Bible Symbols
Symbolic Language used in the Old and New Testaments
| Texts | Symbols | Meanings |
| Jer 3:8, 9; 5:7 | Adultery | Idolatry |
| Rev 1:20; 2:1, etc. | Angel | Messenger, hence minister |
| Psa 10:15; Eze 30:21, etc. | Arm | Power |
| Job 6:4 | Arrows | Judgments |
| Rev 17:18 | Babylon | Rome |
| Dan 7:17 | Beast | A tyrannical heathen monarch |
| Job 30:30; Joe 2:6 | Black | Affliction—anguish |
| Isa 29:18; Rom 11:25 | Blindness | Ignorance |
| Isa 34:3; Eze 32:6 | Blood | Slaughter—depth |
| Job 18:15; Rev 14:10 | Brimstone | Desolation—torments |
| Rev 21:9 | Bride | The Church of God |
| Jhn 3:29 | Bridegroom | Christ wedded to his Church |
| Psa 22:12, etc. | Bulls | Violent enemies |
| Rev 2:1 | Candlestick | Church |
| Psa 68:17, etc. | Chariots | Heavenly hosts |
| Jam 1:12; Rev 2:10 | Crown | Victory—reward |
| Psa 23:5 | Cup | Divine Blessings |
| Isa 51:17 | Cup | Divine Judgments |
| Jer 2:31; Amo 4:13; Rom 13:12 | Darkness | Misery—adversity—ignorance |
| Isa 34:8, etc.; Rev 2:10, etc.; 1Th 5:5, etc. | Day | An indefinite time—a prophetic year—gospel period |
| Mat 15:26; Rev 22:15; Psa 22:16 | Dogs | Gentiles—impure persons—persecutors |
| 1Cr 16:9 | Door | An opening |
| Rev 12:9 | Dragon | Satan |
| Isa 29:9 | Drunkenness | Effects of divine judgments |
| Rev 6:12, etc. | Earthquakes | Revolutions |
| Pro 15:3, etc. | Eyes | Knowledge |
| Psa 34:16, etc. | Face | The divine favor |
| Jer 5:28 | Fat | Abundance |
| Isa 42:25, etc. | Fire | Judgments |
| Rev 7:3, etc. | Forehead | A public profession |
| Jer 11:4 | Furnace | Affliction |
| Rev 3:4, etc. | Garments | Outward appearance |
| Psa 147:13 | Gates | Power—security |
| Job 12:18 | Girdles | Strength |
| Mat 25:33 | Goats | Wicked persons |
| Eze 38:2; 39:11; Rev 20:8 | Gog and Magog | God’s enemies |
| Rev 8:7 | Grass | The lower orders, opposed to trees, the higher orders |
| Rev 11:19 | Hail | Divine vengeance |
| Psa 18:35; 73:23 | Hand, right | Protection—support |
| Eze 8:1 | Hand of the Lord | Divine influence |
| Joe 3:13, etc. | Harvest | A time of destruction |
| Eph 1:22, etc. | Head | Rule or ruler |
| Isa 13:13; Hag 2:6, 21 | Heavens | Political or ecclesiastical governments |
| Zec 10:3 | Horse | War and conquest |
| Mat 5:6 | Hunger and thirst | Spiritual desires |
| Rev 5:8 | Incense | Prayer |
| Psa 122:6 | Jerusalem | Church of God |
| Hbr 12:22, etc. | Jerusalem | The heavenly state |
| Rev 1:18 | Keys | Power and authority |
| 1Ki 15:4; Psa 132:17 | Lamp | A successor or offspring |
| Est 8:16 | Light | Joy—prosperity |
| Isa 8:20; Eph 5:8, etc. | Light | Knowledge—bitterness |
| — | Moon [see Sun] | — |
| Zec 4:7; Isa 2:2 | Mountains | A state—Christ’s Church |
| Rom 16:25, etc. | Mystery | Not a thing unintelligible, but never before made plain |
| Rev 3:17 | Naked | In the sinful state of nature |
| Isa 21:12; Rev 21:25 | Night | Adversity—affliction—ignorance |
| Isa 2:13 | Oaks | Men of rank and power |
| Psa 23:5; 92:10, etc. | Oil | Abundance—fertility—joy |
| Rev 7:9 | Palms | Victory |
| Luk 23:43; Rev 2:7 | Paradise | Heaven |
| Psa 18:2 | Rock | A secure refuge |
| 2:9, etc.;Job 9:34, etc. | Rod | Authority—correction |
| Col 4:6, etc.; Deu 29:23 | Salt | Purity—barrenness |
| Isa 51:10 | Sea in commotion | An army |
| Sgs 4:12; Isa 29:11 | Seal | Security—secrecy |
| Gen 3:1, etc.; 2Cr 11:3; Rev 12:9 | Serpent | The devil |
| Jhn 10:11, 16, etc. | Sheep | Christ’s disciples |
| Nah 3:18; Eze 34:2, etc. | Shepherds | Rules, civil or ecclesiastical |
| Psa 84:9; Eph 6:16 | Shield | Defence—protection |
| 1Th 4:14 | Sleep | Death |
| Isa 1:6, etc. | Sores | Spiritual maladies |
| Num 24:17, etc. | Star | A prince or ruler |
| Joe 2:31, etc. | Sun, moon, and stars | The various governors in a state |
| Isa 34:5; Eze 21:3, etc. | Sword | War and slaughter |
| Deu 28:13 | Tail | Subjection—degradation |
| Pro 30:14 | Teeth | Cruelty |
| Gen 41:40, etc. | Throne | Kingdom or government |
| Jer 4:31; Gal 4:19 | Travail | Anguish—anxiety |
| Zec 11:2 | Trees | The great and noble |
| Psa 80:8, etc. | Vine | The Church of God |
| Isa 5:1, etc. | Vineyard | The Church of God |
| Eze 3:17 | Watch-tower | The Prophets |
| Psa 69:1; Isa 8:7, etc.; 55:1 | Waters | Afflictions—multitudes—ordinances |
| Dan 9:24 | Week | Seven years |
| Rev 12:6 | Wilderness | Afflicted state |
| Isa 27:8; Jer 51:1 | Wind | Judgments—destructive war |
| Isa 25:6; 55:1, etc.; Psa 60:3, etc. | Wine | Spiritual blessings—divine judgments |
| Isa 63:3; Rev 14:19 | Winepress | Slaughter |
| Psa 17:8, etc. | Wings | Protection |
| Isa 11:6; 65:25 | Wolves | Furious, ungodly persons |
| Eze 26:2, 3 | Woman | City, or body politie |
| Rev 12:1 | Woman | The Church of Christ |
| Deu 28:48; Mat 11:29, 30; Lam 3:27 | Yoke | Labor-restraint |
Cite This Page:
Nevin, Alfred, Ed., et al. “Symbolic Language Used by the Poets and Prophets of the Old and New Testaments,” The Parallel Bible. Blue Letter Bible. 1 Aug 2002. 20 Aug 2011.
http://blueletterbible.org/study/parallel/paral17.cfm.
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