Foliage, the collective term for leaves of plants and trees, is a significant motif in the Bible, symbolizing life, prosperity, and divine blessing. Throughout Scripture, foliage is often used metaphorically to convey spiritual truths and moral lessons.

Symbol of Life and Prosperity

In the Bible, lush foliage is frequently associated with life and abundance. In Genesis 1:29-30, God provides every green plant for food, indicating His provision and the sustenance of life. The imagery of flourishing trees and abundant foliage is used to describe the prosperity and blessing of the righteous. Psalm 1:3 states, "He is like a tree planted by streams of water, yielding its fruit in season, whose leaf does not wither, and who prospers in all he does." Here, the unfading leaf symbolizes the enduring vitality and success of those who delight in the law of the Lord.

Metaphor for Spiritual Health

Foliage also serves as a metaphor for spiritual health and vitality. In Jeremiah 17:7-8, the prophet contrasts the blessed man who trusts in the Lord with a tree planted by the water, whose leaves remain green even in drought. This imagery underscores the idea that spiritual nourishment and trust in God lead to resilience and fruitfulness, regardless of external circumstances.

Judgment and Withering

Conversely, the withering of foliage is often used to depict judgment and spiritual decay. In Isaiah 34:4, the prophet describes the heavens rolling up like a scroll and their starry host withering like leaves from a vine, symbolizing divine judgment and the transience of earthly powers. Similarly, in Matthew 21:19, Jesus curses the barren fig tree, causing it to wither, as a sign of judgment against unfruitfulness and hypocrisy.

Eschatological Imagery

Foliage also appears in eschatological contexts, symbolizing the restoration and renewal of creation. In Revelation 22:2, the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit and yielding its fruit every month, has leaves for the healing of the nations. This imagery points to the ultimate restoration and healing that will come with the fulfillment of God's kingdom.

Conclusion

Throughout the Bible, foliage serves as a rich symbol of life, prosperity, spiritual health, judgment, and eschatological hope. Its use in Scripture underscores the importance of remaining spiritually vibrant and fruitful, rooted in the sustenance provided by God.1. (n.) Leaves, collectively; as, a tree or forest of beautiful foliage.

2. (n.) A cluster of leaves, flowers, and branches; especially, the representation of leaves, flowers, and branches, in architecture, intended to ornament and enrich capitals, friezes, pediments, etc.

3. (v. t.) To adorn with foliage or the imitation of foliage; to form into the representation of leaves.

5514. Chloe a prim. word -- Chloe.
... Word Origin young foliage (Verdant, epithet of the pagan goddess Demeter),
Chloe, a Chr. woman NASB Word Usage Chloe's (1). Chloe. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5514.htm - 6k6074a. ophi -- leafage, foliage
... 6074, 6074a. ophi. 6074b . leafage, foliage. Transliteration: ophi Short
Definition: foliage. Word Origin (Aramaic) corresponding ...
/hebrew/6074a.htm - 5k

6074. ophiy, -- leafage, foliage
... 6073, 6074. ophiy,. 6074a . leafage, foliage. Transliteration: ophiy,
Phonetic Spelling: (of-ee') Short Definition: leaves. leaves ...
/hebrew/6074.htm - 5k

5687. aboth -- (having) interwoven (foliage), leafy
... 5686, 5687. aboth or aboth. 5688 . (having) interwoven (foliage), leafy.
Transliteration: aboth or aboth Phonetic Spelling: (aw-both') Short Definition: ...
/hebrew/5687.htm - 6k

6074b. ophayim -- foliage
... foliage. Transliteration: ophayim Short Definition: branches. Word Origin of uncertain
derivation Definition foliage NASB Word Usage branches (1). ...
/hebrew/6074b.htm - 5k

7105. qatsiyr -- harvesting, harvest
... From qatsar; severed, ie Harvest (as reaped), the crop, the time, the reaper, or
figuratively; also a limb (of a tree, or simply foliage) -- bough, branch ...
/hebrew/7105.htm - 5k

6513. Purah -- a servant of Gideon
... Word Origin from parah Definition a servant of Gideon NASB Word Usage Purah (2).
Phurah. For p'orah; foliage; Purah, an Israelite -- Phurah. see HEBREW p'orah. ...
/hebrew/6513.htm - 6k

6788. tsammereth -- (tree) top
... highest branch, top. From the same as tsemer; fleeciness, ie Foliage -- highest
branch, top. see HEBREW tsemer. 6787, 6788. tsammereth. 6789 . Strong's Numbers
/hebrew/6788.htm - 6k

6529. peri -- fruit
... Word Origin from parah Definition fruit NASB Word Usage earnings* (1), foliage
(1), fruit (84), fruitful (2), fruits (2), fruits* (1), offspring (11), price (1 ...
/hebrew/6529.htm - 6k

6288. porah -- a bough
... Or pora'h {po-raw'}; or pu'rah {poo-raw'}; from pa'ar; properly, ornamentation,
ie (plural) foliage (including the limbs) as bright green -- bough, branch ...
/hebrew/6288.htm - 6k

5929. aleh -- leaf, leafage
... branch, leaf. From alah; a leaf (as coming up on a tree); collectively, foliage --
branch, leaf. see HEBREW alah. 5928, 5929. aleh. 5930 . Strong's Numbers
/hebrew/5929.htm - 6k

The Fig-Tree.
... the tree that the fruit appears before the leaves, a considerable period, in the
ordinary course of nature, ought to have elapsed before the foliage was matured ...
//christianbookshelf.org/macduff/memories of bethany/xix the fig-tree.htm

On Easter
... bringing forth. Its foliage [2116] having been torn off in the wintry season,
the verdant grove now renews its leafy shelter. Mingled ...
//christianbookshelf.org/venantius/on easter/on easter.htm

A Provision Ground
... That round-headed tree, with dark rich Portugal laurel foliage, arranged in stars
at the end of each twig, is the Mango, always a beautiful object, whether in ...
//christianbookshelf.org/kingsley/at last/chapter xvi a provision ground.htm

Keep the Roots Watered.
... KEEP THE ROOTS WATERED. How often you admire a tree for the loveliness of
its green foliage and the profusion of its luscious fruit. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/orr/how to live a holy life/keep the roots watered.htm

The Fig-Tree Cursed. (Matt. , xxi. , 18; Mark, xi. , 12. ) ...
... At that season of the year such a tree might be expected, in full foliage, to bear
fruit; [658] and he walked towards it to pluck off the figs. ...
/.../section 245 the fig-tree cursed.htm

Visit to Ceylon and Return to Benares.
... travels in Ceylon. I was prepared to see fine scenery and rich foliage,
but the reality greatly exceeded my expectation. On the ...
/.../life and work in benares and kumaon 1839-1877/chapter xviii visit to ceylon.htm

A Doomed People
... Upon searching its branches, from the lowest bough to the topmost twig, Jesus found
"nothing but leaves." It was a mass of pretentious foliage, nothing more. ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/white/the desire of ages/chapter 64 a doomed people.htm

Many and One
... its firm bole and massive branches, through all of which the mystery of a common
life penetrates and makes every leaf in the cloud of foliage through which we ...
/.../maclaren/romans corinthians to ii corinthians chap v/many and one.htm

The Germination of the Earth.
... If it proceeds from a seed, there is still, by necessity, first a germ, then the
sprout, then green foliage, and finally the fruit which ripens upon a stalk ...
/.../basil/basil letters and select works/homily v the germination of.htm

A Letter from a West Indian Cottage Ornee
... Something like an ash in growth; but when you look at it through the glasses
(indispensable in the tropic forest), you see that the foliage is more like that ...
//christianbookshelf.org/kingsley/at last/chapter v a letter from.htm

Foliage (14 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (n.) Leaves, collectively; as, a tree or forest of
beautiful foliage. ... Multi-Version Concordance Foliage (14 Occurrences). ...
/f/foliage.htm - 11k

Oak (22 Occurrences)
... (3.) `Elon, Judges 4:11; 9:6 (RV, "oak;" AV, following the Targum, "plain") properly
the deciduous species of oak shedding its foliage in autumn. ...
/o/oak.htm - 33k

Leaf (20 Occurrences)
... in which the sap for the use of the plant is elaborated under the influence of light;
one of the parts of a plant which collectively constitute its foliage. ...
/l/leaf.htm - 16k

Thickets (14 Occurrences)
... (See JPS NIV). Ezekiel 31:3 Lo, Asshur, a cedar in Lebanon, Fair in branch, and
shading bough, and high in stature, And between thickets hath its foliage been. ...
/t/thickets.htm - 11k

Haughtiness (11 Occurrences)
... Ezekiel 31:10 Therefore, thus said the Lord Jehovah: Because that thou hast been
high in stature, And he yieldeth his foliage between thickets, And high is his ...
/h/haughtiness.htm - 10k

Haughty (35 Occurrences)
... Ezekiel 31:10 Therefore, thus said the Lord Jehovah: Because that thou hast been
high in stature, And he yieldeth his foliage between thickets, And high is his ...
/h/haughty.htm - 16k

Botany
... Equally characteristic are dry, much-branched spiny trees or shrubs with scanty
foliage and small leaves, such as the acacias and the thorny burnet. ...
/b/botany.htm - 38k

Folds (18 Occurrences)

/f/folds.htm - 11k

Folk (9 Occurrences)

/f/folk.htm - 10k

Architecture
... the house. The interior was enriched with carved foliage and cherubim,
and in the decorative scheme, gold was freely applied. The ...
/a/architecture.htm - 28k

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