Definition and Historical Context:
Mirrors in biblical times were not the glass mirrors we are familiar with today. Instead, they were typically made from polished metals such as bronze, brass, or silver. These metal mirrors were crafted by skilled artisans and were used for personal grooming and adornment. The quality of the reflection depended on the skill of the craftsman and the quality of the metal used.

Biblical References and Symbolism:
Mirrors are mentioned in several passages throughout the Bible, often symbolizing self-examination and reflection. In the ancient world, mirrors were a luxury item, indicating wealth and status. They also served as a metaphor for spiritual introspection and the pursuit of holiness.

1. Exodus 38:8 :
"Next, he made the basin of bronze and its stand from the mirrors of the women who served at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting."
This passage describes the construction of the bronze basin used in the Tabernacle. The mirrors donated by the women were melted down to create this basin, symbolizing the transformation of personal vanity into a tool for purification and worship.

2. Job 37:18 :
"Can you, like Him, spread out the skies to reflect the heat like a mirror of bronze?"
Here, the mirror is used metaphorically to describe the sky, emphasizing God's power and the vastness of His creation. The comparison to a bronze mirror highlights the reflective quality and the grandeur of the heavens.

3. 1 Corinthians 13:12 :
"Now we see but a dim reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known."
The Apostle Paul uses the metaphor of a mirror to illustrate the partial understanding of divine truths in this life. The imperfect reflection signifies the limitations of human knowledge, which will be made complete in the presence of God.

4. James 1:23-24 :
"For anyone who hears the word but does not carry it out is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror, and after observing himself goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like."
James uses the mirror as an analogy for self-examination through the Word of God. Just as a mirror reveals physical appearance, the Scriptures reveal spiritual condition. The passage warns against superficial engagement with God's Word, urging believers to act upon what they learn.

Cultural and Theological Insights:
In biblical times, mirrors were not only practical tools but also carried significant cultural and theological implications. They were associated with beauty and vanity, as well as with deeper spiritual truths. The use of mirrors in Scripture often points to the importance of self-awareness and the pursuit of spiritual integrity.

The transformation of mirrors into the bronze basin in the Tabernacle underscores the biblical theme of consecration and the redirection of personal resources for divine purposes. This act of devotion reflects the call for believers to offer their lives as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God (Romans 12:1).

Conclusion:
Mirrors in the Bible serve as powerful symbols of reflection, both literal and spiritual. They remind believers of the importance of examining their lives in light of God's Word and striving for a deeper understanding of His truth. Through the metaphor of the mirror, Scripture calls for a transformation that aligns personal identity with divine purpose.2072. esoptron -- a mirror (ie an object for looking into)
... highly polished metal). 2072 -- a mirror ( made ). Ancient mirrors (merely
made of ) only produced an image (reflection). So, to get ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2072.htm - 7k4759b. marah -- a mirror
... marah. 4760 . a mirror. Transliteration: marah Short Definition: mirrors. Word
Origin from raah Definition a mirror NASB Word Usage mirrors (1). 4759a, 4759b ...
/hebrew/4759b.htm - 5k

1549. gillayon -- a table, tablet
... 1548, 1549. gillayon. 1550 . a table, tablet. Transliteration: gillayon
Phonetic Spelling: (ghil-law-yone') Short Definition: mirrors. ...
/hebrew/1549.htm - 6k

The Mirrors of the Lord.
... THE MIRRORS OF THE LORD. But we all, with open face ... what it holds. It mirrors
by its will to hold in its mirror. Unlike its symbol ...
//christianbookshelf.org/macdonald/unspoken sermons/the mirrors of the lord.htm

Mirrors of God
... THE FIRST EPISTLE OF PETER MIRRORS OF GOD. '... That ye should show forth the praises
of Him who hath called you out of darkness ...'"1 Peter 2:9. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture ephesians peter/mirrors of god.htm

Letter iii. (AD 387. )
... Now it is a strange phenomenon which we observe in the images which mirrors reflect
to us,"that however great the mirrors be, they do not make the images ...
/.../augustine/the confessions and letters of st/letter iii a d 387.htm

The Formula of Sanctification
... Christ. All men are mirrors"that is the first law on which this formula
is based. One ... world. We were an arrangement of mirrors. The ...
/.../the formula of sanctification.htm

The Gnostic Aims at the Nearest Likeness Possible to God and his ...
... holy among the holy, transferred entire from among the entire, reaching places better
than the better places, embracing the divine vision not in mirrors or by ...
/.../clement/the stromata or miscellanies/chapter iii the gnostic aims at.htm

Here Upon Earth Souls Love what God Hates
... And were they mirrors only that return His love, one would think it impossible,
while He shines upon them, to forbear to shine, but they are like the eye ...
/.../traherne/centuries of meditations/86 here upon earth souls.htm

The Beatific vision. (Continued. )
... of the deep, or riding safely through a fearful storm; or when we look upon grand
churches, palaces, and works of art"all these are as mirrors, which reflect ...
/.../boudreaux/the happiness of heaven/chapter iii the beatific vision.htm

Against Embellishing the Body.
... Head-dresses and varieties of head-dresses, and elaborate braidings, and infinite
modes of dressing the hair, and costly specimens of mirrors, in which they ...
/.../clement/the instructor paedagogus/chapter ii against embellishing the body.htm

How to Become Like Christ.
... No sooner are we told by Paul that we must act as mirrors of Christ than we recognise
that nature has made us to be mirrors, that we cannot but reflect what is ...
/.../dods/how to become like christ/how to become like christ.htm

Psalm XI.
... participate. Like as when one face looks upon many mirrors, what in it is
one only, is by those many mirrors reflected manifoldly. ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/augustine/exposition on the book of psalms/psalm xi.htm

Mirrors (3 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Mirrors (3 Occurrences). ... Isaiah 3:23 the hand mirrors,
the fine linen garments, the tiaras, and the shawls. (WEB ASV DBY YLT NAS NIV). ...
/m/mirrors.htm - 7k

Laver (13 Occurrences)
... That which was originally used in the tabernacle was of brass (rather copper; Hebrews
nihsheth), made from the metal mirrors the women brought out of Egypt ...
/l/laver.htm - 17k

Glass (12 Occurrences)
... (Comp. Exodus 38:8: "looking-glasses" are brazen mirrors, RV). A mirror is
referred to also in James 1:23. Noah Webster's Dictionary. ...
/g/glass.htm - 21k

Copper (55 Occurrences)
... The remains of spears, balances, arms, vases, mirrors, statues, cooking utensils,
implements of all kinds, etc., from Bible times are principally of an alloy ...
/c/copper.htm - 27k

Mirror (4 Occurrences)

/m/mirror.htm - 8k

Mirth (18 Occurrences)

/m/mirth.htm - 12k

Brass (168 Occurrences)
... varied bronze objects. Among the most common are nails, lamps, hand mirrors,
locks, cutting instruments, etc. Within comparatively ...
/b/brass.htm - 44k

Hand-mirrors (1 Occurrence)
Hand-mirrors. Hand-mills, Hand-mirrors. Hand-part . Multi-Version
Concordance Hand-mirrors (1 Occurrence). Isaiah 3:23 ...
/h/hand-mirrors.htm - 6k

Veils (5 Occurrences)
... Isaiah 3:19 the earrings, the bracelets, the veils, (WEB JPS DBY NAS NIV). Isaiah
3:23 the hand-mirrors, and the fine linen, and the turbans, and the veils. ...
/v/veils.htm - 7k

Gauze (2 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Gauze (2 Occurrences). Isaiah 3:23 the hand-mirrors, and
the fine linen, and the turbans, and the veils. (See JPS RSV). ...
/g/gauze.htm - 7k

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