In biblical times, thorns were commonly used to form hedges, serving as protective barriers around fields, vineyards, and properties. The use of thorny plants for hedges is a practical application found in the agrarian society of ancient Israel, where such natural defenses were necessary to protect valuable crops from animals and intruders.

The Bible makes several references to thorns in the context of hedges, illustrating their role in everyday life and their symbolic significance. In the book of Hosea, the prophet speaks of a hedge of thorns as a means of divine protection and obstruction: "Therefore, behold, I will hedge up her way with thorns; I will enclose her with a wall, so that she cannot find her paths" (Hosea 2:6, BSB). Here, the hedge of thorns symbolizes God's intervention, preventing Israel from pursuing idolatrous paths.

Thorns as hedges also appear in the wisdom literature of the Bible. In Proverbs, the imagery of a thorn hedge is used to convey the difficulties faced by the lazy or the wicked: "The way of the sluggard is like a hedge of thorns, but the path of the upright is a highway" (Proverbs 15:19, BSB). This proverb contrasts the obstructed path of the sluggard with the clear and direct path of the righteous, using the thorn hedge as a metaphor for the consequences of slothfulness and moral failure.

The use of thorns for hedges is further illustrated in the parables of Jesus. In the Parable of the Sower, Jesus describes how some seeds fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants (Matthew 13:7, BSB). While this parable primarily addresses the reception of God's word, the mention of thorns reflects their common presence in the agricultural landscape of the time.

Thorns, therefore, served both practical and illustrative purposes in biblical narratives. As physical barriers, they protected and delineated spaces, while as symbols, they conveyed spiritual truths and moral lessons. The frequent mention of thorns in Scripture underscores their significance in the daily life and spiritual teachings of the biblical world.Hosea 2:6
Therefore, behold, I will hedge up your way with thorns, and make a wall, that she shall not find her paths.
Nave's Topical Index

Micah 7:4
The best of them is as a brier: the most upright is sharper than a thorn hedge: the day of your watchmen and your visitation comes; now shall be their perplexity.
Nave's Topical Index

The Presentation of the Blessed virgin in the Temple
... Other baskets, like the ones used for carrying grapes ... The fire signified God, the
thorn bush mankind. ... In the hedges there were berries which they picked and ate ...
/.../emmerich/the life of the blessed virgin mary/iii the presentation of the.htm

Man's Chief End
... him, with the nightingale, to sing with a thorn at his ... As Constantine used to write
the name of Christ over ... not break the trees, or destroy the hedges; if he ...
//christianbookshelf.org/watson/a body of divinity/1 mans chief end.htm

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