In biblical literature, the term "twig" is often used metaphorically to represent small branches or offshoots of a larger tree or plant. Twigs are mentioned in various contexts throughout the Bible, symbolizing growth, fragility, and the potential for new life. The imagery of twigs can be found in both the Old and New Testaments, serving as a powerful symbol in the spiritual and prophetic language of Scripture.

Old Testament References

In the Old Testament, twigs are frequently associated with the imagery of trees and branches, which are often used to symbolize nations, leaders, or the people of Israel. For example, in Ezekiel 17:22-24, the prophet uses the imagery of a twig to convey a message of hope and restoration: "This is what the Lord GOD says: ‘I will take a sprig from the lofty top of the cedar and plant it. I will break off a tender sprig from its topmost shoots, and I will plant it on a high and lofty mountain.'" . Here, the twig represents the remnant of Israel that God will restore and establish in a place of prominence.

The use of twigs in prophetic literature often emphasizes the themes of judgment and renewal. In Isaiah 10:33-34, the prophet speaks of God's judgment against the proud and mighty: "Behold, the Lord, the LORD of Hosts, will lop off the branches with terrifying power, and the tall trees will be cut down, the lofty ones will be felled. He will clear the forest thickets with an ax, and Lebanon will fall before the Mighty One." . The imagery of cutting down branches and twigs signifies the humbling of the proud and the eventual restoration of the humble.

New Testament References

In the New Testament, the imagery of twigs is less prevalent but still significant. Jesus uses the metaphor of branches and twigs in His teachings to illustrate spiritual truths. In John 15:5-6, Jesus declares, "I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in Me, and I in him, will bear much fruit. For apart from Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in Me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers. Such branches are gathered up, thrown into the fire, and burned." . Here, the branches or twigs represent believers who must remain connected to Christ, the true vine, to bear spiritual fruit and avoid spiritual death.

The Apostle Paul also uses the imagery of branches in Romans 11:17-21 to describe the relationship between Israel and the Gentiles: "But if some branches have been broken off, and you, a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others to share in the nourishment of the olive root, do not boast over those branches. If you do, remember this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you." . In this passage, the broken branches symbolize the unbelieving Israelites, while the grafted wild olive shoot represents the Gentiles who have been brought into the covenant community.

Symbolism and Themes

The symbolism of twigs in the Bible often conveys themes of growth, renewal, and the necessity of remaining connected to God. Twigs, as small and seemingly insignificant parts of a larger tree, remind believers of their dependence on God for spiritual sustenance and growth. The imagery of twigs being cut off or grafted in serves as a warning and encouragement to remain faithful and humble before God.

In summary, the biblical use of twigs as a metaphor highlights the intricate relationship between God and His people, emphasizing themes of judgment, restoration, and the importance of spiritual connection and growth.1. (v. t.) To twitch; to pull; to tweak.

2. (v. t.) To understand the meaning of; to comprehend; as, do you twig me?

3. (v. t.) To observe slyly; also, to perceive; to discover.

4. (n.) A small shoot or branch of a tree or other plant, of no definite length or size.

5. (v. t.) To beat with twigs.

2595. karphos -- a small dry stalk
... Transliteration: karphos Phonetic Spelling: (kar'-fos) Short Definition: a dry stalk,
chip of wood Definition: a dry stalk, chip of wood, twig, splinter, chaff ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2595.htm - 6k

5434. phruganon -- a dry stick
... stick. Neuter of a presumed derivative of phrugo (to roast or parch; akin to the
base of phlox); something desiccated, ie A dry twig -- stick. see GREEK phlox. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5434.htm - 6k

2798. klados -- a branch
... branch. From klao; a twig or bough (as if broken off) -- branch. see GREEK klao.
(kladoi) -- 2 Occurrences. (kladois) -- 2 Occurrences. (klados) -- 2 Occurrences ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2798.htm - 6k

2814. klema -- a vine branch
... branch. Part of Speech: Noun, Neuter Transliteration: klema Phonetic Spelling:
(kaly'-mah) Short Definition: a branch, shoot Definition: a branch, shoot, twig. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2814.htm - 6k

902. baion -- a palm branch
... palm branch. A diminutive of a derivative probably of the base of basis; a palm
twig (as going out far) -- branch. see GREEK basis. (baia) -- 1 Occurrence. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/902.htm - 6k

3127. yoneqeth -- a young shoot, twig
... yoneqeth. 3128 . a young shoot, twig. Transliteration: yoneqeth Phonetic Spelling:
(yo-neh'-keth) Short Definition: shoots. ... tender branch, young twig. ...
/hebrew/3127.htm - 6k

3242. yeniqah -- a young shoot, twig
... 3241, 3242. yeniqah. 3243 . a young shoot, twig. Transliteration: yeniqah Phonetic
Spelling: (yen-ee-kaw') Short Definition: twigs. ... young twig. ...
/hebrew/3242.htm - 6k

2156. zemorah -- branch, twig, shoot
... 2155, 2156. zemorah. 2157 . branch, twig, shoot. Transliteration: zemorah
Phonetic Spelling: (zem-o-raw') Short Definition: branch. ...
/hebrew/2156.htm - 6k

2415. choter -- branch or twig, a rod
... 2414, 2415. choter. 2416 . branch or twig, a rod. Transliteration: choter
Phonetic Spelling: (kho'-ter) Short Definition: rod. Word ...
/hebrew/2415.htm - 5k

5189. netishah -- a twig, tendril
... 5188, 5189. netishah. 5190 . a twig, tendril. Transliteration: netishah
Phonetic Spelling: (net-ee-shaw') Short Definition: branches. ...
/hebrew/5189.htm - 6k

8299. sarig -- tendril, twig
... 8298, 8299. sarig. 8300 . tendril, twig. Transliteration: sarig Phonetic
Spelling: (saw-reeg') Short Definition: branches. Word ...
/hebrew/8299.htm - 6k

5634. sarappah -- a bough
... Word Origin from the same as saiph Definition a bough NASB Word Usage boughs (1).
bough. For c'appah; a twig -- bough. see HEBREW c'appah. 5633b, 5634. ...
/hebrew/5634.htm - 6k

2003. hemes -- brushwood
... melting. From an unused root apparently meaning to crackle; a dry twig or brushwood --
melting. 2002, 2003. hemes. 2004 . Strong's Numbers.
/hebrew/2003.htm - 5k

6074. ophiy, -- leafage, foliage
... leaves (Aramaic) corresponding to ophe'; a twig; bough, ie (collectively) foliage --
leaves. see HEBREW ophe'. 6073, 6074. ophiy,. 6074a . Strong's Numbers
/hebrew/6074.htm - 5k

2150. zalzal -- ten-drils
... Word Origin from zalal Definition ten-drils NASB Word Usage sprigs (1). sprig. By
reduplication from zalal; tremulous, ie A twig -- sprig. see HEBREW zalal. ...
/hebrew/2150.htm - 6k

"In the Same Monastery, the Fact which I am About to Narrate was ...
... and he promised an unfailing patience for the endurance of all things however extreme,
it so happened that the Abbot was holding in his hand a twig of storax ...
/.../severus/life and writings of sulpitius severus /chapter xix in the same.htm

On Earthly Things
... [Cant.4:13]. The twig is the sinner, the one weak in faith; in the gospel,
he will not break the shaken twig. Likewise, a twig is ...
/.../eucherius/the formulae of st eucherius of lyons/iii on earthly things.htm

The Two Talents
... are a thousand sprays and twigs upon the trees of the forest; were all eagles, how
would the forests be made glad with song, and how could each twig bear its ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 4 1858/the two talents.htm

Death is the Gate of Life
... In many cases, as in the chestnut, before a single old leaf has faded, next year's
buds may be seen, at the summit of branch and twig, formed into its very ...
//christianbookshelf.org/trotter/parables of the cross/death is the gate of.htm

Death to Sin's Penalty is the Way Out into a Life of Justification ...
... the acorn has to come to the point where it ceases to keep its rag of former existence,
and lets everything go to the fresh shoot: the twig must withdraw its ...
/.../trotter/parables of the cross/death to sins penalty is.htm

A Look into the Hebrew Bible.
... above the ground, how many branches it had when it was five years old, how high
it was when it was ten years old, when this limb and that twig were added, when ...
//christianbookshelf.org/gladden/who wrote the bible/chapter i a look into.htm

part iii.
... Else, it will be like a verdant twig on a rotten trunk, growing up amid broken
and withered limbs, the sighing monitors of its own decay. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/clark/the faithful steward/part iii.htm

The Beginning of Miracles.
... It is well for the weak that their faith should fail them, for it may at the moment
be resting its wings upon the twig of some brittle fancy, instead of on a ...
/.../macdonald/miracles of our lord/ii the beginning of miracles.htm

Fragment iv.
... The days will come in which vines shall grow, having each ten thousand branches,
and in each branch ten thousand twigs, and in each true twig ten thousand ...
//christianbookshelf.org/papias/fragments of papias/fragment iv.htm

Fifth Commandment
... It is all in the heart; and the heart is prepared at home for good or bad
conduct outside. The tree grows the way the twig is bent. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/moody/weighed and wanting/fifth commandment.htm

Twig (4 Occurrences)
... 1. (vt) To twitch; to pull; to tweak. 2. (vt) To understand the meaning of; to
comprehend; as, do you twig me? ... Multi-Version Concordance Twig (4 Occurrences). ...
/t/twig.htm - 7k

Slip (22 Occurrences)
... false step. 14. (n.) A twig separated from the main stock; a cutting; a
scion; hence, a descendant; as, a slip from a vine. 15. (n ...
/s/slip.htm - 16k

Twigs (8 Occurrences)

/t/twigs.htm - 8k

Writing (194 Occurrences)
... the Chinese characters, stenographic systems, the Morse code, the Braille system,
the abacus, the notched stick, the knotted cord, wampum and twig bundles. ...
/w/writing.htm - 70k

Twice (44 Occurrences)

/t/twice.htm - 19k

Yard (8 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (n.) A rod; a stick; a staff. 2. (n.) A branch;
a twig. 3. (n.) A long piece of timber, as a rafter, etc. ...
/y/yard.htm - 10k

Layer (4 Occurrences)
... 3. (n.) A shoot or twig of a plant, not detached from the stock, laid under ground
for growth or propagation. 4. (n.) An artificial oyster bed. ...
/l/layer.htm - 7k

Wicker (1 Occurrence)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (n.) A small pliant twig or osier; a rod for making
basketwork and the like. 2. (n.) Wickerwork; a piece of wickerwork, esp. ...
/w/wicker.htm - 7k

Float (4 Occurrences)
... Jerusalem." (Root in WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NIV). Hosea 10:7 Samaria and
her king float away, like a twig on the water. (WEB NIV). ...
/f/float.htm - 10k

Twist (5 Occurrences)
... a cannon. 22. (n.) A beverage made of brandy and gin. 23. (n.) A twig.
Multi-Version Concordance Twist (5 Occurrences). 2 Peter 3 ...
/t/twist.htm - 10k

Twig: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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