In biblical literature, the term "marshy" refers to areas characterized by wet, soft land, often covered with water. These regions are typically associated with swamps or bogs and are mentioned in the context of desolation or judgment. The imagery of marshy lands is used to convey themes of barrenness, stagnation, and divine retribution.

Biblical References:

1. Ezekiel 47:11 · In the vision of the river flowing from the temple, Ezekiel describes the transformation of the land. However, he notes, "But its swamps and marshes will not become fresh; they will be left for salt." . This passage highlights the distinction between the life-giving waters of the river and the stagnant, unproductive nature of the marshes. The marshes serve as a symbol of areas that remain untouched by the restorative power of God, emphasizing the consequences of remaining outside His blessing.

2. Isaiah 14:23 · The prophet Isaiah speaks of God's judgment upon Babylon, stating, "I will make her a place for owls and swampland; I will sweep her away with the broom of destruction," declares the LORD of Hosts. . Here, the transformation of a once-great city into a marshy wasteland underscores the totality of divine judgment. The imagery of swampland signifies desolation and the absence of human habitation, serving as a stark reminder of the consequences of pride and rebellion against God.

Theological Significance:

In the biblical narrative, marshy areas often symbolize spiritual stagnation and the absence of divine life. They are depicted as places where growth is hindered, and productivity is limited. This imagery serves as a metaphor for the spiritual condition of individuals or nations that have turned away from God. Just as marshes are characterized by their inability to support vibrant life, so too are those who reject God's guidance and grace.

The contrast between marshy lands and fertile, life-giving areas is a recurring theme in Scripture. It serves to illustrate the transformative power of God's presence and the blessings that come from aligning with His will. The prophetic visions of restoration often include the renewal of barren lands, turning them into fruitful and thriving regions, symbolizing the hope and renewal available through repentance and obedience to God.

Cultural and Historical Context:

In the ancient Near East, marshy areas were often seen as inhospitable and undesirable. They were difficult to cultivate and posed challenges for settlement and agriculture. The biblical authors used this cultural understanding to convey messages of judgment and redemption. The transformation of marshy lands into fertile ground was a powerful image of divine intervention and blessing.

Overall, the concept of "marshy" in the Bible serves as a vivid illustration of the consequences of spiritual neglect and the hope of renewal through God's intervention. It calls believers to seek the life-giving waters of God's presence and to avoid the stagnation that comes from turning away from His path.1. (a.) Resembling a marsh; wet; boggy; fenny.

2. (a.) Pertaining to, or produced in, marshes; as, a marshy weed.

100. agmon -- a rush, bulrush
... From the same as 'agam; a marshy pool (others from a different root, a kettle);
by implication a rush (as growing there); collectively a rope of rushes ...
/hebrew/100.htm - 6k

260. achu -- reeds, rushes
... flag, meadow. Of uncertain (perhaps Egyptian) derivation; a bulrush or any marshy
grass (particularly that along the Nile) -- flag, meadow. 259, 260. ...
/hebrew/260.htm - 6k

Babylonia and Assyria
... The Sumerians had been the builders of the cities, the reclaimers of the marshy
plain, the inventors of the picture-writing which developed into the cuneiform ...
/.../early israel and the surrounding nations/chapter vi babylonia and assyria.htm

The Third Book
... well: the foundations have been laid [137] for a work undertaken from pious motives
and from love of a sacred duty; they have not been laid in marshy ground or ...
//christianbookshelf.org/salvian/on the government of god/the third book.htm

What was Heard in the Basilica of Peace
... on the projection of the walls behind the battlements, its squat turrets, it has
a look as archaic, as strange, as our own Aigues-Mortes amid its marshy fen. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/bertrand/saint augustin/ii what was heard in.htm

At the Well
... over the flat Delta. A few miles above On the separation began and continued
to the marshy coast far to the north. From the summit ...
//christianbookshelf.org/miller/the yoke/chapter xxxvii at the well.htm

The Absurd Opinion of Epicurus and the Profane Conceits of the ...
... It is well known how the poet has commemorated the marshy Styx as preserving men
from death; although Thetis had, in spite of the preservative, to lament her ...
/.../tertullian/a treatise on the soul/chapter l the absurd opinion of.htm

Appendix. Detached Account of Longinus.
... native land. They lived there in the country, in a barren and marshy locality.
Here it was that the forty martyrs died. Longinus ...
/.../appendix detached account of longinus.htm

The Age, Birth, and Life of Moses.
... should be destroyed along with the child, they made a basket of the papyrus that
grew there, put the child in it, and laid it on the banks of the marshy river. ...
/.../clement/the stromata or miscellanies/chapter xxiii the age birth and.htm

Christian Cemeteries.
... Cities and villages built on alluvial or marshy soil, or on hills of limestone
and lava, were obliged to resort to open-air cemeteries. ...
/.../lanciani/pagan and christian rome/chapter vii christian cemeteries.htm

In Galilee at the Time of Our Lord
... Here the scene of the Song of Solomon is partly laid (Cant 7:5). But its caves and
fastnesses, as well as the marshy ground, covered with reeds, along Lake ...
/.../edersheim/sketches of jewish social life/chapter 3 in galilee at.htm

Syria at the Beginning of the Egyptian Conquest
... that Gulkishar, the only prince of this dynasty whose title we possess, calls himself
King of the Country of the Sea, that is to say, of the marshy country at ...
/.../chapter iisyria at the beginning.htm

Marshy (1 Occurrence)
... 1. (a.) Resembling a marsh; wet; boggy; fenny. 2. (a.) Pertaining to, or produced
in, marshes; as, a marshy weed. ...Marshy (1 Occurrence). ...
/m/marshy.htm - 6k

Meadow (8 Occurrences)
... 2. (n.) Low land covered with coarse grass or rank herbage near rives and in
marshy places by the sea; as, the salt meadows near Newark Bay. ...
/m/meadow.htm - 12k

Botany
... In the marshy plains between Sammarin and Caesarea over a million have been planted,
and here, and also on the marshy shores of Lake Huleh, this tree has ...
/b/botany.htm - 38k

Bittern (4 Occurrences)
... This bird belongs to the class of cranes. Its scientific name is Botaurus
stellaris. It is a solitary bird, frequenting marshy ground. ...
/b/bittern.htm - 14k

Jordan (188 Occurrences)
... After this it flows, "with a swift current and a much-twisted course," through a
marshy plain for some 6 miles, when it falls into the Lake Huleh, "the waters ...
/j/jordan.htm - 70k

Mart (2 Occurrences)

/m/mart.htm - 11k

Lake (45 Occurrences)
... It is a question whether the Waters of Merom (Joshua 11:5, 7) can be identified
with the Chuleh, a marshy lake in the course of the Upper Jordan, North of the ...
/l/lake.htm - 24k

Flag (30 Occurrences)
... suph, to denote the "Red Sea" (qv) or the sea of weeds (as this word is rendered,
Jonah 2:5). It denotes some kind of sedge or reed which grows in marshy places ...
/f/flag.htm - 18k

Ramah (38 Occurrences)
... To the Southwest is a marshy lake which dries up in summer. Traces of antiquity
are found in the cisterns, a large reservoir and many sarcophagi. ...
/r/ramah.htm - 26k

Rimmon (22 Occurrences)
... The site is now the little village of Rummaneh on a low ridge South of the western
end of the marshy plain el Battauf in Galilee; there are many rock-cut tombs ...
/r/rimmon.htm - 18k

Did the Israelites in the book of Exodus cross the Red Sea or the Reed Sea? | GotQuestions.org

Marshy: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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