In biblical times, the term "brush" refers to the undergrowth or thickets of shrubs and small trees that are often mentioned in the context of wilderness or desolate areas. The Hebrew word often associated with such vegetation is "siach," which can denote bushes or shrubs. These thickets were common in the arid and semi-arid regions of the Near East, where they provided both challenges and resources for the inhabitants.

Biblical References:

1. Genesis 21:15 · In the account of Hagar and Ishmael, the brush is indirectly referenced when Hagar places her son under one of the bushes in the wilderness of Beersheba: "When the water in the skin was gone, she put the boy under one of the bushes." . This passage highlights the use of brush as a temporary shelter in times of distress.

2. 1 Kings 19:4 · The prophet Elijah, fleeing from Jezebel, finds refuge under a broom tree, a type of brush, in the wilderness: "while he himself traveled on a day’s journey into the wilderness. He sat down under a broom tree and prayed that he might die." . The broom tree, known for its hardy nature, provided shade and a place of rest for the weary prophet.

3. Job 30:4 · The book of Job describes the desperate conditions of those who gather herbs from the brush: "They pluck mallow by the bushes, and the roots of the broom tree are their food." . This illustrates the use of brush as a source of sustenance for the impoverished.

Symbolism and Usage:

In the biblical narrative, brush and thickets often symbolize desolation and the untamed aspects of creation. They are frequently associated with wilderness experiences, where individuals encounter God or undergo significant trials. The brush serves as a backdrop for divine encounters, as seen in the accounts of Hagar and Elijah, where God provides guidance and sustenance in the midst of desolation.

The brush also represents the resilience and resourcefulness of those who live in harsh environments. The ability to find shelter and sustenance in such sparse vegetation underscores the theme of God's provision and care for His people, even in the most challenging circumstances.

Cultural and Historical Context:

In ancient Israel, the brush was a common feature of the landscape, particularly in the wilderness areas such as the Negev and the Judean Desert. The broom tree, in particular, was valued for its wood, which was used for fuel, and its roots, which could be eaten in times of scarcity. The presence of brush in these regions shaped the lifestyle and survival strategies of the inhabitants, who relied on the natural resources available to them.

The biblical references to brush and thickets reflect the intimate connection between the people of the Bible and their environment. The narratives that involve brush often emphasize themes of survival, divine intervention, and the testing of faith, resonating with the broader biblical message of trust in God's provision.1. (n.) An instrument composed of bristles, or other like material, set in a suitable back or handle, as of wood, bone, or ivory, and used for various purposes, as in removing dust from clothes, laying on colors, etc. Brushes have different shapes and names according to their use; as, clothes brush, paint brush, tooth brush, etc.

2. (n.) The bushy tail of a fox.

3. (n.) A tuft of hair on the mandibles.

4. (n.) Branches of trees lopped off; brushwood.

5. (n.) A thicket of shrubs or small trees; the shrubs and small trees in a wood; underbrush.

6. (n.) A bundle of flexible wires or thin plates of metal, used to conduct an electrical current to or from the commutator of a dynamo, electric motor, or similar apparatus.

7. (n.) The act of brushing; as, to give one's clothes a brush; a rubbing or grazing with a quick motion; a light touch; as, we got a brush from the wheel as it passed.

8. (n.) A skirmish; a slight encounter; a shock or collision; as, to have a brush with an enemy.

9. (n.) A short contest, or trial, of speed.

10. (n.) To apply a brush to, according to its particular use; to rub, smooth, clean, paint, etc., with a brush.

11. (n.) To touch in passing, or to pass lightly over, as with a brush.

12. (n.) To remove or gather by brushing, or by an act like that of brushing, or by passing lightly over, as wind; -- commonly with off.

13. (v. i.) To move nimbly in haste; to move so lightly as scarcely to be perceived; as, to brush by.

660. apotinasso -- to shake off
... shake off. From apo and tinasso (to jostle); to brush off -- shake off. see GREEK
apo. (apotinaxas) -- 1 Occurrence. (apotinassete) -- 1 Occurrence. 659, 660 ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/660.htm - 6k

4563. saroo -- to sweep
... sweep. From a derivative of sairo (to brush off; akin to suro); meaning a broom;
to sweep -- sweep. see GREEK suro. (saroi) -- 1 Occurrence. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4563.htm - 6k

3261. yaah -- to sweep together
... root Definition to sweep together NASB Word Usage sweep away (1). sweep away. A
primitive root; apparently to brush aside -- sweep away. 3260, 3261. ...
/hebrew/3261.htm - 5k

Diamond Became a Great Favourite with all the Men About the Mews. ...
... change their minds about him. One day Jack gave him a curry-comb and a brush
to try his hand upon old Diamond's coat. He used them so ...
/.../macdonald/at the back of the north wind/chapter 17 diamond became a.htm

The New Commandment
... If an artist's canvas could but think and speak, surely it would never complain
of being touched and re-touched by the brush, nor would it feel envious thereof ...
/.../martin/the story of a soul/chapter x the new commandment.htm

the New Commandment
... If an artist's canvas could but think and speak, surely it would never complain
of being touched and re-touched by the brush, nor would it feel envious thereof ...
//christianbookshelf.org/therese/story of a soul/chapter x - the new.htm

Christ's Prayer Answered.
... them. It used to be a pastime of the boys in eastern Ohio to pile great
heaps of brush upon huge stumps in newly-cleared land. All ...
/.../rees/the heart-cry of jesus/chapter iv christs prayer answered.htm

Events During the War
... They heard men in the brush near the place where the dog was lying, and being very
young and not realizing their danger, they talked rather loudly and ...
/.../cole/trials and triumphs of faith/chapter iv events during the.htm

Free Grace
... You may brush down one web, but it soon forms another, you may take the thread from
one place, and you will find it clinging to your finger, and when you seek ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 5 1859/free grace.htm

A Little Sermon to School-Girls.
... knocked at the room of her neighbor, a young lady who had been brought up amid all
the refinements of life, and asked her if she would lend her her hair-brush. ...
/.../a little sermon to school-girls.htm

When Diamond Got Round the Corner of the Hay...
... Now, from the neglect of the new housemaid, the fire in Miss Coleman's bedroom had
gone out, and her mother had told her to brush her hair by the drawing-room ...
/.../macdonald/at the back of the north wind/chapter 2 when diamond got.htm

Low Beetling Brows, -- a Sensual, Cruel Mouth with a Loosely ...
... living,"and above all the perfectly self-satisfied and mock-pious air of the
man,"these points were given with the firm touch of a master's brush, and the ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/corelli/the master-christian/ix low beetling brows .htm

While the Foregoing Scene was Taking Place at the Vatican...
... her exquisite seductiveness"combined with her touching weakness"these qualities
make of woman the one,"the only subject for a painter's brush, when the ...
/.../corelli/the master-christian/xxix while the foregoing scene.htm

Brush (1 Occurrence)
... Brushes have different shapes and names according to their use; as, clothes brush,
paint brush, tooth brush, etc. 2. (n.) The bushy tail of a fox. ...
/b/brush.htm - 8k

Brush-wood (1 Occurrence)
Brush-wood. Brushwood, Brush-wood. Brutal . Multi-Version Concordance
Brush-wood (1 Occurrence). Isaiah 64:2 as when ...
/b/brush-wood.htm - 6k

Sweep (34 Occurrences)
... 1. (vi) To pass a broom across (a surface) so as to remove loose dirt, dust, etc.;
to brush, or rub over, with a broom for the purpose of cleaning; as, to ...
/s/sweep.htm - 19k

Brushwood (9 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (n.) Brush; a thicket or coppice of small trees and
shrubs. 2. (n.) Small branches of trees cut off. Multi-Version Concordance ...
/b/brushwood.htm - 9k

Brushing (2 Occurrences)
... 1. (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Brush. 2. (a.) Constructed or used to brush with; as a
brushing machine. 3. (a.) Brisk; light; as, a brushing gallop. ...
/b/brushing.htm - 7k

Writing (194 Occurrences)
... The commonest instruments of ancient writing were the pen, brush and style. ... The existing
ostraca from Ahab's palace are, however, done with the brush. ...
/w/writing.htm - 70k

Owls (7 Occurrences)
... Isaiah 14:23 And I will make you a heritage for the hedgehog, and pools of water:
and I will go through it with the brush of destruction, says the Lord of ...
/o/owls.htm - 8k

Lick (8 Occurrences)
... and careless application of anything, as if by a stroke of the tongue, or of something
which acts like a tongue; as, to put on colors with a lick of the brush. ...
/l/lick.htm - 10k

Lure (2 Occurrences)
... 2. (n.) Any enticement; that which invites by the prospect of advantage
or pleasure; a decoy. 3. (n.) A velvet smoothing brush. ...
/l/lure.htm - 7k

Gourd (4 Occurrences)
... of the Tigris and on the plain between the river and the ruins of Nineveh." At the
present day it is trained to run over structures of mud and brush to form ...
/g/gourd.htm - 12k

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