In the Bible, the term "leaf" is often used both literally and symbolically, representing various spiritual and moral truths. Leaves are mentioned in several contexts, from the natural world to metaphorical illustrations, reflecting the richness of biblical imagery.

Creation and Nature

The first mention of leaves in the Bible is found in the account of creation. In Genesis 1:11-12 , God commands the earth to bring forth vegetation, including plants yielding seed and trees bearing fruit with seed in them. While leaves are not explicitly mentioned here, they are an integral part of the plant life that God created, serving as a symbol of life and growth.

The Fall

In Genesis 3:7 , after Adam and Eve eat from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, "the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; so they sewed together fig leaves and made coverings for themselves." Here, leaves are used as a means of covering, symbolizing humanity's initial attempt to deal with sin and shame through their own efforts.

Symbol of Prosperity and Judgment

Leaves are often used to symbolize prosperity and blessing. In Psalm 1:3 , the righteous man "is like a tree planted by streams of water, yielding its fruit in season, whose leaf does not wither, and who prospers in all he does." The imagery of a tree with unwithered leaves signifies spiritual vitality and the blessings that come from living in accordance with God's law.

Conversely, withered leaves can symbolize judgment and spiritual decay. In Isaiah 64:6 , the prophet laments, "All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind, our iniquities sweep us away." Here, the withered leaf represents the frailty and impermanence of human righteousness apart from God.

Eschatological Imagery

In the eschatological visions of the Bible, leaves also play a significant role. In Ezekiel 47:12 , the prophet describes trees growing by the river flowing from the temple: "Their fruit will be for food and their leaves for healing." This imagery is echoed in Revelation 22:2 , where the leaves of the tree of life are described as being "for the healing of the nations." These passages highlight the restorative and healing power of God's ultimate plan for creation.

Moral and Spiritual Lessons

The Bible uses the imagery of leaves to convey moral and spiritual lessons. In the Gospels, Jesus curses a fig tree that has leaves but no fruit (Mark 11:13-14), using it as a metaphor for the spiritual barrenness of Israel. The presence of leaves without fruit serves as a warning against outward religiosity without genuine faith and obedience.

Conclusion

Throughout Scripture, leaves are a multifaceted symbol, representing life, growth, prosperity, judgment, and healing. They serve as a reminder of the Creator's design, the consequences of sin, and the hope of redemption and restoration through God's sovereign plan.Of a tree. The olive-leaf mentioned Genesis 8:11. The barren fig-tree had nothing but leaves (Matthew 21:19; Mark 11:13). The oak-leaf is mentioned Isaiah 1:30; 6:13. There are numerous allusions to leaves, their flourishing, their decay, and their restoration (Leviticus 26:36; Isaiah 34:4; Jeremiah 8:13; Dan. 4:12, 14, 21; Mark 11:13; 13:28). The fresh leaf is a symbol of prosperity (Psalm 1:3; Jeremiah 17:8; Ezek. 47:12); the faded, of decay (Job 13:25; Isaiah 1:30; 64:6; Jeremiah 8:13).

Leaf of a door (1 Kings 6:34), the valve of a folding door.

Leaf of a book (Jeremiah 36:23), perhaps a fold of a roll.

1. (n.) A colored, usually green, expansion growing from the side of a stem or rootstock, in which the sap for the use of the plant is elaborated under the influence of light; one of the parts of a plant which collectively constitute its foliage.

2. (n.) A special organ of vegetation in the form of a lateral outgrowth from the stem, whether appearing as a part of the foliage, or as a cotyledon, a scale, a bract, a spine, or a tendril.

3. (n.) Something which is like a leaf in being wide and thin and having a flat surface, or in being attached to a larger body by one edge or end; as : (a) A part of a book or folded sheet containing two pages upon its opposite sides. (b) A side, division, or part, that slides or is hinged, as of window shutters, folding doors, etc. (c) The movable side of a table. (d) A very thin plate; as, gold leaf. (e) A portion of fat lying in a separate fold or layer. (f) One of the teeth of a pinion, especially when small.

4. (v. i.) To shoot out leaves; to produce leaves; to leave; as, the trees leaf in May.

LEAF; LEAVES

lef, levz: Used in three different senses, with reference:

(1) To trees (`aleh, "a coming up"), Genesis 3:7; Genesis 8:11 Leviticus 26:36 (Tereph); Ezekiel 17:9; phullon. Figuratively

(a) of spiritual blessings (Ezekiel 47:12; compare Revelation 22:2) and prosperity (Psalm 1:3);

(b) of moral decay (Isaiah 64:6), and

(c) of a formal, empty profession (Matthew 21:19).

(2) To a book (deleth), Jeremiah 36:23 (margin "columns"; see 36:2); as the parchment was gradually unfolded the successive columns could be read.

(3) To doors (tsela`, "side," qela`,"a screen," "hanging"), 1 Kings 6:34. The door of the Holy Place consisted of two halves, but each half had two leaves (compare Ezekiel 41:24).

M. O. Evans

5444. phullon -- a leaf
... phullon. 5445 . a leaf. Part of Speech: Noun, Neuter Transliteration: phullon
Phonetic Spelling: (fool'-lon) Short Definition: a leaf Definition: a leaf. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5444.htm - 6k

3200. membrana -- parchment
... parchment. Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: membrana Phonetic Spelling:
(mem-bran'-ah) Short Definition: a parchment leaf Definition: a parchment ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3200.htm - 6k

4439. pule -- a gate
... a gate, porch. Apparently a primary word; a gate, ie The leaf or wing of a folding
entrance (literally or figuratively) -- gate. (pulai) -- 1 Occurrence. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4439.htm - 7k

5929. aleh -- leaf, leafage
... 5928, 5929. aleh. 5930 . leaf, leafage. Transliteration: aleh Phonetic
Spelling: (aw-leh') Short Definition: leaf. Word Origin from ...
/hebrew/5929.htm - 6k

2964. tereph -- prey, food, a leaf
... 2963, 2964. tereph. 2965 . prey, food, a leaf. Transliteration: tereph Phonetic
Spelling: (teh'-ref) Short Definition: prey. ... leaf, meat, prey, spoil. ...
/hebrew/2964.htm - 6k

6763. tsela -- rib, side
... chambers (10), sides (5), walls (1). beam, board, chamber, corner, leaf,
plank, rib, side chamber. Or (feminine) tsaltah {tsal-aw ...
/hebrew/6763.htm - 6k

1817. deleth -- a door
... door two-leaved, gate, leaf, lid. From dalah; something swinging, ie The valve of
a door -- door (two-leaved), gate, leaf, lid. (In Psa. 141:3, dal, irreg.). ...
/hebrew/1817.htm - 6k

7050. qela' -- a sling
... hanging, leaf, sling From qala'; a sling; also a (door) screen (as if slung across),
or the valve (of the door) itself -- hanging, leaf, sling. ...
/hebrew/7050.htm - 5k

3689. kesel -- loins, stupidity, confidence
... From kacal; properly, fatness, ie By implication (literally) the loin (as the seat
of the leaf fat) or (generally) the viscera; also (figuratively) silliness ...
/hebrew/3689.htm - 6k

3712. kippah -- a branch, frond (of a palm tree)
... of kaph Definition a branch, frond (of a palm tree) NASB Word Usage palm branch
(3). branch. Feminine of kaph; a leaf of a palm-tree -- branch. see HEBREW kaph. ...
/hebrew/3712.htm - 6k

September the Seventeenth the Never-Withering Leaf
... SEPTEMBER The Seventeenth THE NEVER-WITHERING LEAF. JEREMIAH xvii.5-11.
Let me look at "the blessed man" in the interpreting symbol ...
/.../september the seventeenth the never-withering.htm

"And we all do Fade as a Leaf, and Our Iniquities, Like the Wind ...
... Sermon XVII. "And we all do fade as a leaf, and our iniquities, like the
wind, have taken us away.". Isaiah lxiv.6.""And we all ...
/.../binning/the works of the rev hugh binning/sermon xvii and we all.htm

"All Our Righteousnesses are as Filthy Rags, and we all do Fade as ...
... Sermon XVI. "All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags, and we all do fade as
a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.". ...
/.../the works of the rev hugh binning/sermon xvi all our righteousnesses.htm

Death to Sin is the Way Out into a Life of Holiness.
... The first hour that the sap begins to withdraw, and the leaf-stalk begins to silt
up, the leaf's fate is sealed: there is never a moment's reversal of the ...
//christianbookshelf.org/trotter/parables of the cross/death to sin is the.htm

Letter iii. True Religion a Work of Grace in the Heart; but it ...
... "And he (the righteous) shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that
bringeth forth his fruit in his season: his leaf shall not wither.""PS.1:3. ...
/.../letter iii true religion a.htm

A Funeral Oration.
... Some profess to know, but they know not. Where have last summer's roses gone? What
will become of yon dry leaf, torn from its parent stem by this wintry blast? ...
/.../a funeral oration.htm

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

The Fourth Season,
... " I will send faintness into their hearts in the land of their enemies, and the
sound of a shaking leaf shall chase them." What poor spirited men are those, to ...
//christianbookshelf.org/flavel/on keeping the heart/iv the fourth season.htm

Roots
... "Is the rice ready?". "No.". "Then give me some betel leaf," and she settles down
to roll small pieces of lime into little balls, and these balls she rolls up in ...
/.../wilson-carmichael/things as they are/chapter viii roots.htm

"God with Us"
... There is no leaf of the forest, or lowly blade of grass, but has its ministry.
Every tree and shrub and leaf pours forth that element ...
//christianbookshelf.org/white/the desire of ages/chapter 1 god with us.htm

Leaf (20 Occurrences)
... Easton's Bible Dictionary Of a tree. The olive-leaf mentioned Genesis
8:11. The ... 13). The oak-leaf is mentioned Isaiah 1:30; 6:13. ...
/l/leaf.htm - 16k

Olive-leaf (1 Occurrence)
Olive-leaf. Olive-gardens, Olive-leaf. Olive-oil . Multi-Version
Concordance Olive-leaf (1 Occurrence). Genesis 8:11 ...
/o/olive-leaf.htm - 6k

Fade (16 Occurrences)
... 28:1, 4; 40:7, 8); once it is the translation of balal "to well up," "to overflow";
perhaps from nabhal (Isaiah 64:6, "We all do fade as a leaf"); in the New ...
/f/fade.htm - 13k

Fadeth (9 Occurrences)
... Psalms 1:3 And he is as a tree planted by brooks of water, which giveth its fruit
in its season, and whose leaf fadeth not; and all that he doeth prospereth. ...
/f/fadeth.htm - 8k

Pan (26 Occurrences)
... 3. (n.) A leaf of gold or silver. 4. (vt & i.) To join or fit together; to unite.
5. (n.) The betel leaf; also, the masticatory made of the betel leaf, etc. ...
/p/pan.htm - 20k

Wither (30 Occurrences)
... (See JPS RSV). Psalms 1:3 He will be like a tree planted by the streams of water,
that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also does not wither. ...
/w/wither.htm - 15k

Logia
... They began work on the ruins of the town, January 11, 1897, and on the following
day discovered a papyrus leaf inscribed with a number of sayings introduced by ...
/l/logia.htm - 19k

Leaves (55 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (n.) Plural of Leaf. 2. (n.) pl. of Leaf. Int.
Standard Bible Encyclopedia. LEAF; LEAVES. lef, levz: Used ...
/l/leaves.htm - 24k

Fig-tree (33 Occurrences)
... of Palestine have shed all their leaves, and they remain bare until about the end
of March, when they commence putting forth their tender leaf buds (Matthew 24 ...
/f/fig-tree.htm - 26k

Figtree
... of Palestine have shed all their leaves, and they remain bare until about the end
of March, when they commence putting forth their tender leaf buds (Matthew 24 ...
/f/figtree.htm - 15k

How should poetry in the Bible be interpreted? | GotQuestions.org

Why are all of our righteous acts considered filthy rags? | GotQuestions.org

What does the Bible say about predetermination? | GotQuestions.org

Leaf: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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