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Reed

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A broken reed. Something not to be trusted for support. Egypt is called a broken reed, to which Hezekiah, could not trust if the Assyrians made war on Jorusalem, “which broken reed if a man leans on, it will go into his hand and pierce it.” Reed walking sticks are referred to.

A bruised reed, in Bible language, means a believer weak in grace. A bruised reed [God] will not break.

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Entry taken from Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, edited by the Rev. E. Cobham Brewer, LL.D. and revised in 1895.