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 Bush

The 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 Wilderness

Bushes 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 Imagery

In 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.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 ...
/hebrew/5285.htm - 6k

7880. siach -- a bush, shrub, plant
... 7879, 7880. siach. 7881 . a bush, shrub, plant. Transliteration: siach
Phonetic Spelling: (see'-akh) Short Definition: bushes. Word ...
/hebrew/7880.htm - 6k

3293. ya'ar -- wood, forest, thicket
... From an unused root probably meaning to thicken with verdure; a copse of bushes;
hence, a forest; hence, honey in the comb (as hived in trees) -- (honey-)comb ...
/hebrew/3293.htm - 5k

6975. qots -- a thorn, thornbush
... thorns. Word Origin from an unused word Definition a thorn, thornbush NASB
Word Usage thorn (2), thorn bushes (1), thorns (9). thorn. ...
/hebrew/6975.htm - 6k

5518b. sir -- a thorn, hook
... Word Origin from the same as sir Definition a thorn, hook NASB Word Usage hooks
(1), thorn bushes (1), thorns (3). 5518a, 5518b. sir. 5519 . Strong's Numbers
/hebrew/5518b.htm - 5k

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 ...
/.../macdonald/at the back of the north wind/chapter 13 diamond and his.htm

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. ...
/.../berry/adventures in the land of canaan/chapter thirteen pilgrims of the.htm

A Bible-Riddle
... And according to the story, a young lion rushed out at him from behind some bushes,
and Samson, being a very strong man, broke its jaws and killed it, and left ...
/.../chidley/fifty-two story talks to boys and girls/a bible-riddle.htm

Expatriation
... The Arab in the copse whinnied softly. A second trio of soldiers, following with
a smaller drove, heard the call from the bushes and drew up. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/miller/the yoke/chapter xlii expatriation.htm

The Terror by Night
... Then he heard the bushes moving and twigs crackling under the feet of some animal
the other side of the lane-fence. He thought of the wildcat. ...
/.../chidley/fifty-two story talks to boys and girls/the terror by night.htm

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 ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture e/seed among thorns.htm

The Burial and Assumption of the Blessed virgin
... Two disciples held back the bushes from the entrance, and they went in and knelt
in reverent awe before the resting-place of the Blessed Virgin. ...
/.../emmerich/the life of the blessed virgin mary/xix the burial and assumption.htm

"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
furze bushes, or holly, or broom, there grew roses"-wild and rare ...
/.../macdonald/at the back of the north wind/chapter 25 there baby said.htm

Shall we Go?
... Then the road begins to narrow a bit. The thorn bushes on the side have grown so
thick and rank that they push over the sides of the road, and narrow it down. ...
/.../gordon/quiet talks on following the christ/shall we go.htm

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 mangrove bushes; a desolate ...
//christianbookshelf.org/kingsley/at last/chapter vii the high woods.htm

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. ...
/b/bushes.htm - 8k

Lotus-bushes (2 Occurrences)
Lotus-bushes. Lotus, Lotus-bushes. Lotuses . Multi-Version Concordance
Lotus-bushes (2 Occurrences). Job 40:21 He lieth ...
/l/lotus-bushes.htm - 6k

Thorn-bushes (1 Occurrence)
Thorn-bushes. Thornbushes, Thorn-bushes. Thorn-fence . Multi-Version
Concordance Thorn-bushes (1 Occurrence). Isaiah ...
/t/thorn-bushes.htm - 6k

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 set bushes for; to support with bushes; as, to bush peas. ...
/b/bush.htm - 19k

Hedge (12 Occurrences)
... 1. (n.) A thicket of bushes, usually thorn bushes; especially, such a thicket planted
as a fence between any two portions of land; and also any sort of ...
/h/hedge.htm - 12k

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 thorny bushes plentiful in ...
/n/nettles.htm - 9k

Bushy (1 Occurrence)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (a.) Thick and spreading, like a bush. 2. (a.) Full
of bushes; overgrowing with shrubs. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. BUSHY. ...
/b/bushy.htm - 7k

Lotus (2 Occurrences)

/l/lotus.htm - 8k

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 the bushes. ...
/b/botany.htm - 38k

Undergrowth (2 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Undergrowth (2 Occurrences). Job 30:7 Among the bushes
they bray; under the nettles they are gathered together. (See NIV). ...
/u/undergrowth.htm - 7k

What does it mean that you will know them by their fruit in Matthew 7:16? | GotQuestions.org

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