Topical Encyclopedia
In the Bible, teeth are often mentioned in both literal and metaphorical contexts, symbolizing strength, power, and sometimes judgment or suffering. The imagery of teeth is used to convey various spiritual and moral lessons throughout the Scriptures.
Literal References:1.
Physical Description and Health: Teeth are mentioned in the context of physical health and beauty. In the Song of Solomon, the bride's teeth are described as a mark of beauty and perfection: "Your teeth are like a flock of newly shorn sheep coming up from the washing, each one bearing twins, and not one has lost her young" (
Song of Solomon 4:2). This imagery highlights the importance of teeth in the perception of physical attractiveness and health.
2.
Diet and Sustenance: Teeth are essential for eating and are thus associated with sustenance and survival. In the context of dietary laws and practices, the ability to chew food is implicit in the consumption of various foods mentioned in the Bible.
Metaphorical and Symbolic References:1.
Strength and Power: Teeth are often used metaphorically to represent strength and power. In the book of Joel, the destructive power of locusts is described using the imagery of teeth: "For a nation has invaded My land, powerful and without number; its teeth are the teeth of a lion, and its fangs are those of a lioness" (
Joel 1:6). This vivid imagery underscores the devastating impact of the locusts.
2.
Judgment and Suffering: Teeth are also associated with judgment and suffering. In the New Testament, Jesus uses the phrase "weeping and gnashing of teeth" to describe the anguish and regret of those who are cast out of the kingdom of heaven: "And they will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth" (
Matthew 13:42). This expression conveys the intense emotional and spiritual torment experienced by those who face divine judgment.
3.
Hostility and Aggression: The Psalms and other poetic books often use teeth to symbolize hostility and aggression. For example, in
Psalm 57:4, David describes his enemies as fierce and threatening: "My soul is among the lions; I lie down among ravenous beasts whose teeth are spears and arrows, whose tongues are sharp swords" . This metaphor highlights the danger and malice posed by his adversaries.
4.
Divine Protection and Deliverance: Conversely, the breaking of teeth is sometimes used to symbolize God's deliverance and protection from enemies. In
Psalm 3:7, David prays for deliverance from his foes: "Arise, O LORD! Save me, O my God! Strike all my enemies on the jaw; break the teeth of the wicked" . Here, the breaking of teeth signifies the defeat and disempowerment of the wicked.
Cultural and Historical Context:In ancient Near Eastern cultures, teeth were often associated with vitality and life force. The loss of teeth could symbolize weakness or the approach of death. This cultural understanding is reflected in the biblical text, where teeth are sometimes used to convey themes of mortality and the transient nature of human life.
Overall, the biblical references to teeth serve as powerful symbols that communicate a range of spiritual truths, from the beauty and strength of God's creation to the consequences of sin and the hope of divine deliverance.
Topical Bible Verses
Proverbs 10:26As vinegar to the teeth, and as smoke to the eyes, so is the sluggard to them that send him.
Topicalbible.orgActs 7:54
When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth.
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Luke 13:28
There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out.
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Mark 9:18
And wherever he takes him, he tears him: and he foams, and gnashes with his teeth, and pines away: and I spoke to your disciples that they should cast him out; and they could not.
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Matthew 25:30
And cast you the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
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Matthew 8:12
But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
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Matthew 13:50
And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
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Matthew 22:13
Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
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Psalm 112:10
The wicked shall see it, and be grieved; he shall gnash with his teeth, and melt away: the desire of the wicked shall perish.
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Matthew 24:51
And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
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Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (
n.) pl. of Tooth.
2. (v. i.) To breed, or grow, teeth.
3. (n.) Plural of Tooth.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
CHEEK TEETH(methalle`ah, transposed from malta`ah (only inPsalm 58:6), literally "the biter," "crusher," "molar," "jaw-teeth," "great teeth" (Job 29:17 m;Joel 1:6)).
Figurative: The word is used as a synonym of reckless strength and cruelty.
JAW; JAWBONE; JAW TEETH
jo, jo'-bon (lechi, "cheek (bone)," "jaw (bone)"): InJob 41:2, the Revised Version (British and American) gives "pierce his jaw through with a hook" for the King James Version "bore his jaw through with a thorn" (see HOOK; LEVIATHAN).Psalm 22:15, "My tongue cleaveth to my jaws (malqoach)," is descriptive of the effect of a fever or physical torture, a dryness and a horrible clamminess. Malqochayim is an ancient dual form meaning the two jaws, and, metaphorically, malqoach indicates that which is caught between the jaws, booty, prey, including captives (Numbers 31:11, 26, 32Isaiah 49:24 f).
Figurative:
(1) Of the power of the wicked, with a reference to Divine restraint and discipline: "I brake the jaws (Hebrew "great teeth") of the unrighteous" (Job 29:17Proverbs 30:14); comparePsalm 58:6, "Break out the great teeth (malta`oth, "jaw teeth") of the young lions, O Yahweh." Let the wicked be deprived of their ability for evil; let them at least be disabled from mischief. Septuagint reads "God shall break," etc. (Compare Edmund Prys's Metrical Paraphrase of the Psalms, in the place cited.) "A bridle. in the jaws of the peoples" (Isaiah 30:28; compare2 Kings 19:28) is descriptive of the ultimate check of the Assyrian power at Jerusalem, "as when a bridle or lasso is thrown upon the jaws of a wild animal when you wish to catch and tame him" (G.A. Smith Isaiah, I, 235). CompareEzekiel 29:4 (concerning Pharaoh); 38:4 (concerning Gog), "I will put hooks in (into) thy jaws."
(2) Of human labor and trials, with a reference to the Divine gentleness: "I was to them as they that lift up the yoke on their jaws" (Hosea 11:4), or `take the yoke off their jaws,' as the humane driver eased the yoke with his hands or `lifted it forward from neck to the jaws'; or it may perhaps refer to the removal of the yoke in the evening, when work is over.
Jawbone (Judges 15:15).
SeeRAMATH-LEHI.
M. O. Evans
Greek
5149. trizo -- to cry, chirp, to grind theteeth... to cry, chirp, to grind the
teeth. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: trizo Phonetic
Spelling: (trid'-zo) Short Definition: I grate, gnash Definition: I grate
...1030. brugmos -- a biting, a gnashing ofteeth
... a biting, a gnashing ofteeth. Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine Transliteration:
brugmos Phonetic Spelling: (broog-mos') Short Definition: a grinding or gnashing...
1031. brucho -- to bite, to gnash
... Speech: Verb Transliteration: brucho Phonetic Spelling: (broo'-kho) Short Definition:
I grind or gnash Definition: I grind or gnash, as with theteeth for rage...
3599. odous -- a tooth
... 3599 ("tooth,teeth") is also used metaphorically: a) of the particular level of
compensation or recompense needed in a situation (Mt 5:38); and, b) for how...
3679. oneidizo -- to reproach
... 3679 (from a primitive root meaning "to upbraid, revile, like in showing one'steeth,"
K. Wuest) -- properly, to (), reproach; mock (curse); insult, (create...
Strong's Hebrew
4973. methalleoth --teeth... 4972, 4973. methalleoth. 4974 .
teeth. Transliteration: methalleoth Phonetic
Spelling: (meth-al-leh-aw') Short Definition: fangs.
...8127. shen -- tooth, ivory
... 8126, 8127. shen. 8128 . tooth, ivory. Transliteration: shen Phonetic
Spelling: (shane) Short Definition:teeth. Word Origin from...
8128. shen -- tooth
... 8127, 8128. shen. 8129 . tooth. Transliteration: shen Phonetic Spelling: (shane)
Short Definition:teeth. Word Origin (Aramaic) corresponding...
6750. tsalal -- to tingle, quiver
... root (identical with tsalal through the idea of vibration); to tinkle, ie Rattle
together (as the ears in reddening with shame, or theteeth in chattering with...
2757. charits -- a cut, thing cut, sharp instrument
... Or charits {khaw-reets'}; from charats; properly, incisure or (passively) incised
(compare charuwts); hence, a threshing-sledge (with sharpteeth): also a...
2851. chittith -- terror
... 2850, 2851. chittith. 2852 . terror. Transliteration: chittith Phonetic
Spelling: (khit-teeth') Short Definition: terror. Word Origin...
2742. charuwts -- sharp, diligent
... incisive; hence (as noun masculine or feminine) a trench (as dug), gold (as mined),
a threshing-sledge (having sharpteeth); (figuratively) determination; also...
2786. charaq -- to gnash or grind
... root Definition to gnash or grind NASB Word Usage gnash (2), gnashed (2), gnashes
(1). gnash. A primitive root; to grate theteeth -- gnash. 2785, 2786....
1665. Gittith -- a musical term of unc. meaning.
... Gittith. 1666 . a musical term of unc. meaning. Transliteration: Gittith Phonetic
Spelling: (ghit-teeth') Short Definition: Gittith. Word Origin fem....
Library
ThyTeeth are as a Flock of Sheep which Go up from the Washing...
... CHAPTER VI. 5. Thyteeth are as a flock of sheep which go up from the washing, whereof
every one beareth twins, and there is not one barren among them....
ThyTeeth are Like a Flock of Sheep that are Even Shorn, which...
... 2. Thyteeth are like a flock of sheep that are even shorn, which came up from the
washing; whereof every one bears twins, and none is barren among them....
This Objection Also is Cast in OurTeeth by Celsus...
... Chapter XXX. This objection also is cast in ourteeth by Celsus? This
objection also is cast in ourteeth by Celsus: "From such...
Thy Throat is Like the Best Wine, Fit for My Beloved to Drink, and...
... CHAPTER VII. 9. Thy throat is like the best wine, fit for my beloved to drink,
and to be dwelt upon with delight by his lips andteeth....
What the Servants of Christ Should Say in Reply to the Unbelievers...
... The City of God.Book I. Chapter 29."What the Servants of Christ Should Say in Reply
to the Unbelievers Who Cast in TheirTeeth that Christ Did Not Rescue...
Of the Outer Limbs of Man, and their Use.
... cannot, however, by itself alone fulfil the office of speaking, unless it strikes
its edge against the palate, unless aided by striking against theteeth or by...
Allow Me to Fall a Prey to the Wild Beasts.
... God. I am the wheat of God, and let me be ground by theteeth of the wild
beasts, that I may be found the pure bread of Christ....
Saint George Kills the Enchanter Osmond.
... He is thirty feet in height, his head three times the size of that of the largest
ox, his eyes larger than two sunflowers, and histeeth, with which he can...
The Locust-Swarms
... They had come up 'a nation strong and without number, whoseteeth were like the
teeth of a lion, and his cheek-teeth like those of a strong lion....
Joel's Rhapsody of the Locust Plague
... For a nation is come up upon my land, Strong, and without number; Histeeth are
theteeth of a lion, And he hath the jawteeth of a great lion....
Thesaurus
Teeth (50 Occurrences)... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (n.) pl. of Tooth. 2. (vi) To breed, or grow,
teeth.
3. (n.) Plural of Tooth. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. CHEEK
TEETH.
...Jaw-teeth (4 Occurrences)
Jaw-teeth. Jaws, Jaw-teeth. Jazer . Multi-Version Concordance
Jaw-teeth (4 Occurrences). Job 29:17 And I break the jaw...
Cheek-teeth (1 Occurrence)
Cheek-teeth. Cheeks, Cheek-teeth. Cheer . Multi-Version Concordance
Cheek-teeth (1 Occurrence). Psalms 58:6 Break their...
Gnash (12 Occurrences)
... Easton's Bible Dictionary Hebrews harak, meaning "to grate theteeth", (Job
16:9; Psalm 112:10; Lamentations 2:16), denotes rage or sorrow....
Gnashing (10 Occurrences)
... There will be weeping and gnashing ofteeth." (WEB KJV WEY ASV DBY WBS YLT
NAS NIV).... There will be weeping and the gnashing ofteeth....
Jaw (6 Occurrences)
... 1. (n.) One of the bones, usually bearingteeth, which form the framework of the
mouth. 2. (n.) Hence, also, the bone itself with theteeth and covering....
Cheek (9 Occurrences)
... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. CHEEKTEETH.... (3) methalle`ah (Job 29:17), better
"cheekteeth" (which see). HLE Luering. Multi-Version Concordance...
Bite (13 Occurrences)
... 1. (vt) To seize with theteeth, so that they enter or nip the thing seized; to
lacerate, crush, or wound with theteeth; as, to bite an apple; to bite a crust...
Weeping (237 Occurrences)
... There will be weeping and gnashing ofteeth." (WEB KJV WEY ASV BBE DBY WBS
YLT NAS NIV).... There will be weeping and the gnashing ofteeth....
Weep (97 Occurrences)
... There will be weeping and gnashing ofteeth." (Root in WEB KJV WEY ASV BBE DBY WBS
YLT NAS RSV NIV).... There will be weeping and the gnashing ofteeth....
Resources
What does the Bible mean when it refers to the gnashing of teeth? | GotQuestions.orgWhat is the meaning of the symbolism in Amos, e.g., sledges with iron teeth (Amos 1:3), murdered pregnant women (Amos 1:13), burning bones (Amos 2:1), destroyed roots (Amos 2:9), and hooks (Amos 4:2)? | GotQuestions.orgWhat is the outer darkness in Matthew 22:13? | GotQuestions.orgTeeth: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
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