It consists of a group of about 400 trees, among them some magnificent old patriarchs, which lies on the bare slopes of the Lebanon some 6,000 ft. above the sea. Not only do the branches spread out well, but so do the roots, thus Hosea 14:5 (KJV) says: “He shall cast forth his roots as Lebanon,” while the righteous, of course, grow like the cedar trees (Ps 92:12), and Israel itself is strong and happy like cedar trees beside the waters (Num 24:6). Hiram supplied Solomon with cedar trees from Lebanon for various purposes connected with the construction of the temple and the king's palace ( 2 Samuel 5:11 ; 2 Samuel 7:2 2 Samuel 7:7 ; 1 Kings 5:6 1 Kings 5:8 1 Kings 5:10 ; 1 Kings 6:9 1 Kings 6:10 1 Kings 6:15 1 Kings 6:16 1 Kings 6:18 1 Kings 6:20 ; 1 Kings 7:2 1 Kings 7:3 1 Kings 7:7 1 Kings 7:11 1 Kings 7:12 ; 9:11 , etc.). The most boastful threat of Sennacherib was that he would cut down the tall cedars of Lebanon (Isaiah 37:24). Though magnificent, these are by no means the largest of their kind. In Numbers 24:6--"as cedar-trees beside the waters"--the reference must, as is most probable, be purely poetical (see ALOES) or the 'arazim must signify some other kind of tree which flourishes beside water. \CLEAN\.) --Johnsons Encycl. Of the ancient cedars of Lebanon there remain now only some seven or eight. Perhaps a dozen of these are very old; the largest, 63 feet in girth and 70 feet high, is thought by some to have attained the age of 2000 years." (For the symbolical meaning see Cedar is mentioned in sixty-five texts and “cedar tree” in six texts. What they contributed to the glory and beauty of that district may be seen in Zechariah 11:1-2: It consists of a group of about 400 trees, among them some magnificent old patriarchs, which lies on the bare slopes of the Lebanon some 6,000 ft. above the sea. But beside them there are found between three hundred and four hundred of younger growth. Cedar is twice mentioned as a substance for ritual cleansing. In Leviticus 14:4 the cleansed leper was sprinkled with the blood of a "clean bird" into which had been put "cedar- wood, and scarlet, and hyssop." Cedar Timber: The wood of the cedar has always been highly prized--much more so than the sycamore (1 Kings 10:27; Isaiah 9:10). The wood of the cedar, specially grown under the conditions of its natural habitat, is hard, close grained, and takes a high polish. e'rez, Gr. - "Open thy doors, O Lebanon, that the fire may devour thy cedars. cedrus), a tree very frequently mentioned in Scripture. The wood is not attacked by insect pests; it is of a pleasant, warm red color, and is free from knots. It is impossible to estimate with any certainty their age, but they may be as much as 800, or even 1,000, years old. Copyright © 2020, Bible Study Tools. Cedar timber was very much used in the construction of Solomon's temple and palace, the trees being cut in the Lebanon by Sidonians by orders of the king of Tyre--"Hiram gave Solomon timber of cedar and timber of fir according to all his desire" (1 Kings 5:6-10). The cones the trees bear are fascinating. + 3. The C.S. Here it is very generally considered that the cedar could not have been the wood of Cedrus libani, which so far as we know never grew in the wilderness, but that of some species of juniper--according to Post, Juniperis phoenicea, which may still be found in the wilderness of Edom. + The cedars are tall--"whose height was like the height of the cedars"--(Amos 2:9; 2 Kings 19:23); majestic (2 Kings 14:9), and excellent (Song of Solomon 5:15). It is certainly the monarch of the evergreens. Cedar oil, a kind of turpentine extracted from the wood, was used in ancient times as a preservative for parchments and garments. Salem Media Group. of Cedar trees are everywhere mentioned with admiration in the Old Testament. While cedar was well adapted for beams ( They are the "glory of Lebanon" (Isaiah 35:2; 60:13). One of Solomon's most important buildings was known as "the house of the forest of Lebanon" (1 Kings 7:2; 10:17; 2 Chronicles 9:16), on account of the source of its materials. The leaves are about an inch long, arranged in clusters; at first they are bright green, but they change with age to a deeper tint with a glaucous hue; the foliage is evergreen, the successive annual growths of leaves each lasting two years. Salem Media Group. Cedar is twice mentioned as a substance for ritual cleansing. se'-dar, se'-der ('erez, from Hebrew root meaning "to be firm"; kedros): The 'erez was in almost all the Old Testament references the true cedar, Cedrus libani, but the name may have been applied in a loose way to allied trees, such as junipers and pines. Lewis Daily email lets you experience the very best of Lewis' writing. There are cedar trees today over 2,000 years of age. The voice of Yahweh breaketh the cedars; Yea, Yahweh breaketh in pieces the cedars of Lebanon" (Psalms 29:4,5). Wail, O fir-tree, for the cedar is fallen, because the glorious (Revised Version margin) ones are destroyed: Wail, O ye oaks of Bashan, for the strong forest is come down." "International Standard Bible Encyclopedia". Here it is very generally considered that the cedar could not have been the wood of Cedrus libani, which so far as we know never grew in the wilderness, but that of some species of juniper--according to Post, Juniperis phoenicea, which may still be found in the wilderness of Edom. Bibliography Information The Cedrus libani still survives in the mountains of Syria and flourishes in much greater numbers in the Taurus mountains. 1 Kings 6:9; Song of Solomon 1:17), boards (Song of Solomon 8:9), pillars (1 Kings 7:2) and ceilings (Jeremiah 22:14), it was suited as well for carved work, such as idols (Isaiah 44:14,15). We'll send you an email with steps on how to reset your password. ( 1 Kings 7:2 ; 10:27 ; Psalms 92:12 ; Solomon 5:15 ; Isaiah 2:13 ; Ezekiel 31:3-6 ) The wood is of a reddish color, of bitter taste and aromatic odor, offensive to insects, and very durable. The branches grow out horizontally in successive tiers, each horizontal plane presenting, when looked at from above, the appearance of a green sward. ("Of the celebrated cedars on Mount Lebanon, eleven groves still remain. Orr, James, M.A., D.D. That cedars were once very abundant in the Lebanon is evident (1 Kings 6:9-18; 10:27). The cones, 4 to 6 inches long, are oval or oblong-ovate, with a depression at times at the apex; they require two years to reach maturity and then, unlike other conifers, they remain attached to the tree, dropping out their scales bearing the seeds. 2 History Ancient Sumeria revered the cedar over 7,000 years ago, calling it the World Tree, the abode of Ea, their chief god. It is impossible to estimate with any certainty their age, but they may be as much as 800, or even 1,000, years old. In the Himalayas, cedar is called "deodar" from the Sanskrit word "devdar," meaning timber of the gods. - "The trees of Yahweh are filled with moisture, The cedars of Lebanon, which he hath planted" (Psalms 104:16). The most boastful threat of Sennacherib was that he would cut down the tall cedars of Lebanon (Isaiah 37:24). Orr, James, M.A., D.D. It was stately ( Ezekiel 31:3-5 ), long-branched ( Psalms 80:10 ; 92:12 ; Ezekiel 31:6-9 ), odoriferous (Cant 4:11 ; Hosea 14:6 ), durable, and therefore much used for boards, pillars, and ceilings ( 1 Kings 6:9 1 Kings 6:10 ; 7:2 ; Jeremiah 22:14 ), for masts ( Ezekiel 27:5 ), and for carved images ( Isaiah 44:14 ). It is no wonder, therefore, that Solomon used it for his palace and for the Temple. Some of the cedars of Amanus are quite 100 ft. high and the Himalayan cedar, Cedrus deodara, a variety of Cedrus libani, reaches a height of 150 ft. CEDAR (אֶ֫רֶז, H780, firmness; cedar work, אַרְזָה, H781). 1 Kings 6:9; Song of Solomon 1:17), boards (Song of Solomon 8:9), pillars (1 Kings 7:2) and ceilings (Jeremiah 22:14), it was suited as well for carved work, such as idols (Isaiah 44:14,15). Article Images Copyright © 2020 Getty Images unless otherwise indicated. It is full of resin (Psalms 92:14) which preserves it from rot and from worms. + Doubtless as a reminiscence of this the Syrians today call the cedar `ars er rubb, "the cedar of the Lord." The Lebanon range where the trees grew was N of Pal., and evidently in Solomon’s days the forests were extremely large. Cedars are much admired, not only because of their beauty, but because of their fragrance. In Numbers 19:6 "cedar-wood, and hyssop, and scarlet" were to be cast into the holocaust of the red heifer. The half a dozen highest specimens reach a height of between 70 and 80 ft., and have trunks of a circumference of 40 ft. or more. Bible Dictionaries - Easton's Bible Dictionary - Cedar, Bible Dictionaries - Smith's Bible Dictionary - Cedar, Encyclopedias - International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Cedar, California - Do Not Sell My Personal Information. The wood of the cedar, specially grown under the conditions of its natural habitat, is hard, close grained, and takes a high polish. They are in particular God's trees-- David had a house of cedar built for him by Hiram, king of Tyre (2 Samuel 5:11), and he prepared "cedar-trees without number" for the temple which his son was to build (1 Chronicles 22:4). The cedar is often figuratively alluded to in the sacred Scriptures. + Doubtless as a reminiscence of this the Syrians today call the cedar `ars er rubb, "the cedar of the Lord." The impressiveness of the cedar lies, however, not so much in its height and massive trunk, as in the wonderful lateral spread of its branches, which often exceeds its height. When young, however, the cedar is almost pyramid-shaped. Solomon used it in his Palace of the Forest of Lebanon, with cedar columns, beams, and roof ( 1 … It grew very abundantly in Palestine, and particularly on Lebanon, of which it was "the glory" ( Isaiah 35:2 ; 60:13 ). Cedar oil, a kind of turpentine extracted from the wood, was used in ancient times as a preservative for parchments and garments. "International Standard Bible Encyclopedia". "There are groves of cedars above el-Ma`acir, Baruk, `Ain Zehaltah, Hadith, Besherri, and Sir" (Post, Flora, 751). That cedars were once very abundant in the Lebanon is evident (1 Kings 6:9-18; 10:27).