Topical Bible: House: Built of Brick

◄ House: Built of Brick ►

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In biblical times, the construction of houses varied significantly depending on the region, available materials, and cultural influences. One of the materials mentioned in the Bible for building is brick, which was particularly prevalent in certain ancient civilizations.

Historical Context and Usage

Brick-making is an ancient craft, with evidence of its use dating back to the earliest civilizations. In the Bible, bricks are notably mentioned in the context of the Tower of Babel. Genesis 11:3 states, "They said to one another, 'Come, let us make bricks and bake them thoroughly.' They used brick instead of stone, and tar for mortar." This passage highlights the technological advancement and the human ambition associated with brick construction, as the people sought to build a city and a tower reaching the heavens.

The use of bricks was common in Mesopotamia, where stone was scarce, and clay was abundant. The process involved molding clay into rectangular shapes and then baking them in the sun or kilns to harden. This method produced durable building materials suitable for constructing large structures, including ziggurats and city walls.

Symbolism and Theological Implications

In the biblical narrative, the use of bricks in the construction of the Tower of Babel carries symbolic weight. The choice of bricks over natural stone can be seen as a representation of human ingenuity and self-reliance. The Tower of Babel account serves as a cautionary tale about human pride and the desire to achieve greatness apart from God. The use of man-made bricks, as opposed to God-created stone, underscores the theme of human effort versus divine provision.

Cultural and Architectural Significance

While the Israelites primarily used stone and wood for their dwellings, the influence of neighboring cultures that utilized brick construction is evident. The Israelites' time in Egypt exposed them to brick-making, as seen in Exodus 1:14 , which describes their forced labor: "They made their lives bitter with hard labor in brick and mortar and with all kinds of work in the fields; in all their hard labor, the Egyptians used them ruth

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Genesis 11:3
And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them thoroughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for mortar.
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Exodus 1:11-14
Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and Raamses.
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Isaiah 9:10
The bricks are fallen down, but we will build with hewn stones: the sycomores are cut down, but we will change them into cedars.
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Library

Jewish Homes
... that of a patrician, for it is built of brick ... The roof is paved with brick, stone,
or other hard ... ladders, rickety stairs, even dangerous dogs about a house. ...
/.../edersheim/sketches of jewish social life/chapter 6 jewish homes.htm

"Something"
... gave me all the bricks and broken bits wherewith I built my poor little house"that
was ... bits and fragments, put together, be reckoned as one brick for him ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/wells/bible stories and religious classics/something.htm

From Egypt to Sinai.
... remains evidence of this cruelty in the many Egyptian buildings built of brick,
made of ... to the care of Providence and he was brought to the house of Pharoah ...
/.../tidwell/the bible period by period/chapter v from egypt to.htm

The Two Houses
... that the house is built up by slow degrees, brick upon brick, course by course,
day by day, and moment by moment. It is slow work, but certain work. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture a/the two houses.htm

In Norfolk and Suffolk
... It is eight-square, built of the finest brick, with sixteen sash-windows ... One Mr.
Evans had lately built a large and convenient preaching house there, at ...
/.../wesley/the journal of john wesley/in norfolk and suffolk.htm

Hebrews xi. 37, 38
... content with two? We can also have a house built of brick of three rooms;
[3354] and this were sufficient for us. For are there ...
/.../homilies on the gospel of st john and hebrews/homily xxviii hebrews xi 37.htm

La Brea
... civilisation"the police-station, wooden, on wooden stilts (as all well-built houses
are ... A stone or brick house could not stand here: but wood and palm-thatch ...
//christianbookshelf.org/kingsley/at last/chapter viii la brea.htm

Preached Before the Governor, and Council, and the House of ...
... time that the Lord's house should be built." The time ... no longer do I expect that
this house will flourish ... did us last year, inlaying the first brick of yonder ...
/.../selected sermons of george whitefield/preached before the governor and.htm

1872 the Need of a Home Further West --Burning of the Marchmont ...
... The old house we have taken was formerly a tavern, and its ball-room ... there will be
no difficulty in establishing a permanent Home, built of brick, half of ...
//christianbookshelf.org/lowe/gods answers/chapter iv 1872 the need.htm

The "Little Knife" Insurrection
... But in this region a house standing alone in the country is ... The villages are usually
provided with small watchtowers, built of stone or brick, in which a ...
/.../fagg/forty years in south china/vi the little knife insurrection.htm