In biblical times, the term "bier" refers to a platform or frame used for carrying a corpse to its burial site. It is akin to what we might consider a coffin or a stretcher today, though it was typically more simplistic in design. The bier was an essential part of ancient funeral customs, serving both practical and ceremonial purposes.

The most notable biblical reference to a bier is found in the New Testament, in the account of Jesus raising the widow's son at Nain. In Luke 7:14 , it is written: "Then He went up and touched the coffin, and those carrying it stood still. 'Young man,' He said, 'I tell you, get up!'" Here, the term "coffin" is understood to mean the bier upon which the young man's body was being carried. This miraculous event underscores the power and compassion of Jesus, as He intervenes in a moment of profound grief to restore life.

In the Old Testament, the concept of a bier is also present, though not explicitly named. For instance, in 2 Samuel 3:31, David commands the people to mourn for Abner, saying, "Tear your clothes and put on sackcloth and walk in mourning in front of Abner." The implication is that Abner's body would have been carried on a bier as part of the mourning process.

The use of a bier in biblical times reflects the cultural and religious practices surrounding death and burial. It was customary for the deceased to be carried to their final resting place with dignity and respect, often accompanied by mourners. This practice highlights the community's role in honoring the dead and supporting the bereaved.

In a broader theological context, the bier can be seen as a symbol of the transient nature of life and the hope of resurrection. The account of Jesus raising the widow's son serves as a powerful reminder of the Christian belief in life after death and the promise of eternal life through Christ.

The bier, therefore, is more than just a physical object; it is a representation of the journey from death to life, both in a literal and spiritual sense. It invites reflection on the themes of mortality, mourning, and the hope of resurrection that are central to the Christian faith.2 Samuel 3:31
And David said to Joab, and to all the people that were with him, Rend your clothes, and gird you with sackcloth, and mourn before Abner. And king David himself followed the bier.
Nave's Topical Index

Luke 7:14
And he came and touched the bier: and they that bore him stood still. And he said, Young man, I say to you, Arise.
Nave's Topical Index

4673. soros -- a cinerary urn, by anal. a coffin
... a coffin. Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: soros Phonetic Spelling:
(sor-os') Short Definition: a bier, an open coffin Definition: a bier, an ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4673.htm - 6k

Jesus Raises the Widow's Son.
... [The word here translated "bier" may mean a bier or coffin, and the
authorities are about equally divided as to which it was. It ...
/.../mcgarvey/the four-fold gospel/xliv jesus raises the widows.htm

The Raising of the Young Man of Nain - the Meeting of Life and ...
... coffin of wood (Aron), if possible, cedarwood - on one occassion, at least, made
with holes beneath; [2657] but laid on a bier, or in an open coffin (Mittah). ...
/.../edersheim/the life and times of jesus the messiah/chapter xx the raising of.htm

Of the Places of Burial.
... Coffin is the very place where the dead corpse is laid ... To those that entered into
the sepulchral cave, and carried the bier, there was first a floor, where they ...
/.../lightfoot/from the talmud and hebraica/chapter 100 of the places.htm

See Note
... Into a placid faith,. That even with beaming eye. Counts thy sad honours, coffin,
bier, and pall; So many relics of a frail love lost,. So many tokens dear. ...
/.../palgrave/the treasury of sacred song/cccxxvii see note.htm

The Great Reparation
... The bier was accompanied in magnificent procession to the Church of the Apostles,
where ... No sooner was the coffin laid down than Theodosius knelt before it with ...
/.../chapter lxxii the great reparation.htm

In Death and after Death
... Secondly, we know that, as at Nain, the body was generally carried open on a bier,
or else in an open coffin, the bearers frequently changing to give an ...
/.../edersheim/sketches of jewish social life/chapter 10 in death and.htm

The Burial and Assumption of the Blessed virgin
... by the Way of the Cross as they carried home the empty bier turned back ... John then
drew near to the light wicker coffin, which projected a little beyond the ...
/.../emmerich/the life of the blessed virgin mary/xix the burial and assumption.htm

Funeral Oration on Meletius .
... [2106] 2 Samuel 6:14. "That ark," very probably refers to the remains
of Meletius, not to the coffin or bier. The human body is ...
/.../gregory/gregory of nyssa dogmatic treatises etc/funeral oration on meletius.htm

Homeward Bound
... Those who could not touch the bier tossed coins upon the hearse which held ... capture
of Lincoln two years before; and for better protection the coffin was simply ...
/.../marson/hugh bishop of lincoln/chapter x homeward bound.htm

The Death of the Famous Actor Miraudin was a Nine Days' Wonder...
... marked, "In sorrow, from Sylvie Hermenstein", on the closed coffin, escorted her ...
funeral tapers, with torn battle banners drooping around his bier, and other ...
//christianbookshelf.org/corelli/the master-christian/xxv the death of the.htm

Bier: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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