Topical Bible: Leafy

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In biblical literature, the term "leafy" is often associated with trees and plants, symbolizing life, prosperity, and sometimes judgment. The imagery of leaves is used throughout the Bible to convey various spiritual truths and lessons.

Symbol of Prosperity and Blessing

The lushness of leaves is frequently used to symbolize prosperity and divine blessing. In Psalm 1:3, the righteous man is compared to "a tree planted by streams of water, yielding its fruit in season, whose leaf does not wither, and who prospers in all he does." Here, the "leaf" represents vitality and the continuous blessing of God upon those who delight in His law.

Similarly, in Jeremiah 17:8, the person who trusts in the Lord is likened to "a tree planted by the waters, sending out its roots toward the stream. It does not fear when the heat comes, and its leaves are always green." The evergreen nature of the leaves signifies enduring faith and the sustenance provided by God.

Symbol of Judgment and Warning

Conversely, the absence or withering of leaves can symbolize judgment or spiritual barrenness. In Isaiah 34:4, a prophetic vision of judgment is described: "All the stars of heaven will be dissolved. The sky will be rolled up like a scroll, and all their stars will fall like withered leaves from the vine, like foliage from the fig tree." The withering leaves here depict the transience and ultimate downfall of those under divine judgment.

In the New Testament, Jesus uses the imagery of a fig tree to convey a message of judgment. In Mark 11:13-14, Jesus approaches a fig tree in leaf, expecting to find fruit. Finding none, He curses the tree, and it withers. This act serves as a symbolic warning against fruitlessness and hypocrisy among those who outwardly appear righteous but lack true spiritual fruit.

Symbol of Shelter and Protection

Leaves also serve as a symbol of shelter and protection. In the account of Jonah, God provides a leafy plant to give Jonah shade and comfort (Jonah 4:6). This act of provision highlights God's compassion and care, even when Jonah is in a state of discontent.

Eschatological Imagery

In eschatological contexts, leafy imagery is used to describe the restoration and renewal of creation. Ezekiel 47:12 speaks of trees along the riverbanks in the new temple vision: "Their leaves will not wither, and their fruit will not fail. Each month they will bear fruit, because the water from the sanctuary flows to them. Their fruit will serve for food and their leaves for healing." This vision points to the ultimate healing and sustenance that will come from God in the new creation.

Conclusion

Throughout Scripture, the imagery of leaves and leafy plants serves as a powerful metaphor for spiritual truths, illustrating themes of prosperity, judgment, protection, and eschatological hope. The use of "leafy" in the Bible underscores the importance of spiritual vitality and the consequences of spiritual barrenness.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary

1. (superl) Full of leaves; abounding in leaves; as, the leafy forest.

2. (superl) Consisting of leaves.

Greek

4742a. stibas -- a bed of leaves or rushes
... Word Origin from steibo (to tread under foot) Definition a bed of leaves or rushes
NASB Word Usage leafy branches (1). 4742, 4742a. stibas. 4742b . ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4742a.htm - 5k

Strong's Hebrew

5687. aboth -- (having) interwoven (foliage), leafy
... 5686, 5687. aboth or aboth. 5688 . (having) interwoven (foliage), leafy.
Transliteration: aboth or aboth Phonetic Spelling: (aw-both') Short Definition: ...
/hebrew/5687.htm - 6k

Library

The Second Day in Passion-Week - the Barren Fig-Tree - the ...
... And the judgment, symbolically spoken in the Parable, must be symbolically executed
in this leafy fig-tree, barren when searched for fruit by the Master. ...
/.../edersheim/the life and times of jesus the messiah/chapter ii the second day.htm

Reverie.
... be. List'ning to the merry songsters In the near-by leafy world; Such
sweet music seems to bear me Nearer to the gates of gold. ...
/.../orr/food for the lambs or helps for young christians/reverie.htm

The Feast of Tabernacles.
... The flat house-tops of the city were covered with these leafy bowers, which became
the temporary home of the family; while the open places and surrounding ...
/.../johnson/the new testament commentary vol iii john/the feast of tabernacles.htm

The Preaching of Nature.
... "Each tree she kindles by her touch bursts into leafy flames, And, like
the sacred desert bush, God's presence there proclaims. ...
/.../the life of duty a years plain sermons v 2/sermon l the preaching of.htm

The Consecration of Joy
... that is branches with fruit on them, if the tree bore fruit, were to be taken: palms,
'thick trees,' that is thick foliaged, which could give leafy shade, and ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture k/the consecration of joy.htm

On Easter
... forth. Its foliage [2116] having been torn off in the wintry season, the
verdant grove now renews its leafy shelter. Mingled together ...
//christianbookshelf.org/venantius/on easter/on easter.htm

A Strain of the Judgment of the Lord.
... and will ope. Waters renewed, even at their fountainheads? And cut from waving grass
the leafy flowers? 10 Forthwith the breezes of celestial light. ...
/.../unknown/fathers of the third century tertullian appendix/4 a strain of the.htm

Continued.
... spreads, and away in the forests of Edom the wild creatures in their terror slip
their calves, and the oaks are scathed and stripped of their leafy honours. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/maclaren/the life of david/iii early dayscontinued.htm

Let These Dealers in Crowns Then Recognize in the Meantime the ...
... their beginnings as well as causes, and kinds, and rites, that you find all that
is charming in the flower, all that is beautiful in the leafy branch, and ...
/.../tertullian/the chaplet or de corona/chapter vii let these dealers.htm

Hymn Before Meat
... On the twain Thou didst bestow Leafy bowers in pleasaunce fair: Where spring's scents
for aye did blow, And four stately streams did flow O'er meads pied with ...
/.../prudentius/the hymns of prudentius/iii hymn before meat.htm

Thesaurus

Leafy (22 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (superl) Full of leaves; abounding in leaves; as, the
leafy forest. ... Multi-Version Concordance Leafy (22 Occurrences). ...
/l/leafy.htm - 12k

Ashe'rim (19 Occurrences)
... (See RSV). 1 Kings 14:23 For they also built them high places, and pillars, and
Asherim, on every high hill, and under every leafy tree; (See RSV). ...
/a/ashe'rim.htm - 12k

Leaf (20 Occurrences)
... (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV). Job 15:32 It shall be accomplished
before his time, and his branch shall not be leafy. (Root in JPS BBE). ...
/l/leaf.htm - 16k

Hilltops (10 Occurrences)
... (See NIV). 2 Kings 16:4 And he sacrificed and offered in the high places,
and on the hills, and under every leafy tree. (See NIV). ...
/h/hilltops.htm - 9k

League (20 Occurrences)

/l/league.htm - 14k

Outer (98 Occurrences)
... (WEY). Mark 11:8 Then many spread their outer garments to carpet the road, and others
leafy branches which they had cut down in the fields; (WEY). ...
/o/outer.htm - 37k

Lovely (19 Occurrences)
... of jewels. (See NAS). Song of Songs 1:16 Behold, thou art fair, my beloved,
yea, pleasant; also our couch is leafy. (See RSV). Song ...
/l/lovely.htm - 13k

Fields (199 Occurrences)
... Mark 11:8 Then many spread their outer garments to carpet the road, and others leafy
branches which they had cut down in the fields; (WEY ASV BBE NAS RSV NIV). ...
/f/fields.htm - 37k

Thick (129 Occurrences)
... In Sirach 14:18 "thick tree" represents dendron dasu, "leafy tree." See MYRTLE.
TREES, THICK. See THICK TREES. Multi-Version Concordance Thick (129 Occurrences) ...
/t/thick.htm - 38k

Trees (179 Occurrences)
... In Sirach 14:18 "thick tree" represents dendron dasu, "leafy tree." See MYRTLE.
TREES, GOODLY. See GOODLY TREES. TREES, SHADY. sha'-di. See LOTUS TREES. ...
/t/trees.htm - 45k

Resources

What is metaethics? | GotQuestions.org

Is the paleo diet biblical? | GotQuestions.org

Is it wrong to be frustrated with God? | GotQuestions.org

Leafy: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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Concordance

Leafy (22 Occurrences)

Mark 11:8
Then many spread their outer garments to carpet the road, and others leafy branches which they had cut down in the fields;
(WEY NAS RSV)

Leviticus 23:40
And ye shall take on the first day the fruit of beautiful trees, palm branches and the boughs of leafy trees, and willows of the brook; and ye shall rejoice before Jehovah your God seven days.
(DBY NAS RSV NIV)

Deuteronomy 12:2
Ye shall surely destroy all the places wherein the nations that ye shall dispossess served their gods, upon the high mountains, and upon the hills, and under every green tree:
(See JPS)

1 Kings 14:23
For they also built them high places, and pillars, and Asherim, on every high hill, and under every green tree;
(See JPS)

2 Kings 16:4
And he sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places, and on the hills, and under every green tree.
(See JPS)

2 Kings 17:10
and they set them up pillars and Asherim upon every high hill, and under every green tree;
(See JPS)

2 Chronicles 28:4
And he sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places, and on the hills, and under every green tree.
(See JPS)

Nehemiah 8:15
and that they proclaim and cause to pass over all their cities, (and in Jerusalem,) saying, 'Go ye out to the mount, and bring leaves of the olive, and leaves of the oil tree, and leaves of the myrtle, and leaves of the palms, and leaves of thick trees, to make booths as it is written.'
(See NAS RSV)

Job 15:32
It shall be accomplished before his time, And his branch shall not be green.
(See JPS)

Psalms 37:35
I have seen the wicked in great power, And spreading himself like a green tree in its native soil.
(See JPS)

Psalms 52:8
But as for me, I am like a green olive-tree in the house of God: I trust in the lovingkindness of God for ever and ever.
(See JPS)

Song of Songs 1:16
Behold, thou art fair, my beloved, yea, pleasant: Also our couch is green.
(See JPS)

Isaiah 57:5
ye that inflame yourselves among the oaks, under every green tree; that slay the children in the valleys, under the clefts of the rocks?
(See JPS)

Jeremiah 2:20
For of old time I have broken thy yoke, and burst thy bonds; and thou saidst, I will not serve; for upon every high hill and under every green tree thou didst bow thyself, playing the harlot.
(See JPS)

Jeremiah 3:6
Moreover Jehovah said unto me in the days of Josiah the king, Hast thou seen that which backsliding Israel hath done? she is gone up upon every high mountain and under every green tree, and there hath played the harlot.
(See JPS)

Jeremiah 3:13
Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against Jehovah thy God, and hast scattered thy ways to the strangers under every green tree, and ye have not obeyed my voice, saith Jehovah.
(See JPS)

Jeremiah 11:16
Jehovah called thy name, A green olive-tree, fair with goodly fruit: with the noise of a great tumult he hath kindled fire upon it, and the branches of it are broken.
(See JPS)

Jeremiah 17:2
whilst their children remember their altars and their Asherim by the green trees upon the high hills.
(See JPS)

Ezekiel 6:13
And ye shall know that I am Jehovah, when their slain men shall be among their idols round about their altars, upon every high hill, on all the tops of the mountains, and under every green tree, and under every thick oak, the places where they offered sweet savor to all their idols.
(See JPS NAS RSV NIV)

Ezekiel 17:6
And its growth went on and it became a vine, low and widely stretching, whose branches were turned to him and its roots were under him: so it became a vine, putting out branches and young leaves.
(See NIV)

Ezekiel 20:28
For when I had brought them into the land, which I swore to give to them, then they saw every high hill, and every thick tree, and they offered there their sacrifices, and there they presented the provocation of their offering; there also they made their pleasant aroma, and they poured out there their drink offerings.
(See NAS RSV NIV)

Hosea 14:8
Ephraim'shall say, What have I to do any more with idols? I have answered, and will regard him: I am like a green fir-tree; from me is thy fruit found.
(See JPS)

Subtopics

Leafy

Related Terms

Confederate (3 Occurrences)

Achaia (11 Occurrences)

Treaty (25 Occurrences)

Decapolis (3 Occurrences)

Confederacy (2 Occurrences)

Baasa (26 Occurrences)

Withdraw (52 Occurrences)

Gibeon (39 Occurrences)

Jotham (26 Occurrences)