In biblical literature, the term "prickles" is not directly mentioned; however, the concept can be associated with thorns and thistles, which are frequently referenced throughout Scripture. These elements often symbolize the consequences of sin, human suffering, and the challenges faced in a fallen world.

Biblical References and Symbolism

1. Genesis 3:17-18: The introduction of thorns and thistles occurs after the Fall of Man. God pronounces a curse upon the ground as a result of Adam's disobedience: "Cursed is the ground because of you; through toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. Both thorns and thistles it will yield for you, and you will eat the plants of the field" . Here, thorns and thistles represent the hardship and toil that humanity must endure due to sin.

2. Numbers 33:55: In this passage, God warns the Israelites about the consequences of not driving out the inhabitants of the land: "But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then those you allow to remain will become barbs in your eyes and thorns in your sides. They will give you trouble in the land where you will live" . The imagery of thorns is used to describe persistent trouble and irritation caused by disobedience.

3. Proverbs 22:5: The book of Proverbs uses thorns metaphorically to describe the path of the wicked: "Thorns and snares lie on the path of the perverse; he who guards his soul stays far from them" . This suggests that a life of sin is fraught with difficulties and dangers, akin to navigating through a path filled with prickles.

4. Matthew 13:7, 22: In the Parable of the Sower, Jesus speaks of seed sown among thorns: "Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the seedlings" . Later, He explains, "The seed sown among the thorns is the one who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful" . Thorns here symbolize the distractions and cares of the world that hinder spiritual growth and fruitfulness.

5. 2 Corinthians 12:7: The Apostle Paul refers to a "thorn in the flesh" given to him to prevent pride: "To keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me" . While the exact nature of this "thorn" is not specified, it represents a persistent challenge or affliction that serves a divine purpose.

Theological Implications

In Scripture, prickles, as represented by thorns and thistles, serve as a powerful metaphor for the consequences of sin and the trials of life. They remind believers of the fallen state of the world and the need for redemption through Jesus Christ. The presence of thorns in biblical narratives underscores the reality of suffering and the importance of perseverance and faithfulness in the Christian walk. Through Christ's redemptive work, believers are assured of ultimate victory over the trials symbolized by thorns, as they look forward to a restored creation where such afflictions will be no more.

Psalm CIV.
... what of the hedgehog? The hare is a small and weak animal: the hedgehog is also
prickly: the one is a timid animal, the other is covered with prickles. ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/augustine/exposition on the book of psalms/psalm civ.htm

About the Dragon and the Young Man.
... and spoke with Eve what my father bade me speak to her; I am he who inflamed and
fired Cain to kill his brother, and through me thorns and prickles sprang up ...
/.../unknown/acts of the holy apostle thomas/about the dragon and the.htm

A Letter from a West Indian Cottage Ornee
... Next to it an orange, covered with long prickles and small green fruit, its roots
propped up by a semi-cylindrical balk of timber, furry inside, which would ...
//christianbookshelf.org/kingsley/at last/chapter v a letter from.htm

The Heath in the Desert and the Tree by the River
... Now, the poor, little dusty shrub in the desert, whose very leaves have been modified
into prickles, is fit for the desert, and is as much at home there as are ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture h/the heath in the desert.htm

Your Narratives, My Opponent Says, are Overrun with Barbarisms and ...
... shows a childish and petty spirit; for if we allow that it is reasonable, let us
cease to use certain kinds of fruit because they grow with prickles on them ...
/.../59 your narratives my opponent.htm

Heart of Jesus! Golden Chalice
... 3. Heart of Jesus! Rose of Sharon Glist'ning with the dew of tears, All among
the thorny prickles Lo! Thy blood-stained Head appears! ...
/.../various/the st gregory hymnal and catholic choir book/no 62 heart of jesus.htm

Concerning Earth and Its Products.
... of the rose, that it might lead us to remember the transgression on account of which
the earth was condemned to bring forth for us thorns and prickles [1767] . ...
/.../john/exposition of the orthodox faith/chapter x concerning earth and its.htm

The Two Guests
... off them. The rose's prickles are felt in the flesh longer than its fragrance
lives in the nostrils, or its hue in the eye. Men ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture j/the two guests.htm

Saint George Kills the Enchanter Osmond.
... which was full of vast windows; and then he entered a long dark passage with a door
at one end, set as thick with spikes of steel as are the prickles of a sea ...
/.../the seven champions of christendom/chapter thirteen saint george kills.htm

A Preliminary Discourse to Catechising
... Another means is, to unsettle Christians by persecution.2 Tim 3:12. The
gospel is a rose that cannot be plucked without prickles. ...
/.../watson/a body of divinity/1 a preliminary discourse to.htm

Prickles (1 Occurrence)
... Multi-Version Concordance Prickles (1 Occurrence). Numbers 33:55 But if ye
will not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before ...
/p/prickles.htm - 6k

Unarmed (1 Occurrence)
... 1. (a.) Not armed or armored; having no arms or weapons. 2. (a.) Having no hard
and sharp projections, as spines, prickles, spurs, claws, etc. ...
/u/unarmed.htm - 7k

Pricking (1 Occurrence)

/p/pricking.htm - 7k

Prickling (1 Occurrence)

/p/prickling.htm - 6k

Briar (2 Occurrences)
... 1. (n.) Same as Brier. 2. (n.) A plant with a slender woody stem bearing stout
prickles; especially, species of Rosa, Rubus, and Smilax. ...
/b/briar.htm - 7k

Botany
... The common variety, Opuntia ficus-Indica with its innumera ble sharp prickles makes
impenetrable hedges round many of the village gardens, while the Opuntia ...
/b/botany.htm - 38k

Hedgehog (3 Occurrences)
... insectivore (Erinaceus Europaeus), and other allied species of Asia and Africa,
having the hair on the upper part of its body mixed with prickles or spines. ...
/h/hedgehog.htm - 8k

Prickles: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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