The term "wither" in the Bible often refers to the process of drying up or losing vitality, typically in the context of plants or vegetation. This imagery is frequently used metaphorically to describe spiritual decay, judgment, or the fleeting nature of human life.

Old Testament Usage

In the Old Testament, the concept of withering is commonly associated with God's judgment or the consequences of sin. For example, in Isaiah 40:7-8 , it is written: "The grass withers, the flowers fade when the breath of the LORD blows on them; indeed, the people are grass. The grass withers and the flowers fade, but the word of our God stands forever." Here, the withering grass symbolizes the transient nature of human life and the enduring truth of God's word.

The Psalms also use the imagery of withering to describe the fate of the wicked. Psalm 1:3-4 contrasts the righteous, who are "like a tree planted by streams of water," with the wicked, who "are like chaff that the wind blows away." The implication is that the wicked, lacking spiritual nourishment, will wither away.

New Testament Usage

In the New Testament, Jesus uses the imagery of withering in His teachings. In the Parable of the Sower, found in Matthew 13:6 , Jesus describes seeds that fall on rocky ground: "But when the sun rose, the seedlings were scorched, and they withered because they had no root." This parable illustrates the spiritual condition of those who initially receive the word with joy but fall away when faced with trials, due to a lack of deep-rooted faith.

Another significant New Testament reference is found in John 15:6 , where Jesus speaks of the vine and the branches: "If anyone does not remain in Me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers. Such branches are gathered up, thrown into the fire, and burned." This passage emphasizes the necessity of abiding in Christ to maintain spiritual vitality and avoid spiritual withering.

Symbolism and Themes

The theme of withering in the Bible often serves as a warning against spiritual complacency and a call to remain steadfast in faith. It underscores the importance of being rooted in God's word and maintaining a close relationship with Him to avoid spiritual decay. The imagery of withering also highlights the contrast between the temporary nature of earthly life and the eternal nature of God's promises.

Related Concepts

· Judgment: Withering is frequently associated with divine judgment, as seen in prophetic literature where nations or individuals face consequences for their actions.
· Mortality: The transient nature of life is often depicted through the imagery of withering, reminding believers of the brevity of human existence.
· Spiritual Vitality: The opposite of withering is flourishing, which is used to describe those who are spiritually alive and thriving in their relationship with God.

In summary, the concept of withering in the Bible serves as a powerful metaphor for spiritual decline, the consequences of sin, and the ephemeral nature of life, while also pointing to the enduring truth and life found in God.1. (n.) To fade; to lose freshness; to become sapless; to become sapless; to dry or shrivel up.

2. (n.) To lose or want animal moisture; to waste; to pin/ away, as animal bodies.

3. (n.) To lose vigor or power; to languish; to pass away.

4. (v. t.) To cause to fade, and become dry.

5. (v. t.) To cause to shrink, wrinkle, or decay, for want of animal moisture.

6. (v. t.) To cause to languish, perish, or pass away; to blight; as, a reputation withered by calumny.

3583. xeraino -- to dry up, waste away
... xeraino Phonetic Spelling: (xay-rah'-ee-no) Short Definition: I dry up, parch, ripen
Definition: I dry up, parch, am ripened, wither, waste away. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3583.htm - 6k

3133. maraino -- to quench, waste away
... to quench, waste away. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: maraino Phonetic Spelling:
(mar-ah'-ee-no) Short Definition: I die, wither Definition: pass: I die ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3133.htm - 6k

1601. ekpipto -- to leap out
... of Speech: Verb Transliteration: ekpipto Phonetic Spelling: (ek-pip'-to) Short
Definition: I fall out, fall off, fall away, fade away, wither away Definition ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1601.htm - 6k

2595. karphos -- a small dry stalk
... Word Origin from karpho (to dry up, wither) Definition a small dry stalk NASB Word
Usage speck (6). ... From karpho (to wither); a dry twig or straw -- mote. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2595.htm - 6k

302. an -- usually untranslatable, but generally denoting ...
... whatsoever, wheresoever, whosoever. A primary particle, denoting a supposition,
wish, possibility or uncertainty -- (what-, where-, wither-, who-)soever. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/302.htm - 8k

599. apothnesko -- to die
... apothnesko Phonetic Spelling: (ap-oth-nace'-ko) Short Definition: I am dying, am
about to die Definition: I am dying, am about to die, wither, decay. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/599.htm - 9k

5351. phtheiro -- to destroy, corrupt, spoil
... Probably strengthened from phthio (to pine or waste); properly, to shrivel or wither,
ie To spoil (by any process) or (generally) to ruin (especially ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5351.htm - 7k

4448c. malal -- to languish, wither, fade
... 4448b, 4448c. malal. 4448d . to languish, wither, fade. Transliteration:
malal Short Definition: off. Word Origin a prim. root Definition ...
/hebrew/4448c.htm - 5k

3001. yabesh -- to be dry, dried up, or withered
... root Definition to be dry, dried up, or withered NASB Word Usage become dry (1),
completely wither (1), dried (18), dries (5), dry (11), make her dry (1), make ...
/hebrew/3001.htm - 6k

5034b. nabel -- to sink or drop down, languish, fade
... 5034a, 5034b. nabel. 5035 . to sink or drop down, languish, fade.
Transliteration: nabel Short Definition: wither. Word Origin a prim. ...
/hebrew/5034b.htm - 5k

7060. qamel -- to be decayed
... root Definition to be decayed NASB Word Usage rot away (1), withers (1). hew down,
wither. A primitive root; to wither -- hew down, wither. 7059, 7060. ...
/hebrew/7060.htm - 5k

5034. nabel -- to be senseless or foolish
... disgrace, dishounor, lightly esteem, come to nothing, make vile, wither
A primitive root; to wilt; generally, to fall away, fail ...
/hebrew/5034.htm - 5k

535. amal -- to be weak, languish
... 1), fade away (1), fades (1), fails (2), languish (1), languished (1), languishes
(2), languishing (1), pine away (1), pines away (2), wither (2), withered (1 ...
/hebrew/535.htm - 6k

Psalm XXXVII.
... 3. "Be not envious because of evil-doers, neither be envious against the workers
of iniquity" (ver.1). "For they shall soon wither like the grass, and shall ...
/.../augustine/exposition on the book of psalms/psalm xxxvii.htm

Spiritual Dryness.
... blessed man." "He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth
forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither." This is a ...
//christianbookshelf.org/orr/how to live a holy life/spiritual dryness.htm

The Chaff Driven Away
... man is said to be "like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth
his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 5 1859/the chaff driven away.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

Song 3. The Rose. 12,8,12,8
... How fair is the Rose! what a beautiful flower! The glory of April and May: But the
leaves are beginning to fade in an hour, And they wither and die in a day. ...
/.../watts/divine songs for children/song 3 the rose 128128.htm

Song 3. The Rose.
... The glory of April and May: But the leaves are beginning to fade in an hour,. And
they wither and die in a day. ... Since both of them wither and fade; ...
//christianbookshelf.org/watts/divine and moral songs/song 3 the rose.htm

Turn Us, O God of Hosts, Show us Thy Countenance...
... They rise, and set; and by rising, they begin as it were to be; they grow, that
they may be perfected; and perfected, they wax old and wither; and all grow not ...
/.../augustine/the confessions of saint augustine/chapter x turn us o.htm

On the Words of the Gospel, Matt. xxi. 19, Where Jesus Dried up ...
... But in others, after He was crucified, and was now exalted into heaven, He found
the fruit of repentance; and these He did not make to wither, but cultivated ...
/.../sermons on selected lessons of the new testament/sermon xxxix on the words.htm

Letter i. The Christian's Mark.
... maturity. (2.) To become stationary in its growth, before it arrives at maturity.
If it ceases to grow, it must wither away and die. The ...
/.../letter i the christians mark.htm

Psalm XCII.
... They flourish when it is winter, but they will wither in the summer. ... When the sun
hath gone forth, doth the palm-tree wither? Doth the cedar die? ...
/.../augustine/exposition on the book of psalms/psalm xcii.htm

Wither (30 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Wither (30 Occurrences). ... Psalms 37:2 For they shall soon
be cut down like the grass, and wither like the green herb. ...
/w/wither.htm - 15k

It-wither (1 Occurrence)
It-wither. Iturea, It-wither. Ivah . Multi-Version Concordance
It-wither (1 Occurrence). Ezekiel 17:10 Yes, behold, being ...
/i/it-wither.htm - 6k

Fade (16 Occurrences)
... 1. (a.) Weak; insipid; tasteless; commonplace. 2. (v.) To become fade; to grow weak;
to lose strength; to decay; to perish gradually; to wither, as a plant. ...
/f/fade.htm - 13k

Thrive (11 Occurrences)
... prosper? shall he not pull up its roots, and cut off its fruit, that it
may wither; that all its fresh springing leaves may wither? ...
/t/thrive.htm - 10k

Withered (46 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (imp. & pp) of Wither. 2. (a.) Faded; dried up; shriveled;
wilted; wasted; wasted away. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. WITHERED. ...
/w/withered.htm - 22k

Wilt (324 Occurrences)
... 2. (vi) To begin to wither; to lose freshness and become flaccid, as a plant when
exposed when exposed to drought, or to great heat in a dry day, or when ...
/w/wilt.htm - 36k

Springing (16 Occurrences)
... prosper? shall he not pull up its roots, and cut off its fruit, that it
may wither; that all its fresh springing leaves may wither? ...
/s/springing.htm - 11k

Furrows (8 Occurrences)
... prosper? shall it not utterly wither, when the east wind toucheth it? it
shall wither in the furrows where it grew. (KJV WBS YLT). ...
/f/furrows.htm - 8k

Transplanted (4 Occurrences)
... prosper? shall it not utterly wither, when the east wind touches it? it shall
wither in the beds where it grew. (See RSV NIV). Ezekiel ...
/t/transplanted.htm - 7k

Reeds (27 Occurrences)
... The streams of Egypt will be diminished and dried up. The reeds and flags
will wither away. (WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV NIV). ...
/r/reeds.htm - 14k

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