Topical Encyclopedia
In the biblical narrative, bushes are mentioned in various contexts, often symbolizing God's presence, provision, and the natural environment of the ancient Near East. The most notable reference to a bush in the Bible is the account of the burning bush in the Book of Exodus.
The Burning BushThe burning bush is a significant theophany in the Old Testament, where God reveals Himself to Moses. This event is recorded in
Exodus 3:1-4:17. Moses encounters a bush that is on fire but is not consumed by the flames. This miraculous sight captures Moses' attention, and God speaks to him from the bush, commissioning him to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. The passage reads:
"Now Moses was shepherding the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. There the Angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire from within a bush. Moses saw the bush ablaze with fire, but it was not consumed. So Moses thought, 'I must go over and see this marvelous sight. Why is the bush not burning up?' When the LORD saw that he had gone over to look, God called out to him from the bush, 'Moses, Moses!' 'Here I am,' he answered." (
Exodus 3:1-4)
This encounter emphasizes God's holiness and His power to transcend natural laws. The burning bush serves as a symbol of God's enduring presence and His ability to sustain and protect His people.
Bushes in the WildernessBushes are also mentioned in the context of the wilderness, where they are part of the natural landscape. In
Genesis 21:15, Hagar, the maidservant of Sarah, wanders in the wilderness with her son Ishmael. When their water runs out, she places Ishmael under one of the bushes, highlighting the sparse vegetation typical of desert regions:
"When the water in the skin was gone, she put the boy under one of the bushes." (
Genesis 21:15)
This account underscores the harsh conditions of the wilderness and the reliance on God's provision for survival.
Symbolism and ImageryIn biblical literature, bushes can symbolize humility and the ordinary, yet they are often used by God to convey extraordinary messages. The burning bush, in particular, represents God's ability to use the humble and the lowly to accomplish His divine purposes. This theme is echoed throughout Scripture, where God frequently chooses the unlikely and the overlooked to fulfill His plans.
Bushes, as part of the natural world, also remind believers of God's creation and His sovereignty over all things. They serve as a backdrop for many biblical events, illustrating the connection between the Creator and His creation.
In summary, bushes in the Bible are more than mere plants; they are instruments through which God communicates His presence, power, and purpose to His people.
Strong's Hebrew
5285. naatsuts -- a thorn bush... Word Origin from an unused word Definition a thorn bush NASB Word Usage thorn
bush (1), thorn
bushes (1). thorn. From an unused root
...7880. siach -- a bush, shrub, plant
... 7879, 7880. siach. 7881 . a bush, shrub, plant. Transliteration: siach
Phonetic Spelling: (see'-akh) Short Definition:bushes. Word...
3293. ya'ar -- wood, forest, thicket
... From an unused root probably meaning to thicken with verdure; a copse ofbushes;
hence, a forest; hence, honey in the comb (as hived in trees) -- (honey-)comb...
6975. qots -- a thorn, thornbush
... thorns. Word Origin from an unused word Definition a thorn, thornbush NASB
Word Usage thorn (2), thornbushes (1), thorns (9). thorn....
5518b. sir -- a thorn, hook
... Word Origin from the same as sir Definition a thorn, hook NASB Word Usage hooks
(1), thornbushes (1), thorns (3). 5518a, 5518b. sir. 5519 . Strong's Numbers
Library
Diamond and his Mother Sat Down Upon the Edge of the Rough Grass...
... "Oh! now I remember," Diamond went on. "Father told me that day I went to Epping
Forest with him, that the rose-bushes, and the may-bushes, and the holly...
Pilgrims of the Victorious Life
... The flowers are free to all pilgrims; but the road to the garden is a very rough
road, and thorn-bushes fringe it for a considerable distance....
A Bible-Riddle
... And according to the story, a young lion rushed out at him from behind somebushes,
and Samson, being a very strong man, broke its jaws and killed it, and left...
Expatriation
... The Arab in the copse whinnied softly. A second trio of soldiers, following with
a smaller drove, heard the call from thebushes and drew up....
The Terror by Night
... Then he heard thebushes moving and twigs crackling under the feet of some animal
the other side of the lane-fence. He thought of the wildcat....
Seed among Thorns
... No sensible sower would cast his seed among growing thorn-bushes, and we must
necessarily understand that the description in this verse is not meant to give us...
The Burial and Assumption of the Blessed virgin
... Two disciples held back thebushes from the entrance, and they went in and knelt
in reverent awe before the resting-place of the Blessed Virgin....
"There, Baby!" Said Diamond; "I'M So Happy that I Can Only Sing...
... But although it was so wild, yet wherever in an ordinary heath you might have expected
furzebushes, or holly, or broom, there grew roses"-wild and rare...
Shall we Go?
... Then the road begins to narrow a bit. The thornbushes on the side have grown so
thick and rank that they push over the sides of the road, and narrow it down....
The High Woods
... we were glad, when we neared the high tree which marks the entrance of the Chaguanas
Creek, and turned at last into a recess in the mangrovebushes; a desolate...
Thesaurus
Bushes (7 Occurrences)... Multi-Version Concordance
Bushes (7 Occurrences). Matthew 7:16 By their fruits you
will know them.
... (See NAS NIV). Job 30:4 They pluck salt herbs by the
bushes.
...Lotus-bushes (2 Occurrences)
Lotus-bushes. Lotus, Lotus-bushes. Lotuses . Multi-Version Concordance
Lotus-bushes (2 Occurrences). Job 40:21 He lieth...
Thorn-bushes (1 Occurrence)
Thorn-bushes. Thornbushes, Thorn-bushes. Thorn-fence . Multi-Version
Concordance Thorn-bushes (1 Occurrence). Isaiah...
Bush (14 Occurrences)
... 3. (n.) A shrub cut off, or a shrublike branch of a tree; as,bushes to support
pea vines.... 7. (vt) To setbushes for; to support withbushes; as, to bush peas....
Hedge (12 Occurrences)
... 1. (n.) A thicket ofbushes, usually thornbushes; especially, such a thicket planted
as a fence between any two portions of land; and also any sort of...
Nettles (5 Occurrences)
... the association with the "saltwort" and the retm, "broom," in the passage would
best be met by the supposition that it means the low thornybushes plentiful in...
Bushy (1 Occurrence)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (a.) Thick and spreading, like a bush. 2. (a.) Full
ofbushes; overgrowing with shrubs. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. BUSHY....
Lotus (2 Occurrences)
Botany
... The process having been commenced by the hand of man is assisted by the goats who
crop the tender leaves and shoots, and thus keep stunted many of thebushes....
Undergrowth (2 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Undergrowth (2 Occurrences). Job 30:7 Among thebushes
they bray; under the nettles they are gathered together. (See NIV)....
Resources
What does it mean that you will know them by their fruit in Matthew 7:16? | GotQuestions.orgWhat is a hedge of protection? | GotQuestions.orgDoes Matthew 7:21-23 mean that believers can lose salvation? | GotQuestions.orgBible Concordance •
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