Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Acknowledgments
- Preface
- Introduction
- A DICTIONARY OF BIBLE PLANTS
- Acacia to Aspalathus
- Barley to Broom
- Cane to Cypress
- Date Palm to Dove's Dung
- Ebony
- Fig to Frankincense
- Galbanum to Grass
- Henna to Hyssop
- Ivy
- Juniper
- Ladanum to Lily of the Field
- Mallow, Wild Greens to Myrtle
- Nard, Spikenard to Nitre
- Oak to Onion
- Papyrus to Poplar
- Reed to Rush
- Saffron to Sycomore
- Tamarisk to Tumbleweed, Gundelia
- Vetches
- Walnut to Wormwood
- References
- Bible Versions
- Index of Scripture Verses
- Index of Botanical Names
Oak to Onion
from A DICTIONARY OF BIBLE PLANTS
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 June 2012
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Acknowledgments
- Preface
- Introduction
- A DICTIONARY OF BIBLE PLANTS
- Acacia to Aspalathus
- Barley to Broom
- Cane to Cypress
- Date Palm to Dove's Dung
- Ebony
- Fig to Frankincense
- Galbanum to Grass
- Henna to Hyssop
- Ivy
- Juniper
- Ladanum to Lily of the Field
- Mallow, Wild Greens to Myrtle
- Nard, Spikenard to Nitre
- Oak to Onion
- Papyrus to Poplar
- Reed to Rush
- Saffron to Sycomore
- Tamarisk to Tumbleweed, Gundelia
- Vetches
- Walnut to Wormwood
- References
- Bible Versions
- Index of Scripture Verses
- Index of Botanical Names
Summary
OakQuercus species
[Hebrew elon; Genesis 12:6; Genesis 13:18; Genesis 14:13; Genesis 18:1; Genesis 35:4, 8; Deuteronomy 11:30; Joshua 19:33; Joshua 24:26; Judges 4:11; Judges 6:11, 19; Judges 9:6, 37; 1 Samuel 10:3; 2 Samuel 18:9, 10, 14; 1 Kings 13:14; 1 Chronicles 10:12; Isaiah 1:29, 30; Isaiah 2:13; Isaiah 6:13; Isaiah 44:14; Isaiah 57:5; Isaiah 61:3; Ezekiel 6:13; Ezekiel 27:6; Hosea 4:13; Amos 2:9; Zechariah 11:2
The Hebrew words elon and elah have been variously translated as “oak” (species of Quercus), “terebinth” (species of Pistacia), “elm” (species of Ulmus), and “holm” (Q. ilex). In the upland forests of the Levant, there are few angiosperm trees that reach a goodly size. The plane tree (Platanus orientalis; see Plane) can become large but is usually restricted in its habitat to watercourses. The two species of pine in the region, Pinus brutia and P. halepensis, are relatively short-lived trees. Cypress, Cupressus sempervirens, and cedar of Lebanon, Cedrus libani, are gymnosperms attaining their greatest girth at higher elevations.
So how can the Bible reader discern between the terebinths and oaks? Bible ecology gives some clues, as in the oaks of Bashan. Historically, this region has been known for its once extensive oak forests (see later). A species of terebinth, P. atlantica, does occur there but is not as abundant as oak, especially Q. calliprinos (kermes oak), which tolerates more aridity than P. atlantica (Liphschitz et al., 1981). Q. infectoria (Aleppo oak) also occurs in the forests of Bashan, but like Q. calliprinos, its frequency today is vastly different from biblical times.
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- A Dictionary of Bible Plants , pp. 104 - 110Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2011