The term "plumb" in the Bible is often associated with the concept of measurement, alignment, and righteousness. It is derived from the tool known as a plumb line, which is used by builders to ensure that structures are vertically true. The plumb line serves as a metaphor for divine standards and judgment, emphasizing the importance of living in accordance with God's laws and principles.

Biblical References:

1. Amos 7:7-8 : "This is what He showed me: The Lord was standing by a wall true to plumb, with a plumb line in His hand. 'What do you see, Amos?' He asked. 'A plumb line,' I replied. Then the Lord said, 'Behold, I am setting a plumb line among My people Israel; I will no longer spare them.'" In this passage, the plumb line symbolizes God's standard of righteousness and justice. The Lord uses it to measure the faithfulness of Israel, indicating that they will be judged according to His divine standards.

2. Isaiah 28:17 : "I will make justice the measuring line and righteousness the plumb line; hail will sweep away your refuge of lies, and water will flood your hiding place." Here, the plumb line represents God's unwavering standard of justice and righteousness. It underscores the idea that God's judgment is precise and unerring, and that deceit and falsehood will be exposed and eradicated.

Symbolism and Interpretation:

The plumb line is a powerful symbol of God's exacting standards. It serves as a reminder that believers are called to align their lives with God's will, maintaining integrity and uprightness. The imagery of the plumb line conveys the message that God's judgment is not arbitrary but is based on His immutable principles of justice and righteousness.

In the context of the prophetic books, the plumb line often signifies impending judgment. It is a tool that reveals the moral and spiritual condition of a nation or individual, highlighting areas that are out of alignment with God's expectations. The use of the plumb line in these passages serves as a call to repentance and a return to God's ways.

Application for Believers:

For Christians, the concept of the plumb line can be applied to personal spiritual growth and community life. It challenges believers to examine their own lives and ensure they are living in accordance with biblical teachings. The plumb line encourages self-reflection and a commitment to holiness, urging believers to seek God's guidance in aligning their actions and attitudes with His Word.

Furthermore, the plumb line can be seen as a tool for maintaining doctrinal purity within the church. It calls for adherence to the truth of Scripture, resisting false teachings and practices that deviate from the gospel. By holding fast to the plumb line of God's Word, the church can remain steadfast in its mission and witness to the world.

In summary, the plumb line is a vivid biblical metaphor that underscores the importance of living a life that is true to God's standards. It serves as a reminder of the need for righteousness, justice, and integrity in the lives of believers and the community of faith.1. (n.) A weight attached to a line and used by builders to indicate a vertical direction; a plummet; a plumb bob. See below.

2. (a.) Perpendicular; vertical; conforming the direction of a line attached to a plumb; as, the wall is plumb.

3. (adv.) In a plumb direction; perpendicularly.

4. (v. t.) To adjust by a plumb line; to cause to be perpendicular; as, to plumb a building or a wall.

5. (v. t.) To sound with a plumb or plummet, as the depth of water; hence, to examine by test; to ascertain the depth, quality, dimension, etc.; to sound; to fathom; to test.

6. (v. t.) To seal with lead; as, to plumb a drainpipe.

7. (v. t.) To supply, as a building, with a system of plumbing.

594. anak -- to plummet
... Word Origin of uncertain derivation Definition to plummet NASB Word Usage
plumb line (3), vertical with a plumb (1). plumb-line. ...
/hebrew/594.htm - 6k

68. eben -- a stone
... Usage another (1), charm* (1), cornerstone* (1), death (1), differing weights (3),
hailstones* (4), jeweler* (1), lapis lazuli* (1), line* (1), plumb line (1 ...
/hebrew/68.htm - 6k

913. bedil -- alloy, tin, dross
... tin. Word Origin from badal Definition alloy, tin, dross NASB Word Usage
alloy (1), line* (1), plumb* (1), tin (4). plummet, tin. ...
/hebrew/913.htm - 6k

Book one in God's Searching Presence, Augustine Undertakes to ...
... The Confessions of Saint Augustine BOOK ONE In God's searching presence, Augustine
undertakes to plumb the depths of his memory to trace? ...
/.../augustine/confessions and enchiridion/book one in gods searching.htm

The Immutability of God
... feel a kind of self-content, and go our way with the thought, "Behold I am wise."
But when we come to this master-science, finding that our plumb-line cannot ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 1 1855/the immutability of god.htm

The Justice of God
... Romans 9:20. Who art thou, O man, that replies against God?' The plumb line of our
reason is too short to fathom the depth of God's justice. Romans 11:33. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/watson/a body of divinity/8 the justice of god.htm

Altogether Lovely
... I hesitated to preach upon it, for I saith in my heart, "It is high, I cannot attain
unto it." These deep texts show us the shortness of our plumb-line; these ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 17 1871/altogether lovely.htm

He Will be a Religious Genius
... of the Lord Jesus. Christ is the Divine plumb-line and standard of measurement
by which all character must be tested. In our last ...
//christianbookshelf.org/pink/the antichrist/7 he will be a.htm

The Love that Calls us Sons
... We are called upon to come with our little vessels to measure the contents of the
great ocean, to plumb with our short lines the infinite abyss, and not only ...
/.../expositions of holy scripture ephesians peter/the love that calls us.htm

The Servant-Lord
... to believe, it is not for us to fathom or exhaust, but lovingly and reverently and
humbly, because we know it but partially, to try to plumb the unfathomable ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture e/the servant-lord.htm

February the Ninth the Rock and the Bowing Wall
... The wicked is "as a bowing wall." The wall is out of perpendicular, out of conformity
with the truth of the plumb-line, and it will assuredly topple into ruin. ...
/.../my daily meditation for the circling year/february the ninth the rock.htm

He Proceeds to Show that There is no "Variance" in the Essence of ...
... Now that which is "at variance" is surely so conceived and so called, in opposition
to that which is "in harmony," as the plumb-line is in harmony with the ...
/.../gregory/gregory of nyssa dogmatic treatises etc/section 8 he proceeds to.htm

Entire Sanctification as Taught by Paul.
... It was like a plumb- line applied to a leaning wall, which shows how far it deviates
from the perpendicular, but which has no power to make it upright. ...
/.../clark/the theology of holiness/chapter vii entire sanctification as.htm

Plumb (6 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (n.) A weight attached to a line and used by builders
to indicate a vertical direction; a plummet; a plumb bob. See below. ...
/p/plumb.htm - 9k

Plumb-line (2 Occurrences)
Plumb-line. Plumbline, Plumb-line. Plummet . Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia
PLUMB-LINE; PLUMMET. plum'-lin, plum'-et, plum'-it. See TOOLS. ...
/p/plumb-line.htm - 7k

Plummet (4 Occurrences)
... 1. (n.) A piece of lead attached to a line, used in sounding the depth of water.
2. (n.) A plumb bob or a plumb line. See under Plumb. ...PLUMB-LINE; PLUMMET. ...
/p/plummet.htm - 8k

Vertical (1 Occurrence)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (a.) Perpendicular to the plane of the horizon;
upright; plumb; as, a vertical line. 2. (a.) of or ...
/v/vertical.htm - 7k

Plumbline (2 Occurrences)
... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia PLUMB-LINE; PLUMMET. plum'-lin, plum'-et,
plum'-it. See TOOLS. Multi-Version Concordance Plumbline (2 Occurrences). ...
/p/plumbline.htm - 7k

Pardon (31 Occurrences)
... How could Jacob stand? For he is small." (See NAS). Amos 7:8 And Jehovah said
unto me, Amos, what seest thou? And I said, A plumb-line. ...
/p/pardon.htm - 18k

Setting (82 Occurrences)
... Amos 7:8 and Jehovah saith unto me, 'What art thou seeing, Amos?' And I say, 'A
plumb-line;' and the Lord saith: 'Lo, I am setting a plumb-line in the midst of ...
/s/setting.htm - 32k

Level (31 Occurrences)
... 1. (n.) A line or surface to which, at every point, a vertical or plumb line is
perpendicular; a line or surface which is everywhere parallel to the surface of ...
/l/level.htm - 19k

Tools (3 Occurrences)
...Plumb-line ('anakh in Amos 7:7, a symbol of the searching moral investigation which
would be followed by a precise and exact judgment; compare mishkoleth ...
/t/tools.htm - 14k

Emptiness (17 Occurrences)
... The owl and the raven will dwell in it. He will stretch the line of confusion over
it, and the plumb line of emptiness. (WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS). ...
/e/emptiness.htm - 11k

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