Topical Bible: Bars

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In biblical times, bars were essential components of ancient architecture, particularly in the construction of fortifications and sacred structures. They served both practical and symbolic purposes, often representing strength, security, and divine protection.

1. Bars in the Tabernacle and Temple:

The use of bars is prominently mentioned in the construction of the Tabernacle, as described in the Book of Exodus. The Tabernacle, a portable earthly dwelling place of God among the Israelites, was constructed with acacia wood frames, which were held together by bars. These bars provided structural integrity and stability to the sacred tent.

Exodus 26:26-28 states: "You are to make five crossbars of acacia wood for the frames on one side of the tabernacle, five for those on the other side, and five for those on the rear side, to the west. The central crossbar in the middle of the frames shall extend from end to end."

Similarly, in the construction of Solomon's Temple, bars were used to secure the doors and gates, ensuring the safety and sanctity of the holy place. The use of bars in these sacred contexts underscores their importance in maintaining the holiness and inviolability of God's dwelling places.

2. Bars as Symbols of Strength and Security:

In biblical literature, bars often symbolize strength and security. They are frequently mentioned in the context of city gates, which were fortified with bars to protect against enemy invasion. The strength of a city's bars was a measure of its security and resilience.

Proverbs 18:19 illustrates this metaphorical use: "An offended brother is harder to win than a fortified city, and disputes are like the bars of a castle." Here, bars represent the formidable barriers that can exist in human relationships, akin to the physical barriers that protect a city.

3. Divine Protection and Deliverance:

The imagery of bars is also used to convey themes of divine protection and deliverance. In Psalm 107:16 , the psalmist praises God for breaking the bars of iron, symbolizing liberation from bondage: "For He has broken down the gates of bronze and cut through the bars of iron."

This imagery is echoed in the New Testament, where the Apostle Peter's miraculous escape from prison is described. In Acts 12:10 , as Peter is led out by an angel, the iron gate leading to the city opens by itself, signifying divine intervention and the breaking of physical and spiritual barriers.

4. Bars in Prophetic and Apocalyptic Literature:

In prophetic and apocalyptic literature, bars are sometimes used to depict the strength of God's judgment or the impenetrability of divine decrees. For instance, in the Book of Nahum, the destruction of Nineveh is foretold with imagery of gates and bars being consumed by fire, symbolizing the totality of God's judgment against the city.

Nahum 3:13 states: "Look at your troops—they are like your women! The gates of your land are wide open to your enemies; fire consumes their bars."

5. Bars in Wisdom Literature:

In wisdom literature, bars are occasionally used metaphorically to describe the constraints of wisdom and discipline. They serve as reminders of the boundaries set by divine law and the protection offered by adherence to God's commandments.

Overall, the concept of bars in the Bible encompasses both physical and metaphorical dimensions, reflecting themes of protection, strength, divine intervention, and the boundaries established by God's will.

Strong's Hebrew

1280. beriach -- a bar
... 1279, 1280. beriach. 1281 . a bar. Transliteration: beriach Phonetic
Spelling: (ber-ee'-akh) Short Definition: bars. Word Origin ...
/hebrew/1280.htm - 6k

4300. metil -- a wrought metal rod
... 4299, 4300. metil. 4301 . a wrought metal rod. Transliteration: metil
Phonetic Spelling: (met-eel') Short Definition: bars. Word ...
/hebrew/4300.htm - 6k

4132. mot -- a shaking, pole, bar (of a yoke)
... 4131, 4132. mot. 4133 . a shaking, pole, bar (of a yoke). Transliteration:
mot Phonetic Spelling: (mote) Short Definition: bars. ...
/hebrew/4132.htm - 6k

4133. motah -- a pole, bar (of a yoke)
... Word Origin fem. of mot Definition a pole, bar (of a yoke) NASB Word Usage bars
(2), poles (1), yoke (5), yoke bars (1), yokes (3). bands, heavy, staves, yoke. ...
/hebrew/4133.htm - 6k

905. bad -- separation, a part
... Word Origin from badad Definition separation, a part NASB Word Usage addition*
(1), alone (58), alone* (4), apart (2), aside (2), bars (1), besides* (40 ...
/hebrew/905.htm - 6k

Library

What do we Count them Worth?
... Behind us there was a little demon temple. It had a verandah barred down with
heavy bars. Within these bars you could see the form of an idol. ...
/.../wilson-carmichael/things as they are/chapter xxix what do we.htm

Prophets and Prophets. (xxiii. 9-32, xxvii-xxix, Etc. )
... Jeremiah was commanded to make a yoke of bars and thongs, and having put it
on his neck to charge the messengers to tell their masters". ...
//christianbookshelf.org/smith/jeremiah/2 prophets and prophets xxiii.htm

Whether Christ Made any Stay in Hell?
... Objection 2: Further, Augustine says in a sermon on the Passion (clx) that "of a
sudden at our Lord and Saviour's bidding all 'the bars of iron were burst'" (Cf ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether christ made any stay.htm

Shoes of Iron, and Strength Sufficient: a New Year's Promise
... for the ways of the Lord are right.". The Revised Version has it, "Thy bars shall
be iron and brass;" and certainly the original text bears that meaning. ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 35 1889/shoes of iron and strength.htm

But Perhaps Some one is Alarmed at Hearing us Discourse of the ...
... the body of Jesus in death, not being aware of the hook of Divinity inclosed within
it, but having swallowed it he was caught forthwith, and the bars of hell ...
/.../16 but perhaps some one.htm

It is with no Loss or Disparagement Therefore of his Divine Nature ...
... It is as if a king were to proceed to a prison, and to go in and open the doors,
undo the fetters, break in pieces the chains, the bars, and the bolts, and ...
/.../17 it is with no.htm

Peter Alone with Jesus
... It changed his whole atmosphere from gloom to sunshine, but it had a special message
for him. It said that no fault, no denial, bars or diverts Christ's love. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture e/peter alone with jesus.htm

Concerning the Tabernacle which Moses Built in the Wilderness for ...
... their fronts outward, as if they had taken root in the pillars, and stood one row
over against another round about, through which were inserted bars gilt over ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 6 concerning the tabernacle.htm

One of Paul's Prayers
... Stone walls do not a prison make, Nor iron bars a cage! No,"not when those stone
walls and those iron bars have an Apostle Paul within them. ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/whyte/lord teach us to pray/xii one of pauls prayers.htm

Tries to Become a Politician. Fails. Last Act as a Politician. ...
... Wm. Preston remarked in a speech that in one year from that day, "the stars
and bars" would be waving from the dome of that capitol. ...
/.../chapter vii tries to become.htm

Thesaurus

Bars (50 Occurrences)
...Bars (50 Occurrences). ... Fearing that they would run aground on the Syrtis sand bars,
they lowered the sea anchor, and so were driven along. (WEB NIV). ...
/b/bars.htm - 22k

Yoke-bars (3 Occurrences)
Yoke-bars. Yoke, Yoke-bars. Yoked . Multi-Version Concordance
Yoke-bars (3 Occurrences). Jeremiah 27:2 Thus said Jehovah ...
/y/yoke-bars.htm - 7k

Crossbars (8 Occurrences)
... Exodus 26:29 You shall overlay the boards with gold, and make their rings of gold
for places for the bars: and you shall overlay the bars with gold. (See NIV). ...
/c/crossbars.htm - 8k

Frames (47 Occurrences)
... (See RSV NIV). Exodus 26:26 "You shall make bars of acacia wood: five for
the boards of the one side of the tabernacle, (See RSV NIV). ...
/f/frames.htm - 17k

Boards (50 Occurrences)
... Exodus 26:26 "You shall make bars of acacia wood: five for the boards of the one
side of the tabernacle, (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS). ...
/b/boards.htm - 21k

Bar (27 Occurrences)
... to its breadth or thickness, used as a lever and for various other purposes, but
especially for a hindrance, obstruction, or fastening; as, the bars of a fence ...
/b/bar.htm - 21k

Locks (29 Occurrences)
... unwalled towns. (BBE). Deuteronomy 33:25 Your bars shall be iron and brass.
As your days, so your strength will be. (See NAS). Judges ...
/l/locks.htm - 18k

Bolts (14 Occurrences)
... Nehemiah 3:3 The fish gate did the sons of Hassenaah build; they laid its beams,
and set up its doors, its bolts, and its bars. (WEB JPS ASV NAS RSV NIV). ...
/b/bolts.htm - 10k

Overlaid (50 Occurrences)
... Exodus 26:29 and the boards thou dost overlay 'with' gold, and their rings thou
dost make of gold places for bars, and hast overlaid their bars with gold; (YLT ...
/o/overlaid.htm - 21k

Westward (35 Occurrences)
... Exodus 26:27 and five bars for the boards of the other side of the tabernacle, and
five bars for the boards of the side of the tabernacle, for the far part ...
/w/westward.htm - 19k

Resources

Should a Christian work as a bartender? | GotQuestions.org

What is GotQuestions.org's review of the Living Biblically TV series? | GotQuestions.org

Does God hate gays / homosexuals? | GotQuestions.org

Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus

Concordance

Bars (50 Occurrences)

Acts 27:17
After they had hoisted it up, they used cables to help reinforce the ship. Fearing that they would run aground on the Syrtis sand bars, they lowered the sea anchor, and so were driven along.
(WEB NIV)

Exodus 26:26
"You shall make bars of acacia wood: five for the boards of the one side of the tabernacle,
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Exodus 26:27
and five bars for the boards of the other side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the boards of the side of the tabernacle, for the far part westward.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV)

Exodus 26:29
You shall overlay the boards with gold, and make their rings of gold for places for the bars: and you shall overlay the bars with gold.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Exodus 35:11
the tabernacle, its outer covering, its roof, its clasps, its boards, its bars, its pillars, and its sockets;
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Exodus 36:31
He made bars of acacia wood; five for the boards of the one side of the tabernacle,
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Exodus 36:32
and five bars for the boards of the other side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the boards of the tabernacle for the hinder part westward.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV)

Exodus 36:34
He overlaid the boards with gold, and made their rings of gold for places for the bars, and overlaid the bars with gold.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Exodus 38:5
and he casteth four rings for the four ends of the brazen grate -- places for bars;
(YLT)

Exodus 39:33
They brought the tabernacle to Moses, the tent, with all its furniture, its clasps, its boards, its bars, its pillars, its sockets,
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Exodus 40:18
Moses raised up the tabernacle, and laid its sockets, and set up its boards, and put in its bars, and raised up its pillars.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS NIV)

Leviticus 26:13
I am Yahweh your God, who brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, that you should not be their slaves; and I have broken the bars of your yoke, and made you go upright.
(WEB JPS ASV YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Numbers 3:36
The appointed duty of the sons of Merari shall be the tabernacle's boards, its bars, its pillars, its sockets, all its instruments, all its service,
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Numbers 4:10
And they shall put it and all the vessels thereof within a covering of sealskin, and shall put it upon a bar.
(See NAS)

Numbers 4:12
And they shall take all the vessels of ministry, wherewith they minister in the sanctuary, and put them in a cloth of blue, and cover them with a covering of sealskin, and shall put them on a bar.
(See NAS)

Numbers 4:31
This is the duty of their burden, according to all their service in the Tent of Meeting: the tabernacle's boards, its bars, its pillars, its sockets,
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Deuteronomy 3:5
All these were cities fortified with high walls, gates, and bars; besides the unwalled towns a great many.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV NIV)

Deuteronomy 33:25
Your bars shall be iron and brass. As your days, so your strength will be.
(WEB JPS ASV RSV)

Judges 16:3
And Samson lay till midnight, and arose at midnight, and laid hold of the doors of the gate of the city, and the two posts, and plucked them up, bar and all, and put them upon his shoulders, and carried them up to the top of the mountain that is before Hebron.
(See NAS)

1 Samuel 23:7
It was told Saul that David had come to Keilah. Saul said, "God has delivered him into my hand; for he is shut in, by entering into a town that has gates and bars."
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV NIV)

1 Kings 4:13
The son of Geber, in Ramothgilead; to him pertained the towns of Jair the son of Manasseh, which are in Gilead; to him also pertained the region of Argob, which is in Bashan, threescore great cities with walls and brazen bars:
(KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV NIV)

1 Chronicles 15:15
And the children of the Levites bare the ark of God upon their shoulders with the staves thereon, as Moses commanded according to the word of Jehovah.
(See JPS)

2 Chronicles 8:5
Also he built Beth Horon the upper, and Beth Horon the lower, fortified cities, with walls, gates, and bars;
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV NIV)

2 Chronicles 14:7
For he said to Judah, Let us build these cities, and make about them walls, and towers, gates, and bars; the land is yet before us, because we have sought Yahweh our God; we have sought him, and he has given us rest on every side. So they built and prospered.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Nehemiah 3:3
The fish gate did the sons of Hassenaah build; they laid its beams, and set up its doors, its bolts, and its bars.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Nehemiah 3:6
The old gate repaired Joiada the son of Paseah and Meshullam the son of Besodeiah; they laid its beams, and set up its doors, and its bolts, and its bars.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Nehemiah 3:13
The valley gate repaired Hanun, and the inhabitants of Zanoah; they built it, and set up its doors, its bolts, and its bars, and one thousand cubits of the wall to the dung gate.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Nehemiah 3:14
The dung gate repaired Malchijah the son of Rechab, the ruler of the district of Beth Haccherem; he built it, and set up its doors, its bolts, and its bars.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Nehemiah 3:15
The spring gate repaired Shallun the son of Colhozeh, the ruler of the district of Mizpah; he built it, and covered it, and set up its doors, its bolts, and its bars, and the wall of the pool of Shelah by the king's garden, even to the stairs that go down from the city of David.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV

Job 17:16
They shall go down to the bars of the pit, when our rest together is in the dust.
(KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS RSV)

Job 38:10
marked out for it my bound, set bars and doors,
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS RSV NIV)

Job 40:18
His bones are like tubes of brass. His limbs are like bars of iron.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV)

Psalms 68:30
Rebuke the wild animal of the reeds, the multitude of the bulls, with the calves of the peoples. Being humbled, may it bring bars of silver. Scatter the nations that delight in war.
(WEB NIV)

Psalms 107:16
For he has broken the gates of brass, and cut through bars of iron.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Psalms 147:13
For he has strengthened the bars of your gates. He has blessed your children within you.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Proverbs 18:19
A brother offended is more difficult than a fortified city; and disputes are like the bars of a castle.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV)

Ecclesiastes 2:16
For of the wise man, even as of the fool, there is no memory for ever, seeing that in the days to come all will have been long forgotten. Indeed, the wise man must die just like the fool! the region of Argob, which is in Bashan, sixty great cities with walls and bronze bars);
(WEB)

Isaiah 43:14
Thus said Jehovah, your Redeemer, The Holy One of Israel: 'For your sake I have sent to Babylon, And caused bars to descend -- all of them, And the Chaldeans, whose song 'is' in the ships.
(YLT RSV)

Isaiah 45:2
"I will go before you, and make the rough places smooth. I will break the doors of brass in pieces, and cut apart the bars of iron.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Jeremiah 27:2
Thus says Yahweh to me: Make bonds and bars, and put them on your neck;
(WEB JPS ASV RSV NIV)

Jeremiah 28:13
Go, and tell Hananiah, saying, Thus says Yahweh: You have broken the bars of wood; but you have made in their place bars of iron.
(WEB JPS ASV RSV)

Jeremiah 49:31
Arise, go up to a nation that is at ease, that dwells without care, says Yahweh; that have neither gates nor bars, that dwell alone.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV NIV)

Jeremiah 51:30
The mighty men of Babylon have forborne to fight, they remain in their strongholds; their might has failed; they are become as women: her dwelling places are set on fire; her bars are broken.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Lamentations 2:9
Her gates are sunk into the ground; he has destroyed and broken her bars: Her king and her princes are among the nations where the law is not; Yes, her prophets find no vision from Yahweh.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Ezekiel 30:18
At Tehaphnehes also the day shall withdraw itself, when I shall break there the yokes of Egypt, and the pride of her power shall cease in her: as for her, a cloud shall cover her, and her daughters shall go into captivity.
(See NAS)

Ezekiel 34:27
The tree of the field shall yield its fruit, and the earth shall yield its increase, and they shall be secure in their land; and they shall know that I am Yahweh, when I have broken the bars of their yoke, and have delivered them out of the hand of those who made slaves of them.
(WEB JPS ASV NAS RSV NIV)

Ezekiel 38:11
and you shall say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to those who are at rest, who dwell securely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates;
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV NIV)

Hosea 11:6
The sword will fall on their cities, and will destroy the bars of their gates, and will put an end to their plans.
(WEB JPS ASV DBY YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Jonah 2:6
I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her bars was about me for ever: yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption, O LORD my God.
(KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV)

Nahum 3:13
Behold, your troops in your midst are women. The gates of your land are set wide open to your enemies. The fire has devoured your bars.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Subtopics

Bars

Related Terms

Barsabbas (2 Occurrences)

Barsab'bas (2 Occurrences)

Silas (22 Occurrences)

Namely (81 Occurrences)

Justus (3 Occurrences)

Judas (42 Occurrences)

Leaders (167 Occurrences)

Matthi'as (2 Occurrences)

Barnabas-judas (1 Occurrence)