Tree

VIEW:18 DATA:01-04-2020
TREE.—‘Tree’ is used as a poetic name for the Cross in Act_5:30; Act_10:39; Act_13:29, 1Pe_2:24; cf. Gal_3:12. For sacred trees see High Place, 1; and Israel, ii. 1 (5); and, for the various trees of the Bible, the artt. under their respective names.
Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible
Edited by James Hastings, D.D. Published in 1909


is the first and largest of the vegetable kind, consisting of a single trunk, out of which spring forth branches and leaves. Heat is so essential to the growth of trees, that we see them grow larger and smaller in a sort of gradation as the climates in which they stand are more or less hot. The hottest countries yield, in general, the largest and tallest trees, and those, also, in much greater beauty and variety than the colder do; and even those plants which are common to both arrive at a much greater bulk in the southern than in the northern climates; nay, there are some regions so bleak and chill, that they raise no vegetables at all to any considerable height. Greenland, Iceland, and similar places, afford no trees at all; and the shrubs which grow in them are always little and low. In the warmer climates, where trees grow to a moderate size, any accidental diminution of the common heat is found very greatly to impede vegetation; and even in England the cold summers we sometimes have give us an evident proof of this in the scarcity of produce from all our large fruit trees. Heat, whatever be the producing cause, acts as well upon vegetation one way as another. Thus the heat of manure, and the artificial heat of coal fires in stoves, are found to supply the place of the sun. Great numbers of the eastern trees, in their native soil, flower twice in a year, and some flower and bear ripe fruit all the year round; and it is observed of these last, that they are at once the most frequent and the most useful to the inhabitants; their fruits, which always hang on them in readiness, containing cool juices, which are good in fevers, and other of the common diseases of hot countries. The umbrageous foliage, with which the God of providence has generally furnished all trees in warm climates, affords a most refreshing and grateful shade to those who seek relief from the direct and hurtful rays of a tropical sun.
The Land of Promise cannot boast, like many other countries, of extensive woods; but considerable thickets of trees and of reeds sometimes arise to diversify and adorn the scene. Between the Lake Samochonites and the sea of Tiberias, the river Jordan is almost concealed by shady trees from the view of the traveller. When the waters of the Jordan are low, the Lake Samochonites is only a marsh, for the most part dry and overgrown with shrubs and reeds. In these thickets, among other ferocious animals, the wild boar seeks a covert from the burning rays of the sun. Large herds of them are sometimes to be seen on the banks of the river, near the sea of Tiberias, lying among the reeds, or feeding under the trees. Such moist and shady places are in all countries the favourite haunts of these fierce and dangerous animals. Those marshy coverts are styled woods in the sacred Scriptures; for the wild boar of the wood is the name which that creature receives from the royal psalmist: “The boar out of the wood doth waste it; and the wild beast of the field doth devour it,” Psa_80:13. The wood of Ephraim, where the battle was fought between the forces of Absalom and the servants of David, was probably a place of the same kind; for the sacred historian observes, that the wood devoured more people that day than the sword, 2Sa_18:8. Some have supposed the meaning of this passage to be, that the soldiers of Absalom were destroyed by the wild beasts of the wood; but it can scarcely be supposed, that in the reign of David, when the Holy Land was crowded with inhabitants, the wild beasts could be so numerous in one of the woods as to cause such a destruction. But, supposing the wood of Ephraim to have been a morass covered with trees and bushes, like the haunts of the wild boar near the banks of Jordan, the difficulty is easily removed. It is certain that such a place has more than once proved fatal to contending armies, partly by suffocating those who in the hurry of flight inadvertently venture over places incapable of supporting them, and partly by retarding them till their pursuers come up and cut them to pieces. In this manner a greater number of men than fell in the heat of battle may be destroyed. It is probable, however, that nothing more is intended by the sacred historian, than the mention of a fact familiar to military men in all ages, and whatever kind of weapons were then employed in warfare,—that forests, especially such thick and impassable forests as are common in warm countries, constitute the very worst ground along which a discomfited army can be compelled to retreat. Their orderly ranks are broken; the direction which each warrior for his own safety must take is uncertain; and while one tumultuous mass is making a pass for itself through intervening brushwood and closely matted jungle, and another is hurrying along a different path and encountering similar or perhaps greater impediments, the cool and deliberate pursuers, whether archers or sharp shooters, enjoy an immense advantage in being able to choose their own points of annoyance, and by flank or cross attacks to kill their retreating foes, with scarcely any risk to themselves, but with immense carnage to the routed army.
Several critics imagine that by עצ חדר , rendered “goodly trees,”
Lev_23:40, the citron tree is intended. עצ עבת , rendered “thick trees” in the same verse, and in Neh_8:15; Eze_20:28, is the myrtle, according to the rabbins, the Chaldee paraphrase, Syriac version, and Deodatus. The word אשל , translated “grove” in Gen_21:33, has been variously translated. Parkhurst renders it an oak, and says, that from this word may be derived the name of the famous asylum, opened by Romulus between two groves of oak at Rome. On the other hand, Celsius, Michaelis, and Dr. Geddes render it the tamarisk, which is a lofty and beautiful tree, and grows abundantly in Egypt and Arabia. The same word in 1Sa_22:6; 1Sa_31:13, is rendered “a tree.” It must be noted too, that in the first of these places, the common version is equally obscure and contradictory, by making ramah a proper name: it signifies hillock or bank. Of the trees that produced precious balsams there was one in particular that long flourished in Judea, having been supposed to have been an object of great attention to Solomon, which was afterward transplanted to Matarea, in Egypt, where it continued till about two hundred and fifty years ago, according to Maillet, who gives a description of it, drawn, it is supposed, from the Arabian authors, in which he says, “This shrub had two very differently coloured barks, the one red, the other perfectly green; that they tasted strongly like incense and turpentine, and when bruised between the fingers they smelt very nearly like cardamoms. This balsam, which was extremely precious and celebrated, and was used by the Coptic church in their chrism, was produced by a very low shrub; and it is said, that all those shrubs that produced balsams are every where low, and do not exceed two or three cubits in height.”
Descriptions of the principal trees and shrubs mentioned in Holy Writ, the reader will find noticed in distinct articles under their several denominations.
Biblical and Theological Dictionary by Richard Watson
PRINTER 1849.


trē. See BOTANY.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
PRINTER 1915.


This beautiful plant of GOD's design and creation is used in many ways in the Scripture. Each type of tree represents a different truth. Trees are also used to represent positions of great power, or of lesser power. Trees represent GOD's people in some cases, while they represent Satan's product in other cases.

Gen_2:17 (c) It has been suggested that this tree represents human reasonings, searchings and conclusions about GOD's matters. Men today prefer psychological investigations and mental processes rather than to believe GOD and His Word. The Devil offers many philosophies and theories which men eagerly grasp and prefer them to GOD's revealed truth. (See also Gen_3:3).

Exo_15:25 (c) Perhaps this tree represents the Lord JESUS CHRIST who certainly does sweeten the bitter things of life, and make the sorrows of earth a blessing to the soul.

Exo_15:27 (c) Strangely enough, these trees may, and possibly do, represent the seventy persons who came down to Egypt from the land of Israel. The twelve springs may represent the twelve tribes. Certainly they were to be a blessing to the whole earth.

Num_24:6 (a) It is a type of the people of GOD seen in the light of GOD's thoughts, as His own choice planting, and bearing fruit for His glory. (See Jer_17:8).

Job_14:7 (c) The teaching of this passage is that though a man may fail in business, or fall as a sinner, it is quite possible for him to be restored and to recover and to end his days in blessing, and with GOD's approval.

Psa_1:3 (a) This is the child of GOD who is rooted and grounded in the Word of GOD, and is having his soul and life permeated by the Holy Spirit (the river). He is not planted in the river, but by the river. The finest tree will not grow in the best of soil unless there is water available. The water represents the Holy Spirit.

Pro_3:18 (a) GOD is giving us here a picture of "wisdom." Those who exercise this virtue certainly save themselves from much trouble, and become a rich blessing to many. CHRIST bears this name.

Pro_11:30 (a) The tree represents a fruitful life lived for the glory of GOD and the blessing of men.

Pro_13:12 (a) The Lord uses this picture to illustrate the blessings of answered prayer, and the receiving of the desires of the heart.

Pro_15:4 (a) Good talk and wise words certainly do bring the blessings that a tree of life would bring. The Lord tells us to let our conversation be always with grace. The Psalmist also requested that "the words of my mouth" might be acceptable to GOD.

Isa_56:3 (a) The eunuch had no power to propagate himself, he could have no posterity. He is like the dry tree in that there would be no fruit in his life that might produce posterity.

Isa_66:17 (b) Probably this tree represents some particular wicked religion which permits abominations and wicked practices. The self-righteous person is satisfied with that kind of arrangement.

Eze_17:24 (a) GOD uses this strange illustration to describe His power in bringing down the important men of the nation, and exalting the obscure man. He wrecks the life of the great man, and promotes the welfare of the small man. The trees here represent people. (See also Eze_21:10).

Eze_31:8 (a) This allegory describes Satan in his original beauty and glory. The description of Satan begins at verse 3. It runs through verse 9.

Dan_4:10 (a) This tree is King Nebuchadnezzar. Daniel explains this fully.

Mat_3:10 (b) The primary application of this type is to Israel. The application is also to the individual. GOD did lay the ax to the root of Israel and destroyed the nation. The roots, however, remain in the earth, and are even now producing a new tree. This happens also to individuals who, because their lives are so utterly given over to the Devil and there is no fruit for GOD, that one is cut off and sent to hell. (See also Luk_6:43).

Mat_12:33 (a) The Lord is propounding here a very deep truth, which should stir every heart. The individual must be born again to become a good tree, which will bring forth good fruit. No man is naturally a Christian. The tree itself must be made before the fruit can be right. An unsaved person lives the life of an unsaved person. If he is transformed by the power and grace of GOD, then he becomes a Christian and lives the life of a Christian. (See Luk_6:44).

Mat_13:32 (a) Mustard does not grow on trees. There is no such things as a mustard tree. The mustard grows on a bush. Therefore, this tree is an unnatural thing, and it represents the great, unnatural religious system, which consists of many denominations having a multitude of beliefs, many of them grotesque, and even wicked. GOD never intended that His church should be of this sort. Those who really trust JESUS CHRIST and are true Christians form only a very small part of that great institution we call Christendom. The birds in this story represent evil spirits. They are made to feel at home in this great unnatural religious system, which is a curse to the earth. (See Luk_13:19).

Luk_17:6 (b) The reference is to any trouble or difficulty in the life, which seems like a mountain that cannot be moved by any human means. Our Lord is able to do it, and therefore He gives us the privilege of bringing the problem to Him. (See "SEED").

Rev_2:7 (b) We find no indication of the meaning of this type, but we may assume that it refers to the blessings that come from the Lord JESUS CHRIST to those who walk with GOD, dwell in His presence, and are planted in His courts.
Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types
press 1957.



prop. עֵוֹ, ets (δένδρον), which also signifies wood (ξῦλον); in Jer_6:6, the fern. עֵצָה, etsah, is used. Besides this generic term, there also occur peculiar words of a more distinct signification, e.g. אֵשֵׁל, eshel (1Sa_22:6; 1Sa_31:13; “grove” [q.v.] in Gen_21:33), which is thought to denote the tamarisk or else the terebbinth; אֵיל, eyl (Isa_61:3; Eze_31:14); Chald, אַילָן, ildan (Dan_4:10 sq.), prob. the oak (q.v.); עֵוֹ הָדָר, ets hadar (“goodly tree,” Lev_23:40), עֵוֹ אָבֹת, nis aboth (“thick tree,” Lev_23:40; Neh_8:15), and
צֶאֶל, tsel (“shady tree,” Job_40:21-22), which designate rather vigorous trees in general than specific varieties. SEE TABERNACLES, FESTIVAL OF. For a list of all the kinds of trees (including shrubs, plants, fruits, etc.) mentioned in the Bible, SEE BOTANY. See Taylor, Trees of Scripture (Lond. 1842).
In Eastern countries trees are not only graceful ornaments in the landscape, but essential to the comfort and support of the inhabitants. The Hebrews were forbidden to destroy the fruit-trees of their enemies in time of war, “for the tree of the field is man's life” (Deu_20:19-20). Trees of any kind are not now very abundant in Palestine. Some trees are found, by an examination of the internal zones, to attain to a very long age. There are some in existence which are stated to have attained a longevity of three thousand years, and for some of them a still higher antiquity is claimed. Individual trees in Palestine are often notable for historical and sacred associations (Thomson, Land and Book, 2, 151). SEE ALLON-BACHUTH; SEE MEONENIM.



CYCLOPEDIA OF BIBLICAL, THEOLOGICAL AND ECCLESIASTICAL
press 1895.





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