In biblical times, beds were simple and functional, reflecting the modest lifestyle of the people. The concept of a bed in the Bible often extends beyond mere furniture, symbolizing rest, intimacy, and sometimes even moral or spiritual states.

Materials and Construction:
Beds in ancient Israel were typically made from woven mats or rugs placed on the floor. Wealthier individuals might have had wooden frames or platforms. In 1 Samuel 19:15, King Saul sends messengers to see David, who is said to be "lying in bed," indicating that beds were a recognized part of household furnishings. The construction of beds could vary, with some being portable, allowing for easy movement, as seen in the account of the paralytic in Mark 2:4, where his friends lower him through the roof on his mat.

Symbolism and Usage:
Beds are often mentioned in contexts that highlight rest and repose. In Psalm 63:6, David reflects, "When I remember You on my bed, I think of You through the watches of the night." Here, the bed becomes a place of meditation and communion with God. Similarly, in Proverbs 3:24, the promise of peaceful sleep is given: "When you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you rest, your sleep will be sweet."

Beds also appear in narratives involving moral and spiritual lessons. In 2 Samuel 11:2-4, King David's sin with Bathsheba begins when he sees her from his rooftop and later brings her to his bed. This incident underscores the potential for beds to be places of moral testing and failure.

Cultural Practices:
In the New Testament, beds are sometimes associated with healing and miracles. In John 5:8, Jesus tells the invalid at the Pool of Bethesda, "Get up, pick up your mat, and walk." This command not only signifies physical healing but also spiritual renewal and liberation from a life of dependency.

Beds were also used in mourning practices. In Amos 6:4, the prophet condemns those who "lie on beds of ivory," indicating a life of luxury and complacency in the face of impending judgment. This critique highlights the contrast between the comfort of beds and the spiritual lethargy they can symbolize.

Legal and Ritual Implications:
The Mosaic Law includes regulations concerning beds, particularly in matters of ritual purity. Leviticus 15:4 states, "Any bed on which the man with the discharge lies will be unclean." This reflects the broader biblical theme of cleanliness and holiness, where even everyday objects like beds are subject to divine law.

Conclusion:
Throughout the Bible, beds serve as more than just physical objects; they are woven into the fabric of biblical narrative and teaching. Whether as places of rest, moral testing, or spiritual reflection, beds in the Bible invite readers to consider their own lives in light of divine truth and righteousness.4237. prasia -- a garden bed
... prasia Phonetic Spelling: (pras-ee-ah') Short Definition: a company formed into
divisions Definition: a company formed into divisions (like garden-beds). ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4237.htm - 6k6170. arugah -- a garden terrace or bed
... 6169, 6170. arugah. 6171 . a garden terrace or bed. Transliteration: arugah
Phonetic Spelling: (ar-oo-gaw') Short Definition: beds. ...
/hebrew/6170.htm - 6k

4904. mishkab -- place of lying, a couch, act of lying
... Word Origin from shakab Definition place of lying, a couch, act of lying NASB Word
Usage bed (25), bedroom* (3), beds (6), couch (1), health* (1), intimately ...
/hebrew/4904.htm - 6k

4296. mittah -- a couch, bed
... Word Origin from natah Definition a couch, bed NASB Word Usage bed (21), bedroom*
(2), beds (1), bier (1), couch (3), couches (1). bedchamber, bier. ...
/hebrew/4296.htm - 6k

Verse 1. My Beloved is Gone Down into his Garden, to the Beds Of
... CHAPTER VI. VERSE 1. My beloved is gone down into His garden, to the beds of. spices,
to feed in the gardens and to gather lilies. O blessed soul! ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/guyon/song of songs of solomon/verse 1 my beloved is.htm

And Then the Future Captivity under an Oppressive King is ...
... Ye that are set apart for the day of evil, and come near to the seat of oppression."
Then are subjoined the evils of luxury: "ye that lie upon beds of ivory ...
/.../augustine/on christian doctrine in four books/chapter 18 and then the.htm

And all the Methods I have Mentioned are Constantly Used by Nearly ...
... Ye that are set apart for the day of evil, and come near to the seat of oppression."
Then are subjoined the evils of luxury: "ye that lie upon beds of ivory ...
/.../augustine/on christian doctrine in four books/chapter 7 and all the.htm

The Songs of the Fugitive.
... So forgivingly, so lovingly does he think of them, ere he lays himself down to rest,
wishing that "on their beds," as on his, the peace of meditative ...
//christianbookshelf.org/maclaren/the life of david/xv the songs of the.htm

The Right to what I Consider a Normal Standard of Living
... Rugs, to them, belonged on beds, not on floors, and they would no more think
of walking on my rug than you would on my best blanket! ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/williamson/have we no rights/chapter 2 the right to.htm

The Races --A Letter
... Isle of the Blest, where people can sit on the grass in January"like live
flower beds of the most splendid and yet harmonious hues. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/kingsley/at last/chapter xv the racesa letter.htm

On Sleep.
... And those that can roll on other beds, having this, as it were, for a natural gymnasium
for sleep, digest food more easily, and render themselves fitter for ...
//christianbookshelf.org/clement/the instructor paedagogus/chap ix on sleep.htm

The Life of Mr. John Blackadder.
... However with great fury and terrible oaths and execrations in the middle of the
night they turned out the children from their beds, caused one of them to hold ...
/.../howie/biographia scoticana scots worthies/the life of mr john 12.htm

Trust in the Guidance of God.
... The cheeks of the spouse are compared to beds of flowers, to gardens filled
with fragrant blossoms. The divine action is the gardener ...
/.../abandonment to divine providence/section vii trust in the guidance.htm

Book xi. Epistle i. To John, Abbot.
... We have learnt from the report of our son Simplicius that there is a want of beds
and bedding in the Gerontocomium [124] , which has been constructed by one ...
/.../gregory/the epistles of saint gregory the great/book xi epistle i to.htm

Beds (22 Occurrences)
...Beds (22 Occurrences). Mark 6:55 And ran through that whole region round about,
and began to carry about in beds those that were sick, where they heard he was. ...
/b/beds.htm - 13k

Bedstead (1 Occurrence)
... 1. Old Testament Terms for Bed, and Sleeping Customs of the Hebrews: With a later
development and civilization, "beds" came to be built upon supports and ...
/b/bedstead.htm - 18k

Bedchamber (6 Occurrences)
... 1. Old Testament Terms for Bed, and Sleeping Customs of the Hebrews: With a later
development and civilization, "beds" came to be built upon supports and ...
/b/bedchamber.htm - 20k

Bed (142 Occurrences)
... etc. 7. (n.) See Gun carriage, and Mortar bed. 8. (n.) The horizontal surface
of a building stone; as, the upper and lower beds. 9 ...
/b/bed.htm - 52k

Couches (15 Occurrences)
... Acts 5:15 Insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them
on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might ...
/c/couches.htm - 10k

Balsam (10 Occurrences)
... (See NAS). Song of Songs 5:13 His face is as beds of spices, giving out perfumes
of every sort; his lips like lilies, dropping liquid myrrh. (See NAS). ...
/b/balsam.htm - 10k

Coal (7 Occurrences)
... 2. (n.) A black, or brownish black, solid, combustible substance, dug from beds
or veins in the earth to be used for fuel, and consisting, like charcoal ...
/c/coal.htm - 14k

Plot (53 Occurrences)
... eagle with great wings and many feathers: and behold, this vine did bend its roots
toward him, and shot forth its branches toward him, from the beds of its ...
/p/plot.htm - 22k

Rock (176 Occurrences)
... 4. (n.) Any natural deposit forming a part of the earth's crust, whether consolidated
or not, including sand, earth, clay, etc., when in natural beds. ...
/r/rock.htm - 49k

Uncovered (78 Occurrences)
... 2 Samuel 22:16 Then the deep beds of the sea were seen, and the bases of the world
were uncovered, because of the Lord's wrath, because of the breath of his ...
/u/uncovered.htm - 32k

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