2 Nephi 15:6

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6 And I will lay it waste; it shall not be pruned nor digged; but there shall come up briers and thorns; I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it.

Quote for Discussion

“Briers”

Briers surely would evoke negative memories for persons living close to the land. Everybody hates briers; they are an infuriating ground cover that trips, scratches and generally makes walking through them miserable. Briers don’t just cause pain—they make you suffer. The scratches can make one’s bare legs and ankles feel like they are on fire. In fact, briers and suffering are practically inseparable in the Bible….

Briers are used metaphorically to depict the devastating result of God’s judgment—turning pleasant and productive land into wasteland (cf. Isa. 5:6; 7:25; 32:13; Heb. 6:8)….

Being extremely hardy, briers are especially hard on the weak things. Small, delicate plants are no match for the voracious appetite of the brier. Jesus had this in mind when he told the parable of the sower (cf. Matt. 13:7; Mark 4:7; Luke 8:7). Finally, there is that ironic picture of the crown of thorns fashioned for Jesus as a way to mock him. The shameful tearing of his flesh is the outward display of inner suffering. Whether physical or metaphorical, briers and misery go hand in hand.

Dictionary of Biblical Imagery, ed. Leland Ryken, James C. Willhoit, and Tremper Longman III, [Downers Grove, Illinois: InterVarsity Press 1998], 123