Interesting Scriptural Metaphors

Metaphors and similes are expressions that compare or relate two terms or objects. Similes make use of comparative words such as like, than, as, so, etc. Metaphors omit these comparative words. Both metaphors and similes are literary devices used to conjure up a vivid mental picture. Listed below are my three favorite metaphors from each book found in our Standard Works. Share some of your scriptural favorites with me at mdtaylormd@gmail.com and I will add them to the list, with an acknowledgment of you as the contributor.

·         Scriptural Metaphors

o        Genesis

      • "...this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven." (Genesis 28:17)
      • "...Jacob's anger was kindled against Rachel: and he said, Am I in god's stead, who hath withheld from thee the fruit of the womb?" (Genesis 30:2)
      • "...Ye [Simeon] have troubled me [Jacob] to make me to stink among the inhabitants of the land,..." (Genesis 34:30)
      • Other metaphors in Genesis - 37:7, 37:9, 40:9-11, 40:16-17, 41:1-7, 44:18, 45:18, 48:16, 49:8, 49:9, 49:14, 49:17, 49:20-24, 49:26

o        Exodus

      • "...I [Moses] am come down to deliver them [Israelites] out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them...unto a land flowing with milk and honey..." (Exodus 3:8)
      • "Then the magicians said unto Pharoah, This [the plague of lice] is the finger of God; and Pharoah's heart was hardened, ..." (Exodus 8:19)
      • "And with the blast of thy nostrils the waters were gathered together, the floods stood upright as an heap, and the depths were congealed in the heart of the sea." (Exodus 15:8)
      • "Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself." (Exodus 19:4)
      • Other metaphors in Exodus - 1:5, 3:20, 4:15, 4:21, 5:21, 6:1, 6;6, 6:12, 6:30, 7:3-4, 7:13-14, 7:22, 8:15, 8:32, 9:2, 9:7, 9:12, 9:15, 9:34-35, 10:1, 10:20, 10:37, 11:10, 13:5, 13:9, 13:16, 14:4, 14:8, 14:17, 14:22, 14:29, 15:2, 15:6, 15:12, 15:16-17, 19:5, 23:8, 23:9, 23:27, 31:6, 33:3, 34:9, 34:12

o        Leviticus

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      • Other metaphors in Leviticus -

o        Matthew

      • "Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves." (Matthew 7:15)
      • "The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one;..." (Matthew 13:38-39)
      • "...thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." (Matthew 16:18)
      • Other metaphors in Matthew - 5:13, 5:14, 12:34, 13:19, 13:37, 16:11, 16:19, 19:8, 19:21, 21:43-44, 22:44, 23:15-16, 23:24-26, 23:33, 23:37-38, 24:32, 24:43-44, 27:26-28, 27:31, 27:39, 27:41

o        Mark

      • "And Jesus said unto them [Simon and Andrew], Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men." (Mark 1:17)
      • "...it is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it unto the dogs. And she [a Greek woman] answered, ...yet the dogs under the table eat of the children's crumbs." (Mark 7:28-29)
      • "...The stone which the builders rejected is become the head of the corner: ..." (Mark 12:10)
      • Other metaphors in Mark - 2:19-22, 4:14-15, 8:15, 8:33, 8:34, 9:49-50, 10:25, 12:1-9, 12:36, 13:27, 13:28-29, 14:22, 14:24, 14;27

o        Luke

      • "Whose [Jesus'] fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and will gather the wheat into his garner; but the chaff he will burn with fire unquenchable." (Luke 3:17)
      • "...And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men." (Luke 5:10)
      • "Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God." (Luke 8:11-14)
      • Other metaphors in Luke - 1:42, 1:78, 1:79, 2:32, 2:35, 3:7, 3:9, 5:31, 5:34, 5:35-39, 6:38-39, 6:41-45, 7:24, 7:35, 9:60, 10:7, 10:21, 11:34-36, 12:1, 12:32-33, 12:35

o        1 Nephi

      • "...the large and spacious building is the vain imaginations and the pride of the children of men." (1 Nephi 12:18)
      • "...the church of the devil is the whore of all the earth." (1 Nephi 13:5)
      • "...thou art obstinate, and thy neck is an iron sinew, and thy brow brass;..." (1 Nephi 20:4)
      • Other metaphors in 1 Nephi - 12:16, 12:17, 13:5, 14:10, 15:4, 15:10, 15:12, 15:15, 15:16, 15:23-24, 15:26-27, 15:36, 17:1, 17:13, 17:19, 17:35, 17:39, 17:41, 17:43, 18:10, 18:15, 19:7, 19:14, 19:24, 20:10, 20:13, 21:2, 21:6, 21:9-10, 21:16, 21:23, 21:26, 22:5, 22:6, 22:10-11, 22:13, 22:14, 22:23, 22:25

o        2 Nephi

      • "...awake from a deep sleep, yea, even from the sleep of hell, and shake off the awful chains by which ye are bound, which are the chains which bind the children of men, ..." (2 Nephi 1:13)
      • "...I [Lehi] have beheld his [the Lord's] glory, and I am encircled about eternally in the arms of his love." (2 Nephi 1:15)
      • "O Lord, wilt thou encircle me around in the robe of thy righteousness!" (2 Nephi 4:33)
      • "Come, my brethren, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters; and he that hath no money, come buy and eat; yea, come buy wine and milk without money and without price." (2 Nephi 9:50)
      • "...hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure, and [Israel's pomp] shall descend into it." (2 Nephi 15:14)
      • "...he [Jesus] shall rise from the dead, with healing in his wings; ..." (2 Nephi 25:13)
      • Other metaphors in 2 Nephi - 1:2, 1:14, 1:17, 1:21, 1:23-24, 2:18, 3:4-7, 3:11-12, 3:14, 3:17-19, 3:21, 3:24, 4:25-26, 4:30, 4:32-35, 6:6, 6:7, 6:10, 6:13, 6:15-17, 7:1, 7:2, 7:3, 7:4, 7:5, 7:8-9, 7:10-11, 8:1, 8:4, 8:5, 8:7, 8:8, 8:9, 8:15, 8:16, 8:17, 8:21, 8:22-23, 8:24-25, 9:7, 9:10, 9:14, 9:18, 9:19, 9:26, 9:33, 9:41, 9:42, 9:45, 9:51, 9:53, 10:5, 10:9, 10:14, 10:16, 10:18, 12:5, 12:10, 12:21-22, 13:1, 13:4, 13:8, 13:10, 13:14-15, 13:17, 13:20, 14:2, 14:4, 15:1-7, 15:13, 15:25, 16:10, 17:2, 17:4, 17:15, 17:18-20, 18:7-9, 18:14-17, 19:2, 19:4, 19:5, 19:8, 19:10, 19:12, 19:14-15, 19:20, 20:4-5, 20:12, 20:15, 20:16, 20:17-18, 20:24, 20:27, 20:33-34, 21:1, 21:4-5, 21:10, 21:12, 21:14, 22:2, 22:3, 23:8, 24:7, 24:8, 24:9, 24:11-12, 24:17-18, 24:23, 24:25-26, 24:27, 24:29-30, 24:31, 25:10, 25:12, 25:28, 26;3, 26:6, 26:15-16, 26:20, 26:25, 26:29, 27:1, 27:4-5, 27:9, 27:11, 27:25, 27:29, 27:32, 28:8-10, 28:12-19, 28:22-23, 28:28, 28:31-32, 29:2-3, 30:6, 30:9, 30:11, 31:9, 31:17-20, 32:4, 32:7, 33:2, 33:9, 33:13

o        Jacob through Words of Mormon

      • "...it burdeneth my [Jacob's] soul that I should be constrained...to admonish you according to your crimes, to enlarge the wounds of those who are already wounded, instead of consoling and healing their wounds; and those who have been wounded, instead of feasting upon the pleasing word of God have daggers placed to pierce their souls and wound their delicate minds. (Jacob 2:9)
      • "...brethren, ...shake yourselves that ye may awake from the slumber of death..." (Jacob 3:11)
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      • Other metaphors in Jacob through Words of Mormon- 1:19, 2:2, 2:8, 2:10, 2:13, 2;25, 2:35, 3:1-2, 3:10, 4:11, 4:14, 4;15-17, 6:5-7, 6:10-11, 7:3

o        Sections 1 to 20

      • "...ye are called to the work; ... the field is white already to harvest..." (D&C 4:3-4)
      • "...and the gates of hell shall not prevail against them." (D&C 10:69)
      • "...I am Jesus Christ,...a light which cannot be hid in darkness; ..." (D&C 14:9)
      • Other metaphors in D&C 1 to 20 - 6:2-3, 10:60, 10:66, 11:1-3, 11:11, 11:24, 12:1-3, 12:9, 14:1-3, 15:2, 16:2, 17:8, 18:5, 18:6, 19:15, 19:22, 20:14

o        Sections 21 to 40

      • "...For thou are called to prune my vineyard with a mighty pruning, even for the last time..." (D&C 24:19)
      • "For my soul delighteth in the song of the heart; ... (D&C 25:12)
      • "...take upon you my whole armor, ...having your loins girt about with truth, having on the breastplate of righteousness, and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace, ...taking the shield of faith, ...to quench the fiery darts of the wicked, and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of my spirit..." (D&C 27:15-18)
      • Other metaphors in D&C 21 to 40 - 21:2, 21:6, 21:9, 22:2, 22:4, 25:2, 25:15, 27:15-18, 29:1, 29:7, 29:9, 29:14, 29:21, 31:3-5, 31:7, 34:2, 34:8-9, 35:8, 35:11, 35:14, 35:16, 35:20, 35:24, 35:27, 36:6, 36:8, 38:1, 38:4-6, 38:8-9, 38:12, 38:17-18, 38:38, 38:42, 39:2, 39:13, 39:17

o        Sections 41 to 60

      • "...it is not meet that...the things of the kingdom should be given to them that are not worthy, or to dogs, or the pearls to be cast before swine." (D&C 41:6)
      • "...he that is ordained of me shall come in at the gate and be ordained as I have told you..." (D&C 43:7)
      • "...what will ye say when the day cometh when the thunders shall utter their voices from the ends of the earth,..." (D&C 43:21)
      • Other metaphors in D&C 41 to 60 - 42:46-47, 43:18, 43:19, 43:25, 43:26, 43:28, 45:1, 45:2, 45:6, 45:7, 45:9, 45:28, 45:33, 45:37-38, 45:47:, 45:63, 49:6, 49:25, 50:24, 50:38, 50:40-41, 50:44, 52:34, 52:43, 53:6, 54:1, 55:1, 55:5, 56:16-18, 57:8, 57:10, 58:4, 58:7, 58:8, 58:9-11, 58:13, 58:15, 58:20, 58:22, 58:29, 58:33, 58:45, 58:64, 59:2, 59:4, 59:8, 60:2, 60:13, 61:1, 61:6, 61:18-19, 61:31, 61:34, 61;38

o        Sections 61 to 80

      • "...unto him [God] whose anger is kindled against their wickedness, a people who are well-nigh ripened for destruction." (D&C 61:31)
      • "...thou [Wm. E. McLellin] shalt magnify thine office, and push many people to Zion with songs of everlasting joy upon their heads." (D&C 66:11)
      • "...if ye are faithful ye shall be laden with many sheaves..." (D&C 75:5)
      • Other metaphors in D&C 61 to 80 - 61:1, 61:6, 61:18-19, 61:31, 61:34, 61:38, 63:1, 63:17, 63:23, 63:28, 63:37, 63:54, 64:13, 64:22, 64:24, 64:33, 64:34, 64:43, 65:3, 65:5, 66:9, 66:12, 71:4, 72:2, 72:9-10, 72:16-17, 72:21, 73:6, 75:7, 75:22, 75:25, 76:10, 76:36, 76:44, 76:107, 78:10, 78:12

o        Pearl of Great Price

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