brier, thistle

Boyd’s Bible Dictionary:

No less than eighteen Hebrew words embrace the thistle, thorn, brier, and bramble species, which is prolific in Palestine
(Gen. 3:1818Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; (Genesis 3:18)). Figurative for desolation (Prov. 24:3131And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down. (Proverbs 24:31); Isa. 5:66And 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. (Isaiah 5:6); Hos. 2:66Therefore, behold, I will hedge up thy way with thorns, and make a wall, that she shall not find her paths. (Hosea 2:6)); providential visitation (Num. 33:5555But if ye will not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you; then it shall come to pass, that those which ye let remain of them shall be pricks in your eyes, and thorns in your sides, and shall vex you in the land wherein ye dwell. (Numbers 33:55); Judg. 2:33Wherefore I also said, I will not drive them out from before you; but they shall be as thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare unto you. (Judges 2:3); 2 Cor. 12:77And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. (2 Corinthians 12:7)); hindrance (Prov. 15:1919The way of the slothful man is as an hedge of thorns: but the way of the righteous is made plain. (Proverbs 15:19)); troubles (Prov. 22:55Thorns and snares are in the way of the froward: he that doth keep his soul shall be far from them. (Proverbs 22:5)). “Crown of thorns,” both punishment and derision (Matt. 27:2929And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews! (Matthew 27:29)).

“Briers” From Concise Bible Dictionary:

Six different Hebrew words are so translated, several of which cannot be particularized. It shows how abundant are the fruits of the curse pronounced in Eden because of the sin of man, but which will be removed in the millennium, when the myrtle, etc., will take its place (Judg. 8:7, 167And Gideon said, Therefore when the Lord hath delivered Zebah and Zalmunna into mine hand, then I will tear your flesh with the thorns of the wilderness and with briers. (Judges 8:7)
16And he took the elders of the city, and thorns of the wilderness and briers, and with them he taught the men of Succoth. (Judges 8:16); Isa. 5:66And 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. (Isaiah 5:6); Isa. 55:1313Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree: and it shall be to the Lord for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off. (Isaiah 55:13); Ezek. 2:66And thou, son of man, be not afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns be with thee, and thou dost dwell among scorpions: be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house. (Ezekiel 2:6); Ezek. 28:2424And there shall be no more a pricking brier unto the house of Israel, nor any grieving thorn of all that are round about them, that despised them; and they shall know that I am the Lord God. (Ezekiel 28:24); Mic. 7:44The best of them is as a brier: the most upright is sharper than a thorn hedge: the day of thy watchmen and thy visitation cometh; now shall be their perplexity. (Micah 7:4)).

“Thistles” From Concise Bible Dictionary:

See THORNS.

Strong’s Dictionary of Greek Words:

Number:
5146 (find all occurrences in KJV Bible)
Greek:
τρίβολος
Transliteration:
tribolos
Phonic:
trib’-ol-os
Meaning:
from 5140 and 956; properly, a crow-foot (three-pronged obstruction in war), i.e. (by analogy) a thorny plant (caltrop)
KJV Usage:
brier, thistle