A block made of clay, either dried in the sun or baked, used as a building material.
About Brick
A brick is an oblong (rectangular) block made of shaped mud or clay. It is dried either by the sun or hardened by burning in a special furnace called a kiln. Bricks are used for building structures and making pavements. In the ancient biblical world, brick was the most commonly used building material, especially in Babylonia (ancient Iraq). The Hebrew word for "brick" comes from a verb that means "to be white." This refers to the appearance of the clay used to make bricks.
In Babylonia, builders rarely had good stone available, so they used stone only for small parts of buildings like lintels (horizontal supports above doors), thresholds, and door hinges. Babylonian bricks were made from the mud or clay found in marshes and plains. First, workers removed unwanted items like pebbles from the clay. Then they mixed the clay with chopped straw or grass. When this plant material decayed, it released acids that made the clay easier to shape.
Key References
And they said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks and bake them thoroughly.” So they used brick instead of stone, and tar instead of mortar.
“You shall no longer supply the people with straw for making bricks. They must go and gather their own straw.
All the people will know it—Ephraim and the dwellers of Samaria. With pride and arrogance of heart they will say:
“Now you, son of man, take a brick, place it before you, and draw on it the city of Jerusalem.
All Scripture References (11)
Genesis (1)
And they said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks and bake them thoroughly.” So they used brick instead of stone, and tar instead of mortar.
Exodus (7)
and made their lives bitter with hard labor in brick and mortar, and with all kinds of work in the fields. Every service they imposed was harsh.
“You shall no longer supply the people with straw for making bricks. They must go and gather their own straw.
But require of them the same quota of bricks as before; do not reduce it. For they are lazy; that is why they are crying out, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to our God.’
No straw has been given to your servants, yet we are told, ‘Make bricks!’ Look, your servants are being beaten, but the fault is with your own people.”
Now get to work. You will be given no straw, yet you must deliver the full quota of bricks.”
The Israelite foremen realized they were in trouble when they were told, “You must not reduce your daily quota of bricks.”
and they saw the God of Israel. Under His feet was a work like a pavement made of sapphire, as clear as the sky itself.
Isaiah (2)
All the people will know it—Ephraim and the dwellers of Samaria. With pride and arrogance of heart they will say:
to a people who continually provoke Me to My face, sacrificing in the gardens and burning incense on altars of brick,
Ezekiel (1)
“Now you, son of man, take a brick, place it before you, and draw on it the city of Jerusalem.