The term "spew" in the Bible is often associated with the act of vomiting or ejecting something forcefully from the mouth. It is used metaphorically to describe God's rejection or intense displeasure with certain behaviors or attitudes, particularly those of His people when they stray from His commandments or become lukewarm in their faith.

Biblical References:

1. Revelation 3:16 (BSB): "So because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to vomit you out of My mouth." This verse is part of the message to the church in Laodicea, one of the seven churches addressed in the Book of Revelation. The church is criticized for its complacency and lack of fervor. The imagery of spewing or vomiting is used to convey God's strong rejection of their half-heartedness. The Laodiceans are neither fervent in spirit nor refreshingly cool, making them distasteful to the Lord.

2. Leviticus 18:28 (BSB): "And if you defile the land, it will vomit you out as it spewed out the nations before you." In this context, the term is used to describe the consequences of defiling the Promised Land through sinful practices. The land itself is personified as reacting to the abominations committed by its inhabitants, leading to their expulsion. This serves as a warning to the Israelites to remain faithful to God's laws to avoid the same fate as the nations that were driven out before them.

3. Leviticus 20:22 (BSB): "You are to keep all My statutes and all My ordinances and follow them, so that the land where I am bringing you to live will not vomit you out." Here, the emphasis is on obedience to God's commandments as a condition for remaining in the land. The imagery of the land spewing out its inhabitants underscores the seriousness of maintaining holiness and the consequences of disobedience.

Theological Implications:

The use of "spew" in these passages highlights the severity of God's response to spiritual complacency and moral corruption. It serves as a vivid metaphor for divine judgment and the necessity of maintaining a vibrant and obedient relationship with God. The imagery is stark and unsettling, intended to provoke self-examination and repentance among believers.

In the case of the Laodicean church, the warning against being "lukewarm" is a call to spiritual fervor and commitment. It challenges believers to evaluate their spiritual temperature and to strive for a faith that is passionate and active. The metaphor of spewing is a reminder that God desires wholehearted devotion and will not tolerate indifference or compromise.

In the Old Testament references, the concept of the land vomiting out its inhabitants serves as a powerful reminder of the covenantal relationship between God and His people. The land is a gift from God, contingent upon the people's faithfulness to His laws. The imagery underscores the holiness required to dwell in God's presence and the dire consequences of failing to uphold His standards.

Overall, the biblical use of "spew" conveys a message of warning and the urgent need for repentance and renewal in the life of faith.1. (v. t.) To eject from the stomach; to vomit.

2. (v. t.) To cast forth with abhorrence or disgust; to eject.

3. (v. i.) To vomit.

4. (v. i.) To eject seed, as wet land swollen with frost.

5. (n.) That which is vomited; vomit.

7006a. qi -- to vomit up, spew out
... 7006, 7006a. qi. 7006b . to vomit up, spew out. Transliteration: qi
Short Definition: vomit. Word Origin a prim. root Definition ...
/hebrew/7006a.htm - 5k

7006. qayah -- to vomit up, spew out
... 7005, 7006. qayah. 7006a . to vomit up, spew out. Transliteration: qayah
Phonetic Spelling: (kaw-yaw') Short Definition: spue. spue ...
/hebrew/7006.htm - 5k

Psalm CXII.
... that He judgeth without mercy him who hath not shown mercy; [5019] but, "Sweet is
the man who is merciful and lendeth" (ver.5): God will not spew him out of ...
/.../augustine/exposition on the book of psalms/psalm cxii.htm

Letter xxxi. To Eustochium.
... likes nothing that is half and half, and, while he welcomes the hot and does not
shun the cold, he tells us in the Apocalypse that he will spew the lukewarm ...
/.../jerome/the principal works of st jerome/letter xxxi to eustochium.htm

The Last Judgment. By the Rev. John Welch, AD 1570-1622.
... Some were neither cold nor hot; and therefore, because they were lukewarm, he tells
them that it would come to pass, that he would spew them out of his mouth ...
/.../knox/the pulpit of the reformation nos 1 2 and 3 /the last judgment by the.htm

Spiritual Condition of the Congregations. --The Seven Churches in ...
... Hence the fearful threatening: "I will spew thee out of my mouth." (Lukewarm water
produces vomiting.) Yet even the Laodiceans are not driven to despair. ...
/.../history of the christian church volume i/section 50 spiritual condition of.htm

When a Revival is to be Expected.
... Let hell boil over if it will, and spew out as many devils as there are stones in
the pavements, if it only drives Christians to God in prayer"they cannot ...
/.../finney/lectures on revivals of religion/lecture ii when a revival.htm

The Pilgrim's Progress
... of the Lawgiver, certain good and substantial steps, placed even through the very
midst of this slough; but at such time as this place doth much spew out its ...
/.../wells/bible stories and religious classics/the pilgrims progress.htm

The Christian Described
... Dost thou not say, "Oh, I am the basest of creatures; I could even spew at myself.
There is no man in all the world, in my eyes, so loathsome as myself is. ...
/.../bunyan/the riches of bunyan/xii the christian described.htm

Rom. xii. 14
... I know that ye are warmed thoroughly now, and are become as soft as any
wax, but when ye have gone hence ye will spew it all out. ...
/.../chrysostom/homilies on acts and romans/homily xxii rom xii 14.htm

A Question for Communicants
... He said that to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans, the church which was
neither cold nor hot, which he threatened to spew out of his mouth. ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 38 1892/a question for communicants.htm

The Purport of Ancient Scholia, and Notes in Mss. On the Subject ...
... or with any two, or with any one of them, (which, I suppose, was the sum of what
had been exhibited by the work of Ammonius,)"to spew which places S. Luke ...
/.../chapter viii the purport of.htm

Spew (6 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Spew (6 Occurrences). Revelation 3:16 So because thou
art lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spew thee out of my mouth. ...
/s/spew.htm - 8k

Vomit (12 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (n.) To eject the contents of the stomach by
the mouth; to puke; to spew. 2. (vt) To throw up; to eject ...
/v/vomit.htm - 10k

Spewed (5 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (imp. & pp) of Spew. Multi-Version Concordance
Spewed (5 Occurrences). Revelation 12:15 The serpent spewed ...
/s/spewed.htm - 7k

Snarling (5 Occurrences)
... city. (See NIV). Psalms 59:7 Behold, they spew with their mouth. Swords are
in their lips, "For," they say, "who hears us?" (See RSV). ...
/s/snarling.htm - 7k

Spent (76 Occurrences)

/s/spent.htm - 28k

Swords (50 Occurrences)
... (See RSV NIV). Psalms 59:7 Behold, they spew with their mouth. Swords are in their
lips, "For," they say, "who hears us?" (WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS NIV). ...
/s/swords.htm - 22k

Spue (4 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (vt & i.) See Spew. Multi-Version Concordance
Spue (4 Occurrences). Revelation 3:16 So then because thou ...
/s/spue.htm - 7k

Spewing (1 Occurrence)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (p. pr.& vb. n.) of Spew. Multi-Version Concordance
Spewing (1 Occurrence). Habakkuk 2:16 Thou art filled ...
/s/spewing.htm - 6k

Lips (199 Occurrences)
... My mouth shall declare your praise. (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS
RSV NIV). Psalms 59:7 Behold, they spew with their mouth. ...
/l/lips.htm - 37k

Hears (78 Occurrences)
... voice. (See NIV). Psalms 59:7 Behold, they spew with their mouth. Swords are
in their lips, "For," they say, "who hears us?" (WEB NAS). ...
/h/hears.htm - 28k

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