Rushes are a type of plant frequently mentioned in the Bible, often associated with marshy or wetland areas. These plants are characterized by their long, slender stems and are typically found growing in shallow water or damp soil. In biblical times, rushes were commonly used for various practical purposes, including weaving and construction.

Biblical References:

1. Exodus 2:3 · The account of Moses' infancy includes a reference to rushes. When Moses' mother could no longer hide him, she placed him in a basket made of papyrus reeds and coated it with tar and pitch. She then set the basket among the rushes along the bank of the Nile River. This account highlights the use of rushes in creating a protective vessel for the infant Moses.

2. Job 8:11 · In this passage, Bildad the Shuhite uses the imagery of rushes to illustrate the fate of the godless. He asks, "Can papyrus grow tall where there is no marsh? Can reeds thrive without water?" . This rhetorical question emphasizes the dependence of rushes on a water source, drawing a parallel to the spiritual sustenance required for a righteous life.

3. Isaiah 19:6-7 · The prophet Isaiah speaks of the drying up of the Nile and the subsequent withering of the rushes and reeds. "The streams of Egypt will dwindle and dry up; the reeds and rushes will wither. The bulrushes by the Nile, by the mouth of the river, and all the sown land along the Nile will dry up, blow away, and be no more" . This prophecy serves as a metaphor for the impending judgment and desolation that would come upon Egypt.

4. Isaiah 35:7 · In a vision of restoration, Isaiah describes a transformation where "the parched ground will become a pool, the thirsty land springs of water. In the haunt of jackals, their resting place, there will be grass, reeds, and rushes" . Here, rushes symbolize renewal and the abundance of God's blessings in a restored creation.

Cultural and Practical Uses:

In ancient times, rushes were utilized for a variety of purposes. They were woven into mats, baskets, and even simple footwear. The flexibility and abundance of rushes made them an ideal material for crafting everyday items. Additionally, rushes were sometimes used in the construction of roofs and walls, providing insulation and protection from the elements.

Symbolism:

Rushes in the Bible often symbolize fragility and dependence. Their growth is contingent upon a consistent water source, making them a fitting metaphor for spiritual reliance on God. Just as rushes cannot thrive without water, believers are reminded of their need for divine sustenance and guidance.

In summary, rushes hold both practical and symbolic significance in the biblical narrative. They serve as a reminder of the delicate balance between creation and Creator, illustrating the necessity of remaining rooted in faith and reliant on God's provision.4979. schoinion -- a rope (made of rushes)
... a rope (made of rushes). Part of Speech: Noun, Neuter Transliteration: schoinion
Phonetic Spelling: (skhoy-nee'-on) Short Definition: a cord, rope Definition: a ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4979.htm - 6k

4742a. stibas -- a bed of leaves or rushes
... 4742, 4742a. stibas. 4742b . a bed of leaves or rushes. Transliteration:
stibas Short Definition: branches. Word Origin from steibo ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4742a.htm - 5k

4742. stigma -- a bed of leaves or rushes
... a bed of leaves or rushes. Part of Speech: Noun, Neuter Transliteration: stigma
Phonetic Spelling: (stig'-mah) Short Definition: a mark or brand Definition: a ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4742.htm - 6k

5488. suph -- reeds, rushes
... 5487, 5488. suph. 5489 . reeds, rushes. Transliteration: suph Phonetic
Spelling: (soof) Short Definition: red. Word Origin probably ...
/hebrew/5488.htm - 6k

260. achu -- reeds, rushes
... 259, 260. achu. 261 . reeds, rushes. Transliteration: achu Phonetic
Spelling: (aw'-khoo) Short Definition: grass. Word Origin of ...
/hebrew/260.htm - 6k

100. agmon -- a rush, bulrush
... Word Origin from the same as agam Definition a rush, bulrush NASB Word Usage bulrush
(2), reed (1), rope (1), rushes (1). bulrush, caldron, hook, rush. ...
/hebrew/100.htm - 6k

1518. giach -- to burst forth
... to burst forth NASB Word Usage broke (1), brought me forth (1), burst forth (1),
bursting forth (1), give birth (1), labor to give birth (1), rushes (1). ...
/hebrew/1518.htm - 6k

7323. ruts -- to run
... hurriedly brought (1), outran* (1), quickly stretch (1), ran (25), run (34), runner
(1), runners (1), running (6), runs (4), rushed (1), rushes (1), smashed (1 ...
/hebrew/7323.htm - 6k

1573. gome -- a rush, reed, papyrus
... papyrus. Word Origin from gama Definition a rush, reed, papyrus NASB Word
Usage papyrus (2), rushes (1), wicker (1). bulrush. From ...
/hebrew/1573.htm - 6k

The Nineteenth Century. November 14.
... time? For swiftly as rushes matter, more swiftly rushes mind; more swiftly
still rushes the heavenly dawn up the eastern sky. "The ...
/.../kingsley/daily thoughts /the nineteenth century november 14.htm

The Ship on Fire --A Voice of Warning
... In a moment, what a change had taken place! A passenger perceives a smell of
fire; the warning cry is raised. Everyone rushes upon deck. ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 10 1864/the ship on firea voice.htm

A Figurative Description of the Procedure of Divine Love
... On the briny wave I lay,. Floating rushes all my stay. Did I with resentment burn. ...
Both my frail supports away; Seized my rushes; bade the waves. ...
/.../a figurative description of the.htm

The Cradle that was Rocked by a River.
... give him into the care of God. She made a little boat, or ark of stout
rushes, that grew by the river. She wove it closer than a ...
/.../lathbury/childs story of the bible/chapter ix the cradle that.htm

"It is Daylight, Our Gallic Friend, and You must Get Up. ...
... As I was saying these words, and as the Gaul was now ready to resume his narrative,
there rushes in upon us a crowd of monks, Evagrius the presbyter, Aper ...
/.../severus/life and writings of sulpitius severus /chapter i it is daylight.htm

Of Certain Deities Peculiar to Barbarians, and their Sacred Rites ...
... this kind were put an end to by Hercules when he returned from Spain; the custom
still continuing, that instead of real men, images made from rushes were cast ...
/.../lactantius/the divine institutes/chap xxi of certain deities peculiar.htm

Ahab and Elijah
... When, all full of impatience and hot haste to solace himself with his new possession,
he rushes down to seize the vineyard, he finds there, standing at the gate ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture f/ahab and elijah.htm

When the Oil Flows
... As the atmosphere rushes into every vacuum, or as the sea runs up into and fills
every sinuosity of the shore, so wherever a heart opens, and the unbroken coast ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture f/when the oil flows.htm

A Strain of Jonah the Prophet.
... 50 With black encirclement; the upper air. Down rushes into darkness, and the sea. ...
Down rushes; land in me is far, death near,. And hope in God is none! ...
/.../fathers of the third century tertullian appendix/1 a strain of jonah.htm

The First Chaldaean Empire and the Hyksos in Egypt
... The Orontes rising on the west side of the Anti-Lebanon, near the ruins of Baalbek,
rushes northwards in such a violent manner, that the dwellers on its banks ...
/.../chapter ithe first chaldaean empire.htm

Rushes (13 Occurrences)
...Rushes (13 Occurrences). John 2:15 So He plaited a whip of rushes, and drove
all--both sheep and bullocks--out of the Temple. ... Can the rushes grow without water? ...
/r/rushes.htm - 9k

Rush (35 Occurrences)
... bulrushes," margin "papyrus" (Exodus 2:3); "rush," margin "papyrus" (Job 8:11);
"papyrus," the King James Version "rush" (Isaiah 18:2); "rushes" (Isaiah 35:7 ...
/r/rush.htm - 20k

Rushed (24 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (imp. & pp) of Rush. 2. (a.) Abounding or covered
with rushes. Multi-Version Concordance Rushed (24 Occurrences). ...
/r/rushed.htm - 14k

Basket (40 Occurrences)
... It was made of leaves or rushes. ... 1. (n.) A vessel made of osiers or other twigs,
cane, rushes, splints, or other flexible material, interwoven. ...
/b/basket.htm - 27k

Nest (22 Occurrences)
... dark places in ruins or sand burrows (on the qippoz of Isaiah 34:15 see OWL); cranes,
storks and herons, either trees (Psalm 104:17) or rushes beside water ...
/n/nest.htm - 18k

Upset (9 Occurrences)
... things, (See NIV). John 2:15 So He plaited a whip of rushes, and drove
all--both sheep and bullocks--out of the Temple. The small coin ...
/u/upset.htm - 9k

Overturned (41 Occurrences)
... overturned. (BBE). John 2:15 So He plaited a whip of rushes, and drove
all--both sheep and bullocks--out of the Temple. The small ...
/o/overturned.htm - 18k

Jordan (188 Occurrences)
... true source. It rushes down to the plain in a foaming torrent, and joins
the Leddan about 5 miles south of Dan (Tell-el-Kady). (3 ...
/j/jordan.htm - 70k

Jackals (20 Occurrences)
... springs of water. Grass with reeds and rushes will be in the habitation of
jackals, where they lay. (WEB JPS ASV NAS RSV NIV). Isaiah 43 ...
/j/jackals.htm - 12k

Games (2 Occurrences)
... were like those used by the Egyptians, they were sometimes made of leather or skin
stuffed with bran or husks of corn, or of string and rushes covered with ...
/g/games.htm - 40k

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