Cedar

The Hebrew word erez , invariably rendered "cedar" by the Authorized Version, stands for that tree in most of the passages where the word occurs. While the word is sometimes used in a wider sense, (Leviticus 14:6) for evergreen cone-bearing trees, generally the cedar of Lebanon (Cedrus libani) is intended. (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 cedar is a type of the Christian, being evergreen, beautiful, aromatic, wide spreading, slow growing, long lived, and having many uses. As far as is at present known, the cedar of Lebanon is confined in Syria to one valley of the Lebanon range, viz., that of the Kedisha river, which flows from near the highest point of the range westward to the Mediterranean, and enters the sea at the port of Tripoli. The grove is at the very upper part of the valley, about 15 miles from the sea, 6500 feet above that level, and its position is moreover above that of all other arboreous vegetation. ("Of the celebrated cedars on Mount Lebanon, eleven groves still remain. The famous B'sherreh grove is three-quarters of a mile in circumference, and contains about 400 trees, young and old. 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." --Johnson's Encycl.)

Cedar

A noble evergreen-tree greatly celebrated in the Scriptures, Psalm 92:12 Ezekiel 31:3-6. These trees are remarkably thick and tall; some among them are from thirty-five to forty feet in girth, and ninety feet in height. The cedar-tree shoots out branches at ten of twelve feet from the ground, large and almost horizontal; its leaves are an inch long, slender and straight, growing in tufts. The tree bears a small cone, like that of the pine. This celebrated tree is not peculiar to mount Lebanon, but grows also upon mounts Amanus and Taurus in Asia Minor, and in other parts of the Levant, but does not elsewhere reach the size and height of those on Lebanon. It has also been cultivated in the gardens of Europe; two venerable individuals of this species exist at Chiswick in England; and there is a very beautiful one in the Jardin des Plantes in Paris. The beauty of the cedar consists in the proportion and symmetry of its wide-spreading branches and cone-like top. The gum, which exudes both from the trunk and the cones or fruits, is soft like balsam of Mecca. Every thing about this tree has a strong balsamic odor; and hence the whole grove is so pleasant and fragrant, that it is delightful to walk in it, So 4:11 Hosea 14:6. The wood is peculiarly adapted to building, because it is not subject to decay, nor to be eaten of worms; hence it was much used for rafters, and for boards with which to cover houses and form the floors and ceilings of rooms. It was of a red color, beautiful, solid, and free from knots. The palace of Persepolis, the temple at Jerusalem, and Solomon's palace, were all in this way built with cedar; and "the house of the forest of Lebanon," was perhaps so called from the quantity of this wood used in its construction, 1 Kings 7:2 10:17.

Of the forests of cedars which once covered Lebanon, comparatively few are now left, Isaiah 2:13 10:19; though there are still many scattered trees in various parts, resembling the genuine cedar. The largest and most ancient trees, generally thought to be the only ones, are found in a grove, lying a little off from the road which crosses mount Lebanon from Baalbek to Tripole, at some distance below the summit of the mountain on the western side, at the foot indeed of the highest summit or ridge of Lebanon. This grove consists of a few very old trees, perhaps as old as the time of Christ, intermingled with 400 or 500 younger ones. See LEBANON.

Besides the true cedar of Lebanon, the word cedar in the Bible appears to mean sometimes the juniper and sometimes the pine.

(Hebrews e'rez, Gr. kedros, Lat. cedrus), a tree very frequently mentioned in Scripture. It was stately (Ezek. 31:3-5), long-branched (Psalm 80:10; 92:12; Ezek. 31:6-9), odoriferous (Cant. 4:11; Hosea 14:6), durable, and therefore much used for boards, pillars, and ceilings (1 Kings 6:9, 10; 7:2; Jeremiah 22:14), for masts (Ezek. 27:5), and for carved images (Isaiah 44:14).

It grew very abundantly in Palestine, and particularly on Lebanon, of which it was "the glory" (Isaiah 35:2; 60:13). 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; 7:2, 7; 1 Kings 5:6, 8, 10; 6:9, 10, 15, 16, 18, 20; 7:2, 3, 7, 11, 12; 9:11, etc.). Cedars were used also in the building of the second temple under Zerubbabel (Ezra 3:7).

Of the ancient cedars of Lebanon there remain now only some seven or eight. They are not standing together. But beside them there are found between three hundred and four hundred of younger growth. They stand in an amphitheatre fronting the west, about 6,400 feet above the level of the sea.

The cedar is often figuratively alluded to in the sacred Scriptures. "The mighty conquerors of olden days, the despots of Assyria and the Pharaohs of Egypt, the proud and idolatrous monarchs of Judah, the Hebrew commonwealth itself, the war-like Ammonites of patriarchal times, and the moral majesty of the Messianic age, are all compared to the towering cedar, in its royal loftiness and supremacy (Isaiah 2:13; Ezek. 17:3, 22, 23, 31:3-9; Amos 2:9; Zechariah 11:1, 2; Job 40:17; Psalm 29:5; 80:10; 92:12, etc).", Groser's Scrip. Nat. Hist. (see BOX-TREE.)

1. (n.) The name of several evergreen trees. The wood is remarkable for its durability and fragrant odor.

2. (a.) of or pertaining to cedar.

CEDAR

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. 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.

1. Cedar for Ritual Cleansing:

Cedar is twice ment 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." In Numbers 19:6 "cedar-wood, and hyssop, and scarlet" were to be cast into the holocaust of the red heifer. (For the symbolical meaning see CLEAN.) 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.

2. Cedar Trees in the Old Testament:

Cedar trees are everywhere mentioned with admiration in the Old Testament. Solomon made the cedar the first of trees (1 Kings 4:33). They are the "glory of Lebanon" (Isaiah 35:2; Isaiah 60:13). The most boastful threat of Sennacherib was that he would cut down the tall cedars of Lebanon (Isaiah 37:24). They were strong, as is implied in-"The voice of Yahweh is powerful;. The voice of Yahweh breaketh the cedars; Yea, Yahweh breaketh in pieces the cedars of Lebanon" (Psalm 29:4, 5). 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 (Songs 5:15). The Assyrian power is compared to-"a cedar in Lebanon with fair branches, and with a forest-like shade, an high stature; and its top was among the thick boughs. its stature was exalted above all the trees of the field; and its boughs were multiplied, and its branches became long" (Ezekiel 31:3-5). They are in particular God's trees-"The trees of Yahweh are filled with moisture, The cedars of Lebanon, which he hath planted" (Psalm 104:16). Doubtless as a reminiscence of this the Syrians today call the cedar `ars er rubb, "the cedar of the Lord." The growth of the cedar is typical of that of the righteous man (Psalm 92:12).

That cedars were once very abundant in the Lebanon is evident (1 Kings 6:9-18; 1 Kings 10:27). What they contributed to the glory and beauty of that district may be seen in Zechariah 11:1-2: "Open thy doors, O Lebanon, that the fire may devour thy cedars. 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." 3. 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). 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). 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). One of Solomon's most important buildings was known as "the house of the forest of Lebanon" (1 Kings 7:2; 1 Kings 10:17 2 Chronicles 9:16), on account of the source of its materials. While cedar was well adapted for beams (1 Kings 6:9 Songs 1:17), boards (Songs 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). It was also used for ships' masts (Ezekiel 27:5).

4. Cedars in Modern Syria:

The Cedrus libani still survives in the mountains of Syria and flourishes in much greater numbers in the Taurus mountains. "There are groves of cedars above el-Ma`acir, Baruk, `Ain Zehaltah, Hadith, Besherri, and Sir" (Post, Flora, 751). Of these the grove at Besherri is of world-wide renown. 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. Doubtless they are survivors of a forest which here once covered the mountain slopes for miles. 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. It is impossible to estimate with any certainty their age, but they may be as much as 800, or even 1,000, years old. Though magnificent, these are by no means the largest of their kind. 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. 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. The branches grow out horizontally in successive tiers, each horizontal plane presenting, when looked at from above, the appearance of a green sward. 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. 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.

The wood of the cedar, specially grown under the conditions of its natural habitat, is hard, close grained, and takes a high polish. It is full of resin (Psalm 92:14) which preserves it from rot and from worms. Cedar oil, a kind of turpentine extracted from the wood, was used in ancient times as a preservative for parchments and garments.

E. W. G. Masterman

731. arzah -- cedar panels, cedar work
... 730, 731. arzah. 732 . cedar panels, cedar work. Transliteration: arzah Phonetic
Spelling: (ar-zaw') Short Definition: work. Word Origin fem. ...
/hebrew/731.htm - 6k

730. erez -- a cedar
... 729, 730. erez. 731 . a cedar. Transliteration: erez Phonetic Spelling:
(eh-rez') Short Definition: cedar. Word Origin from an unused ...
/hebrew/730.htm - 6k

729. araz -- made of cedar
... 728, 729. araz. 730 . made of cedar. Transliteration: araz Phonetic Spelling:
(aw-raz') Short Definition: cedar. Word Origin see aruz. made of cedar ...
/hebrew/729.htm - 5k

766. oren -- fir, cedar
... 765, 766. oren. 767 . fir, cedar. Transliteration: oren Phonetic Spelling:
(o'-ren) Short Definition: fir. Word Origin from the ...
/hebrew/766.htm - 6k

839. ashur -- perhaps boxwood (a kind of wood)
... Ashurite. Contracted for t'ashshuwr; the cedar tree or some other light elastic
wood -- Ashurite. see HEBREW t'ashshuwr. 838, 839. ashur or ashurim. 840 . ...
/hebrew/839.htm - 6k

8391. teashshur -- boxtree
... Tarea. From 'ashar; a species of cedar (from its erectness) -- box (tree). see HEBREW
'ashar. 8390, 8391. teashshur. 8392 . Strong's Numbers.
/hebrew/8391.htm - 6k

The Beams of Our Houses are of Cedar and Our Carved Ceilings are ...
... COMMENTARY. CHAPTER I. 16. The beams of our houses are of cedar and our
carved ceilings are of cypress. The Bridegroom, hidden in ...
//christianbookshelf.org/guyon/song of songs of solomon/16 the beams of our.htm

Building a Great Temple
... Solomon built the wings against the sides of the temple, each seven and a half feet
high; and they were joined to the temple with timbers of cedar. ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/sherman/the childrens bible/building a great temple.htm

The First Stage in the Leper's Cleansing
... of leprosy be healed in the leper; 4. Then shall the priest command to take for
him that is to be cleansed two birds alive and clean, and cedar-wood, and ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture k/the first stage in the.htm

December the Fifth the Second-Best for God
... The cedar for self-indulgence, and the curtains for the home of worship! ... "I dwell
in a house of cedar," and yet I am thoughtless about God's poor! ...
/.../december the fifth the second-best.htm

How Solomon Built Himself a Royal Palace, Very Costly and Splendid ...
... It was a hundred cubits long, and fifty broad, and thirty high, supported by
quadrangular pillars, which were all of cedar; but its roof was according to the ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 5 how solomon built.htm

On the Exaltation of the Holy Cross
... "I was exalted like a cedar in Libanus, and as a cypress-tree on Mount Sion.". ... The
smoke of the cedar tree drives away all the poison of the serpent. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/tauler/the inner way/sermon xxii on the exaltation.htm

Every Inch a King.
... He built a beautiful house for himself there, and King Hiram of Tyre sent skilled
workmen, and cedar trees, and they built a house of cedar for him. ...
/.../lathbury/childs story of the bible/chapter xxiii every inch a.htm

Great Preparations for a Great Work
... Thy son, whom I will set upon thy throne in thy room, he shall build an house unto
My name.6. Now therefore command thou that they hew me cedar trees out of ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture f/great preparations for a great.htm

If She be a Wall, we Will Build Upon it Bulwarks of Silver; if She ...
... CHAPTER VIII. 9. If she be a wall, we will build upon it bulwarks of silver;
if she be a door we will frame it with boards of cedar. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/guyon/song of songs of solomon/9 if she be a.htm

The Man to be Wrought Upon.
... It causes the cedars of Lebanon to grow, and the bulls of Bashan to increase; but
it feeds and strengthens each according to its nature The cedar eats no grass ...
//christianbookshelf.org/kuyper/the work of the holy spirit/i the man to be.htm

Cedar (61 Occurrences)
... 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; 7 ...
/c/cedar.htm - 37k

Cedar-wood (22 Occurrences)
Cedar-wood. Cedarwood, Cedar-wood. Cedar-work . Multi-Version
Concordance Cedar-wood (22 Occurrences). Leviticus 14:4 ...
/c/cedar-wood.htm - 12k

Cedar-trees (11 Occurrences)
Cedar-trees. Cedar-tree, Cedar-trees. Cedarwood . Multi-Version
Concordance Cedar-trees (11 Occurrences). Numbers 24 ...
/c/cedar-trees.htm - 9k

Cedar-beams (3 Occurrences)
Cedar-beams. Cedar, Cedar-beams. Cedar-Pillars . Multi-Version Concordance
Cedar-beams (3 Occurrences). 1 Kings 6:36 And he built ...
/c/cedar-beams.htm - 7k

Cedar-Pillars (1 Occurrence)
Cedar-Pillars. Cedar-beams, Cedar-Pillars. Cedars . Multi-Version
Concordance Cedar-Pillars (1 Occurrence). 1 Kings ...
/c/cedar-pillars.htm - 6k

Cedar-tree (2 Occurrences)
Cedar-tree. Cedars, Cedar-tree. Cedar-trees . Multi-Version
Concordance Cedar-tree (2 Occurrences). 1 Kings 4:33 And ...
/c/cedar-tree.htm - 7k

Cedar-work (1 Occurrence)
Cedar-work. Cedar-wood, Cedar-work. Cedron . Multi-Version
Concordance Cedar-work (1 Occurrence). Zephaniah 2:14 And ...
/c/cedar-work.htm - 6k

Logs (12 Occurrences)
... Logs (12 Occurrences). 2 Samuel 5:11 Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David,
and cedar trees, and carpenters, and masons; and they built David a house. ...
/l/logs.htm - 9k

Beams (28 Occurrences)
... (WEB KJV JPS ASV WBS NAS RSV). 1 Kings 6:9 So he built the house, and finished
it; and he covered the house with beams and planks of cedar. ...
/b/beams.htm - 14k

Timber (32 Occurrences)
... built David a house. (DBY). 1 Kings 5:6 Now therefore command that they cut
me cedar trees out of Lebanon. My servants shall be with ...
/t/timber.htm - 18k

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