Bonnet (1 Occurrence)
... 9 the Revised Version (British and American), "to bind head-tires," literally "to
wind head-tires," means, in the light of usage, "to form anegg-shaped turban...
Cockatrice (3 Occurrences)
... Easton's Bible Dictionary The mediaeval name (a corruption of "crocodile") of
a fabulous serpent supposed to be produced from a cock'segg....
Eggs (7 Occurrences)
Resources
Is being a sperm/egg donor a sin? Is it a sin to use a sperm/egg donor? | GotQuestions.orgWhat is the Plan B morning-after pill? | GotQuestions.orgWhat are some popular illustrations of the Holy Trinity? | GotQuestions.orgEgg: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
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