Topical Encyclopedia
Definition and Context:Mire refers to a swampy or boggy ground, often characterized by wet, sticky mud or sludge. In biblical literature, mire is frequently used metaphorically to describe a state of degradation, entrapment, or moral filth. It symbolizes the entanglements and corruptions of sin, as well as the difficulties and struggles faced by individuals who stray from righteousness.
Biblical References:1.
Psalm 40:2 : "He lifted me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry clay; He set my feet upon a rock, and made my footsteps firm."
· In this verse, mire represents a state of despair and helplessness. The psalmist acknowledges God's deliverance from a perilous situation, illustrating the transformative power of divine intervention. The "miry clay" signifies the entrapment and instability of life without God's guidance.
2.
Jeremiah 38:6 : "So they took Jeremiah and cast him into the cistern of Malchiah, the king’s son, which was in the courtyard of the guard. They lowered Jeremiah with ropes. Now there was no water in the cistern, but only mud, and Jeremiah sank into the mud."
· Here, the prophet Jeremiah is literally cast into a mire, symbolizing the rejection and persecution he faced for delivering God's message. The physical mire reflects the spiritual and societal mire of Judah, which had turned away from God.
3.
2 Peter 2:22 : "Of them the proverbs are true: 'A dog returns to its vomit,' and, 'A sow that is washed goes back to her wallowing in the mud.'"
· This passage uses the imagery of mire to describe the folly of returning to sinful behaviors after having been cleansed. The "wallowing in the mud" is a metaphor for the relapse into sin, highlighting the persistent nature of human depravity without the sustaining grace of God.
Theological Implications:Mire, as used in the Bible, serves as a powerful metaphor for the human condition apart from God. It illustrates the entrapment and moral decay that result from sin and disobedience. The imagery of being stuck in mire underscores the need for divine rescue and redemption. Just as one cannot easily extricate oneself from physical mire, so too is it impossible to escape the mire of sin without God's intervention.
The biblical narrative consistently portrays God as the one who lifts individuals out of the mire, setting them on a firm foundation. This act of deliverance is emblematic of salvation through Jesus Christ, who offers redemption and a new path for those ensnared by sin. The recurring theme of mire in Scripture serves as a reminder of the consequences of turning away from God and the hope of restoration through His grace.
Moral and Spiritual Lessons:The concept of mire in the Bible teaches several key lessons:
·
Dependence on God: Just as one cannot escape physical mire without help, spiritual deliverance requires reliance on God. Human efforts alone are insufficient to overcome the bondage of sin.
·
The Danger of Sin: Mire symbolizes the entangling nature of sin, which can trap and degrade the soul. It serves as a warning against complacency and the allure of sinful behaviors.
·
Hope and Redemption: Despite the depth of the mire, God's power to save is greater. The imagery of being lifted from the mire offers hope for renewal and transformation through faith.
In summary, mire in the Bible is a vivid symbol of the struggles and entrapments of life without God, emphasizing the necessity of divine intervention for true liberation and righteousness.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (
n.) An ant.
2. (n.) Deep mud; wet, spongy earth.
3. (v. t.) To cause or permit to stick fast in mire; to plunge or fix in mud; as, to mire a horse or wagon.
4. (v. t.) To soil with mud or foul matter.
5. (v. i.) To stick in mire.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
MIREmir.
SeeCHALKSTONE;CLAY; MARSH.
Greek
1004. borboros -- mud, filth... mud, filth. Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine Transliteration: borboros Phonetic Spelling:
(bor'-bor-os) Short Definition: mud,
mire, filth Definition: mud,
mire...Strong's Hebrew
2916. tit -- mud,mire, clay... 2915, 2916. tit. 2917 . mud,
mire, clay. Transliteration: tit Phonetic Spelling:
(teet) Short Definition:
mire. Word Origin of uncertain
...1206. bots --mire
...mire. Transliteration: bots Phonetic Spelling: (botse) Short Definition:mire. Word
Origin from an unused word Definitionmire NASB Word Usagemire (1).mire....
3121. yaven --mire
... 3120, 3121. yaven. 3122 .mire. Transliteration: yaven Phonetic Spelling:
(yaw-ven') Short Definition:mire. Word Origin of uncertain...
7516. rephesh --mire
... 7515, 7516. rephesh. 7517 .mire. Transliteration: rephesh Phonetic Spelling:
(reh'-fesh) Short Definition: refuse....mire. From raphas; mud (as roiled) --mire...
2563. chomer -- cement, mortar, clay
... 2562, 2563. chomer. 2563a . cement, mortar, clay. Transliteration: chomer Phonetic
Spelling: (kho'mer) Short Definition: clay. clay, heap, homer,mire, motion...
1207. bitstsah -- a swamp
... swamp,mire. Intensive from bots; a swamp -- fen,mire(-ry place). see HEBREW
bots. 1206, 1207. bitstsah. 1208 . Strong's Numbers.
2563a. chomer -- cement, mortar, clay
... Word Origin from chamar Definition cement, mortar, clay NASB Word Usage clay (12),
mire (1), mortar (4), mud (1). 2563, 2563a. chomer. 2563b ....
Library
The Protection of Chastity and virginity Divinely Given to Men...
... Discourse IV."Theopatra. Chapter II."The Protection of Chastity and Virginity Divinely
Given to Men, that They May Emerge from theMire of Vices....
Psalm CXIII.
... 6. "He taketh up the destitute out of the dust, and lifteth the poor out of the
mire" (ver.7); "that He may set Him with the princes, even with the princes of...
The Apocalypse of Peter.
... 22. And there was a great lake, full of flamingmire, in which were certain men
that pervert righteousness, [3891] and tormenting angels afflicted them. 23....
Happy are Ye Whose Bodies have Been Made to Shine!
... the fire of the sanctuary, [514] "a mystery of that glorified fire"which the Highpriest
mingles in Baptism."The priests took up of themire,"and on the...
That He Descended into Hell is Also Evidently Foretold in the...
... the death." And again, "What profit is there in my blood, when I shall have descended
into corruption?" And again, "I descended into the deepmire, where there...
That the King of Babylon Repented of Making Jehoiachin King, and...
... the king had granted them such a permission, they presently came into the prison,
and took him, and let him down with a cord into a pit full ofmire, that he...
The Broken and Contrite Heart
... But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast
upmire and dirt.... It is not God who casts up themire and dirt....
I Lift My Hands, and with My Heart,
... II. Lo! in themire of sin I lie,. My raiment all defiled;... VI. And hold me up, lest
to themire. Of sin my soul return; O let Thy love my spirit fire,....
David's Hymn of victory
... Then did I beat them as small as the dust of the earth, I did stamp them
as themire of the street, and did spread them abroad.44....
I Lift My Hands, and with My Heart
... Lord, send Thy help to me. Lo, in themire of sin I lie,. My raiment all defiled;...
And hold me up, lest to themire. Of sin My soul return;...
Thesaurus
Mire (21 Occurrences)... 3. (vt) To cause or permit to stick fast in
mire; to plunge or fix in mud;
as, to
mire a horse or wagon.
... 5. (vi) To stick in
mire. Int.
...Mud (15 Occurrences)
... I crushed them as themire of the streets, and spread them abroad. (See NIV). Job
30:19 He has cast me into themire. I have become like dust and ashes....
Marsh (4 Occurrences)
... the Revised Version (British and American) "cistern" (Isaiah 30:14); compare Arabic
jaba', "reservoir," "watering-through"; (2) bots, "mire"; bitstsah, "mire...
Sunk (20 Occurrences)
... (See NAS). Psalms 69:2 I sink in deepmire, where there is no standing: I am come
into deep waters, where the floods overflow me. (See JPS YLT NAS)....
Wallow (5 Occurrences)
... 1. (n.) To roll one's self about, as inmire; to tumble and roll about; to move
lazily or heavily in any medium; to flounder; as, swine wallow in themire....
Out-places (22 Occurrences)
... enemy, And cover her doth shame, Who saith unto me, 'Where 'is' Jehovah thy God?'
Mine eyes do look on her, Now she is for a treading-place, Asmire of the out...
Lowered (14 Occurrences)
... down Jeremiah with cords. In the dungeon there was no water, butmire; and
Jeremiah sank in themire. (See NIV). Ezekiel 1:24 When...
Guardhouse (6 Occurrences)
... down Jeremiah with cords. And in the pit there was no water, butmire; and
Jeremiah sank in themire. (See NAS). Jeremiah 38:13 So...
Dirt (9 Occurrences)
... (KJV WBS). Isaiah 57:20 But the wicked are like the troubled sea; for it can't rest,
and its waters cast upmire and dirt. (WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS RSV)....
Dungeon (15 Occurrences)
... Jeremiah with cords. In the dungeon there was no water, butmire; and Jeremiah
sank in themire. (WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS). Jeremiah 38...
Resources
Is The Divine Comedy / Dante's Inferno a biblically accurate description of Heaven and Hell? | GotQuestions.orgIs it possible for a person's name to be erased from the Book of Life? | GotQuestions.orgWhat is the “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” sermon? | GotQuestions.orgMire: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
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