What Does Wood Symbolize In The Bible – Did you know that both the Old and New Testaments mention 36 different types of trees? The mention of these species of trees is not an accident. Here, we examine seven of the most significant types of trees, where you can find them in the Bible, and how they fit into God’s narrative.
“But he himself went a day’s journey into the desert and came and sat under a juniper tree.” (
What Does Wood Symbolize In The Bible
Juniper trees are mentioned many times in the Old Testament. Most Bible translations call it “a broom tree.” Others call it “broom bush.” The KJV and NASB translations call it “juniper,” but it is all the same desert plant with flowers.
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The broom tree can grow up to eight feet tall, making it an excellent source of shade from the hot Middle Eastern sun. This is why the Bible generally associates broom trees with shelter and rest.
In 1 Kings 19:1-9, we read about the prophet Elijah escaping from the evil Queen Jezebel and finding rest under a juniper tree. While he slept, an angel of the Lord came to him and provided food and water to strengthen him for his journey to Mount Horeb to meet Elisha.
Numbers 33:18–19 mentions a village called Ritma, which is the Hebrew word for “place of brooms.” Ritma was one of the rest stops that the Israelites passed through on their way to the Promised Land.
In addition to rest, Psalm 120:4 compares a juniper tree to God’s judgment “with coals of juniper.” And Job mentions it as a desperate source of food for those who have strayed from him (Job 30:4).
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Primarily, the broom tree reminds us of God’s provision and shelter. No matter our circumstances, even when everything seems hopeless, He offers us protection and rest.
The Old Testament mentions the cedar of Lebanon tree many times. A cedar can grow to over 100 feet tall and live for over 100 years.
The Cedars are named for their location in the mountains of Lebanon. The rich often used them in construction because of their beautiful red color, sweet aroma and strength, which is why cedar trees are generally associated with prestige and power. For example, King Hiram of Tire used cedar trees as the primary material in the construction of both King David’s and Solomon’s palaces (2 Samuel 5:11; 1 Kings 5:6– 18; 7:1–7; Ezra 3:7). Sultan Jehoghaz (sometimes called Shallum) also used cedar in his palace.
In Ezekiel 32:10-17, God compared Egypt to a mighty cedar tree that He will bring down. And Psalm 29:5 and 92:12 mentions the strength of the cedar. Several verses compare cedar with God’s judgment because of the pride and arrogance of a nation. See Isaiah 2:13, Amos 2:9, and Zechariah 11:1–2.
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In other passages, the maiden compares the face of her lover to a cedar tree in Song of Solomon 5:15. And Job compares it to the tail of a behemoth in Job 40:17, which many scholars interpret as one of the few biblical references to a dinosaur.
A cedar tree has great strength, but God’s strength is greater, and ensures that we can experience His strength in our weaknesses (2 Corinthians 12:9).
“And they make an ark of acacia wood. And make poles of acacia wood, overlay them with gold.” (
Acacia is a general term that describes five types of shrubs and thorn trees that people have harvested for centuries. The King James Version alternately calls it “shittah (Isaiah 41:19)” and “shittim (Exodus 25:5)” and they are the only hardwood trees that grow in dry areas. As such, God often used acacia as his chosen building material.
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In addition to creating the ark of the covenant and the poles to carry it in the desert (Exodus 25:10–16), God instructed Moses to use acacia to build the showbread table (25 :23–28) and the altar of burnt offering. (27:1).
The prophet Isaiah also mentions the acacia tree in Isaiah 41:19, and describes the rich vegetation that will fill the earth when God redeems the Jewish people.
“I plant in the heath the cedar and the acacia tree, the myrtle, and the oil tree. I will place in the wilderness the cypress tree and the pine and the box tree together.”
“Then Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba, and there he called the name of the Lord, the Eternal God.” (
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The tamarisk tree is another robust and slow growing tree that lives over 100 years. It has the unusual ability to thrive in places where the soil is too salty to support most plant life. One such place is southern Israel, where a tamarisk tree excretes salt on its leaves to absorb moisture from the air. For this reason, a tamarisk tree is also known as a salt cedar.
The tamarisk tree reveals Abraham’s whereabouts in Genesis 21:22-34, where Abraham had just formed a treaty with Abimelech, the king of Shechem. The treaty established friendly relations and Abraham’s rights to a specific well. The tamarisk tree was a celebration of the treaty as well as a mark of a site where Abraham worshiped and called the Lord “El Olem,” which means “the eternal God (v33).”
Tamarisks do not offer much shade but create a cooling microclimate as the moisture evaporates from the leaves. Such natural air conditioning is probably why King Saul took refuge under it in 1 Samuel 22:6 as he followed David.
Tamarisks remind us of God’s faithfulness, strength, and provision in difficult situations. As an evergreen tree, one could also argue that tamarisks represent eternal life and the eternal nature of God (“El Olem”).
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“Therefore, he ran forward and climbed a sycamore tree to see him, because he was going to pass that way.” (
Contrary to other sycamore trees, the sycamore tree of the Bible, made famous by Zacchaeus in Luke 19, is not a sycamore tree at all. It is a type of fig tree with leaves like a mulberry tree, which is why it is sometimes called the mulberry fig. Today, there are few sycamores left in the Middle East. But in biblical times, they were a widespread agricultural product grown along the coastal plains and hills (1 Kings 10:27; 2 Chronicles 1:15).
Much of the sycamore tree was edible, from its small fruit to its bark. As the prophet Amos mentions, the sheep herders often employed shepherds to encourage the maturation of the trees by piercing their bark.
“Then Amos answered and said to Amaziah: ‘I was not a prophet, nor was I the son of a prophet [before]. But I used to breed sheep and sell sycamore fruit.'” (
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“The bricks have fallen, but we will build again with cut stones. The sycamore trees are cut down, but we replace them with cedar.” (
Sycamores are often associated with repentance, which means that finding Zacchaeus in a sycamore tree in Luke 19 is no accident. In Hebrew, Zacchaeus means “righteous” or “pure.” The irony is that he was a tax collector who was neither righteous nor pure. But when he met Jesus, he repented and began to show spiritual fruit (19:8) with his righteousness restored.
The wordplay connections between a sycamore tree and Zacchaeus suggest that sycamore trees symbolize repentance, righteousness, and (as a fig tree) spiritual fruit.
“Jesus answered and said to him: ‘Because I said to you, ‘I saw you under the fig tree,’ do you believe?” (
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The fig tree is a very prosperous tree throughout Israel. He is so prolific that there are sixty different Greek words related to the fig, the fig tree, and fig agriculture.
It sprouts its large leaves in early spring (an important fact to remember when reading Matthew 21). The tree may continue to produce multiple sets of leaves and fruit well into the fall.
Bible prophecy also mentions fig trees: judgment of the nations (Isaiah 34:4), Jewish profession of faith in the Messiah Jesus (Habakkuk 3:17), and the opening of the sixth seal during the -Tribulation (Revelation 6:13).
At one time, there was a common Jewish expression that if one sits under the vine and the fig tree, one will enjoy peace and prosperity. The expression is taken from various portions of the Old Testament.
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First Kings 4 describes the first days of King Solomon’s powerful reign over Judah and Israel. It was a time of “eating, drinking, and joy (v20).” His enemies were at peace, so the people “dwell in safety, every man under his vine and his fig tree (v25).”
Both the prophets Micah (4:4) and Zechariah (3:10) spoke about the coming Millennium, when God will finally establish peace on the whole earth. At that time, everyone will again sit under their own “vine and fig tree”.
The Old Testament uses figs to describe the physical and spiritual well-being of Israel. In good times, people are “the first fruit on the fig tree in its first season (Hosea 9:10).” But in the time of judgment, people will not bear fruit (see Joel 2:22; Habakkuk 3:17-19; Haggai 2:19).
In the New Testament, Jesus uses fig trees to represent Israel’s lack of fruit (Mark 11:12–14) and as a metaphorical warning system for the time of His return (Matthew 24: 32; Luke 13:3–9).
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“Your wife will be like a vine that bears fruit in your own heart, your children like olive plants around your table.” (
Like the fig, the olive is historically
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