Bible Verses About Allegory

One day the trees set out to anoint a king for themselves. They said to the olive tree, ‘Reign over us.’

But the olive tree replied, ‘Should I stop giving my oil that honors both God and man, to hold sway over the trees?’

Then the trees said to the fig tree, ‘Come and reign over us.’

But the fig tree replied, ‘Should I stop giving my sweetness and my good fruit, to hold sway over the trees?’

Then the trees said to the grapevine, ‘Come and reign over us.’

But the grapevine replied, ‘Should I stop giving my wine that cheers both God and man, to hold sway over the trees?’

Finally all the trees said to the thornbush, ‘Come and reign over us.’

But the thornbush replied, ‘If you really are anointing me as king over you, come and find refuge in my shade. But if not, may fire come out of the thornbush and consume the cedars of Lebanon.’

The wolf will live with the lamb, and the leopard will lie down with the goat; the calf and young lion and fatling will be together, and a little child will lead them.

The cow will graze with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox.

The infant will play by the cobra’s den, and the toddler will reach into the viper’s nest.

The wilderness and the land will be glad; the desert will rejoice and blossom like a rose.

It will bloom profusely and rejoice with joy and singing. The glory of Lebanon will be given to it, the splendor of Carmel and Sharon. They will see the glory of the LORD, the splendor of our God.

Strengthen the limp hands and steady the feeble knees!

Say to those with anxious hearts: “Be strong, do not fear! Behold, your God will come with vengeance. With divine retribution He will come to save you.”

Then the eyes of the blind will be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped.

Then the lame will leap like a deer and the mute tongue will shout for joy. For waters will gush forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert.

The parched ground will become a pool, the thirsty land springs of water. In the haunt where jackals once lay, there will be grass and reeds and papyrus.

And there will be a highway called the Way of Holiness. The unclean will not travel it— only those who walk in the Way— and fools will not stray onto it.

No lion will be there, and no vicious beast will go up on it. Such will not be found there, but the redeemed will walk upon it.

So the redeemed of the LORD will return and enter Zion with singing, crowned with everlasting joy. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee.

These things serve as illustrations, for the women represent two covenants. One covenant is from Mount Sinai and bears children into slavery: This is Hagar.