v. Tree, Wood
2Sa 5:11; 1Ch 14:1 Hiram .. sent .. c wood
1Ki 5:6 command .. that they cut me off from Lebanon
2Ki 14:9; 2Ch 25:18 the thistle sent to tell the c
1Ch 17:1 dwell in the house of c, and the ark of the covenant
Psa 104:16 sap .. the c of Lebanon that he planted
They are 1:17 the beams of our house are of c, and of
Isa 9:10 they cut off .. but instead we will put c
Eze 17:3 a great eagle .. took the bud of the c
Eze 31:3 behold, the Assyrian was c in Lebanon, of
Zec 11:2 howl, oh cypress, because the c fell
Cedar (Heb. ‘erez). Generally refers to the cedar of Lebanon. In the past it was widely diffused in the mountains of Lebanon, but now it exists only in a few places. It reaches more than 24 m in height. In its early years it takes on a pyramidal shape, but later flattens out at the crown (fig 120). Its branches become very thick and crooked. In biblical times, the cedar of Lebanon was used in the construction of temples and other buildings (2Sa 5:11; 1Ki 5:5,6;7:1-12; Ezr 3:7), and served as a symbol of growth , strength and immutability (Psa 92:12; etc.). 222 With its wood idols were made (Isa 44:14,15) and poles (Eze 27:5). However, it is believed that in certain passages ‘erez refers not to cedars but to firs; or, more generally, to any tree from which wood could be extracted for masts or constructions. In Egyptian there is a similar word, sh, which means primarily “cedar” but also designates any other useful wood for construction. Bib.: PB 66-70. 120. Cedars of Lebanon.
Source: Evangelical Bible Dictionary
Latin cedrus. coniferous tree, whose height can reach up to forty meters. the c. it was abundant in Mount Lebanon, hence the constant allusion to it in the Bible. Wood from him was highly valued, Hiram, King of Tire, sent David wood from c. to build the royal palace, 2 S 5, 11; 7, 2; 1 Chr 14, 1; 17, 1; David made preparations for the construction of the Temple, among them, c. wood, 1 Cro 22, 4; Solomon, who knew well the c. 1 R 5, 13, also asked Jirán for wood from c. of Lebanon for the House of God and his palace, 1 Kings 5, 20-24; 6, 9-10 and 15-22; 7, 1-12; 9, 11; 2 Cro 2,2 2. After the captivity in Babylon, c. of Lebanon for the reconstruction of the Temple, Esd 3, 7. There are literary references to c. of Lebanon for its majesty and the way it rises to the heights, Ps 37 (36), 35; 92(91), 13; If 24, 13; 50, 8; Is 2, 13; Am 2, 9. The splendor of Egypt is compared to a c. majestic, which will be destroyed as divine punishment, Ezek 31. In purification rituals a firewood of c. Lev 14, 4-6, 49-52; Numbers 19, 6.
Digital Bible Dictionary, Grupo C Service & Design Ltda., Colombia, 2003
Source: Digital Bible Dictionary
see PLANTS
Source: Hispanic World Bible Dictionary
Very tall and leafy tree that offers highly appreciated wood, both for its strength and adaptability to carving and for its mild smell. It was used in the construction of palaces, temples and dwellings (2Sa 5:11; 1Ki 6:9-20; 1Ch 17:1), as masts on ships (Eze 27:5) and for making furniture, including idols (Isaiah 44:14). the c. that grew in large numbers in Lebanon is the most mentioned in the Bible, although another species seems to have existed from c. it was used for utensils during Israel’s wilderness journey (Lev 14:6).
†¢Balaam compared Jacob’s tents †œas c. beside the waters† (Num 24:6), that is, that a c. planted in this way it offers a sight of beauty and strength. As a result of the alliance of Solomon and †¢Hiram, the latter provided many c. of Lebanon for the construction of the †¢temple and the house of the Israelite king. The wood of c. it was cut down on the mountain and brought to the sea, from where it was carried on rafts to Israel (1 Kings 5:9). When the temple is rebuilt in the days of Ezra, “they gave money to the masons, and carpenters; also food, drink and oil to the Sidonians and Tyrians to bring cedar wood from Lebanon by sea to Joppa† (Ezra 3:7).
beauty and majesty of this tree makes it be used for poetic comparisons. The “behemoth” of Job 40:15-18 “his tail wags like a c.† “The righteous … shall grow like a c. in Lebanon† (Ps 92:12). In Songs it is said of the bridegroom: “His appearance like Lebanon, chosen like the c.† (Can 5:15). The prophet Zechariah said: “O Lebanon, open your gates, and let the fire consume your c. Howl, oh cypress, because the c. fell† (Zech 11:1-2), but in the messianic glory God will give “in the desert c., acacias, myrtle trees and olive trees† (Isa 41:19). Scientific name: Cedrus libani. †¢Plants of the Bible.
Source: Christian Bible Dictionary
tip, LEYE TREE FLOWER
vet, famous tree of Lebanon (1 Kings 5:6), large and impressive (Is. 2:13; Ez. 17:22; 31:3). It provided highly valued wood for building palaces and temples (2 Sam. 5:11; 1 Kings 5:5, 6; 7:1-12; Ezra 3:7); columns, beams, planks were carved from this wood (1 Kings 6:9, 10, 18; 7:2, 7); idols were made of it (Isa. 34:14); masts for ships (Ez. 27:5). The cedar gives off a perfume (Song 4:11; Hos 14:6); this wood was used in the purification ceremony (Lev. 14:4; Num. 19:6). The tree cited is evidently the cedar of Lebanon, “Abies cedrus” or “Cedrus Iibani”. It is a powerful tree with long, spreading and twisted branches, with evergreen leaves; it continues to grow wild in Lebanon and in the Taurus Mountains. In the Himalayas another species of cedar grows, the “Cedrus Deodara”.
Source: New Illustrated Bible Dictionary
(Heb. ´e·rez).
The cedars, particularly those of Lebanon, were already famous in biblical times, and take on a special importance in the account of the construction of Solomon’s temple.
The Cedar of Lebanon (Cedrus libani) is a majestic tree of enormous proportions, with strong and deep roots. The mountains of Lebanon were once covered with great cedar forests, but today only a few small groves remain due to indiscriminate logging and lack of conservation and replanting. The ravages of war must also have contributed to the decline in the number of cedars. (Isa 14:5-8) However, the remaining trees still offer an impressive sight. (Compare Ca 5:15.)
Some reach a height close to 40 m., and the trunk can have a circumference of 12 m. Its long branches come out horizontally from the trunk and describe a total circumference that ranges between 60 and 90 m. The trees are slightly pyramidal in shape when young, but tend to flatten out at the top as they mature. The foliage grows in distinct horizontal (rather than intertwined) rows or layers, and the branches produce round, flower-like clusters of bright green needles just over an inch long, and tan cones oozing a fragrant resin. The bark is reddish brown and quite rough, and the trunk twists with age.
Cedar wood, a lighter shade of red than mahogany, has no knots, and was prized for construction because of its beauty, fragrance, durability, and resistance to insect attack. (Ca 1:17; 4:11) The Phoenicians used it to make masts for their ships. (Eze 27:5) King Hiram of Tire provided men and materials to build a “house of cedars” for David in Jerusalem. (2Sa 5:11; 7:2; 2Ch 2:3.) Later, Solomon used cedar wood in the temple, for the beams (1Ki 6:9), to cover the altar of incense (1Ki 6:20) and to encase the entire interior of the temple, so that “there was no stone to be seen.” (1Ki 6:15-18) It is likely that “the House of the Forest of Lebanon,” built later, was so named because of its 45 cedar-wood columns. (1Ki 7:2, 3) Cedar was also used in the Throne Porch and in the temple court. (1Ki 7:7-12.)
This extensive use of cedar wood required the labor of thousands of workers to cut down the trees and transport them to Tire or Sidon along the Mediterranean seacoast, forming rafts and floating them along the coast, probably as far as Joppa. From there the trees were carried overland to Jerusalem. All this was done according to the contract signed between Solomon and Hiram. (1Ki 5: 6-18; 2Ch 2: 3-10) Wood continued to come to Israel in such quantity that Solomon could be said to have made during his reign † ˜the cedar wood like the sycamore trees because of their great quantity † ™. (1Ki 10:27; compare Isa 9:9, 10.)
After the exile, cedar wood was again obtained from Lebanon for the rebuilding of the temple. (Ezra 3:7.)
figurative use. The majestic cedar is used figuratively in scripture to represent royal dignity, great height, and strength, both real and apparent. (Eze 31:2-14; Am 2:9; Zec 11:1, 2) In this regard, King Jehoash of Israel intended his response to King Amaziah of Judah to be a humiliating insult when he compared Amaziah’s kingdom to a “thorny weed”, while likening his own kingdom to a huge cedar of Lebanon. (2Ki 14:9; compare Jg 9:15, 20.) The cedar plays a prominent role in Ezekiel’s riddle (ch. 17), where the king and princes of Judah are likened to the top of a cedar from Lebanon taken to Babylon. (Eze 17:1-4, 12, 13) The Messiah is then prophetically pictured as a twig from the very top of the cedar, a twig that Jehovah plants on a lofty mountain. (Eze 17:22-24; compare Isa 11:1; Jer 23:5; 33:15; Ps 2:6; Re 14:1; Da 4:17.)
The cedar wood used by the Israelites in the desert must have been of a different type than that found in Lebanon. Caca (Juniperus oxycedrus) and juniper (Juniperus phoenicia) have been targeted, as these two varieties are well known in the Sinai desert region. Cedar wood was required in some purification rites, and it may have been used to symbolize freedom from corruption or disease due to its known resistance to decay. (Le 14:2-7, 49-53; Nu 19:6.)
Cedar was used figuratively in both a favorable and a negative sense. It became a token of prestige among the unfaithful and materialistic kings of Judah, symbolizing their vainglory and false security. (Jer 22:13-15, 23; Isa 2:11-13) However, the growth and development of the righteous man resembles that of the firmly rooted cedar. (Ps 92:12; compare Isa 61:3 with Ps 104:16.) Thus, while on the one hand Jehovah promises to manifest his power by breaking the mighty cedars of Lebanon and causing them to “hop up the mountains like calves” (Ps 29:4-6), on the other hand, predicts the time when he will cause the cedar to grow even in desert regions (Isa 41:19, 20), and distinguishes it among other trees as one of the many creations that will praise his lofty name. (Ps 148:9, 13)
Source: Dictionary of the Bible
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Coniferous tree frequently mentioned in the…