Lumber, in the context of the Bible, refers to wood that has been processed for construction and various other purposes. Wood played a significant role in the daily life and religious practices of ancient Israel and surrounding cultures. The use of lumber is evident in the construction of buildings, religious artifacts, and everyday items.

Biblical References and Uses

1. Construction of the Ark: One of the earliest mentions of lumber in the Bible is in the construction of Noah's Ark. God instructed Noah to build the Ark using "gopher wood" (Genesis 6:14). This wood was chosen for its durability and suitability for the massive structure that would withstand the floodwaters.

2. The Tabernacle and Temple: Lumber was crucial in the construction of the Tabernacle and later the Temple in Jerusalem. The Tabernacle, a portable sanctuary used by the Israelites during their wilderness wanderings, utilized acacia wood for its framework (Exodus 26:15). King Solomon's Temple, a more permanent structure, famously incorporated cedar wood from Lebanon, known for its quality and fragrance (1 Kings 5:6). Solomon's alliance with Hiram, king of Tyre, facilitated the procurement of this valuable lumber.

3. Everyday Use and Symbolism: Lumber was also used in the construction of homes, furniture, and tools. The Bible often uses wood symbolically. For instance, the "cedars of Lebanon" are frequently mentioned as symbols of strength and majesty (Psalm 92:12). Additionally, the cross upon which Jesus was crucified is traditionally understood to have been made of wood, highlighting its significance in Christian theology.

4. Economic and Trade Aspects: The trade of lumber was an important economic activity in biblical times. The exchange of timber, especially cedar and cypress, was a significant aspect of trade relations between Israel and its neighbors. The procurement of lumber for Solomon's Temple involved a complex trade agreement with the Phoenicians, who were skilled in logging and transportation of timber by sea (1 Kings 5:8-10).

5. Prophetic Imagery: Prophets often used imagery involving trees and wood to convey messages from God. For example, Isaiah speaks of the "glory of Lebanon" being given to the people of God, referring to the majestic trees (Isaiah 60:13). This imagery underscores the value and beauty associated with lumber in biblical literature.

Cultural and Religious Significance

Lumber's significance extends beyond its practical uses; it holds cultural and religious importance. The choice of specific types of wood for sacred purposes, such as the Ark of the Covenant and the Temple, reflects a deep appreciation for the material's qualities and its symbolic meanings. The use of wood in religious contexts often signifies life, growth, and divine provision.

In summary, lumber in the Bible is not merely a material resource but a symbol of God's provision, strength, and the beauty of His creation. Its use in sacred and everyday contexts underscores its integral role in the life and faith of the biblical world.1. (n.) A pawnbroker's shop, or room for storing articles put in pawn; hence, a pledge, or pawn.

2. (n.) Old or refuse household stuff; things cumbrous, or bulky and useless, or of small value.

3. (n.) Timber sawed or split into the form of beams, joists, boards, planks, staves, hoops, etc.; esp., that which is smaller than heavy timber.

4. (b. t.) To heap together in disorder.

5. (b. t.) To fill or encumber with lumber; as, to lumber up a room.

6. (v. i.) To move heavily, as if burdened.

7. (v. i.) To make a sound as if moving heavily or clumsily; to rumble.

8. (v. i.) To cut logs in the forest, or prepare timber for market.

Introduction
... a learning as profound as it was various, the earnest and intelligent, but unlearned
reader, can pursue his way unimpeded by any obtrusive lumber of scholarship ...
/.../the epistle of paul to the philippians practically explained/introduction.htm

Prayer and the House of God
... structure. Prayer converts even the bricks, and mortar, and lumber, into
a sanctuary, a holy of holies, where the Shekinah dwells. ...
/.../bounds/the necessity of prayer/xiv prayer and the house.htm

Excess in Dress, as Well as in Personal Culture, to be Shunned ...
... Wherefore, with regard to clothing also, and all the remaining lumber of your
self-elaboration, [214] the like pruning off and retrenchment of too redundant ...
/.../tertullian/on the apparel of women/chapter ix excess in dress as.htm

The Holy Spirit.
... The Spirit loveth to do what it does in private: that man to whom God intendeth
to reveal great things, he taketh him aside from the lumber and cumber of this ...
//christianbookshelf.org/bunyan/the riches of bunyan/viii the holy spirit.htm

With the Entry of Angela's Great Picture "The Coming of Christ" ...
... previously used for the storing of damaged mechanical appliances, such as worn-out
locomotives, old railway carriages, and every kind of lumber that could ...
/.../corelli/the master-christian/xxxviii with the entry of.htm

The Broad Inner Horizon.
... It has to do with food and clothing, bricks and lumber, time and the passing hour,
the culture of the mind, the joys of social contact, the smoothing of the ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/gordon/quiet talks on prayer/the broad inner horizon.htm

Not Far and not In
... How many of us have lying in our heads, like disused furniture in a lumber-room,
what we suppose to be beliefs of ours, which only need to be followed out to ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture d/not far and not in.htm

A Collier's Remarkable Escape
... It is a beautiful, though very ancient, building; and every part of it kept in good
repair, except the lumber room and the chapel; the latter of which, having ...
/.../wesley/the journal of john wesley/a colliers remarkable escape.htm

In Making Bodies Love could not Express
... grace. A body like a mountain is but cumber. An endless body is but idle
lumber: It spoils converse, and time itself devours,. While ...
/.../traherne/centuries of meditations/19 in making bodies love.htm

Talmage -- a Bloody Monster
... Let our citizens who have disgraced themselves by trading in clothing and hosiery
and hardware and lumber and coal take off their hats to the rum-seller ...
/.../kleiser/the worlds great sermons volume 8/talmage a bloody monster.htm

Lumber (1 Occurrence)
... 4. (bt) To heap together in disorder. 5. (bt) To fill or encumber with lumber; as,
to lumber up a room. ... Multi-Version Concordance Lumber (1 Occurrence). ...
/l/lumber.htm - 7k

Team (3 Occurrences)
... 7. (vi) To engage in the occupation of driving a team of horses, cattle, or the
like, as in conveying or hauling lumber, goods, etc.; to be a teamster. ...
/t/team.htm - 8k

Kiln (5 Occurrences)
... for the purpose of hardening, burning, or drying anything; as, a kiln for baking
or hardening earthen vessels; a kiln for drying grain, meal, lumber, etc.; a ...
/k/kiln.htm - 8k

Lumberjack (1 Occurrence)

/l/lumberjack.htm - 6k

Lulled (2 Occurrences)

/l/lulled.htm - 7k

Timber (32 Occurrences)
... of those standing. Cf. Lumber, 3. 5. (n.) The body, stem, or trunk of a
tree. 6. (n.) Fig.: Material for any structure. 7. (n.) A ...
/t/timber.htm - 18k

Clear (641 Occurrences)
... 7. (superl.) Without defect or blemish, such as freckles or knots; as, a clear
complexion; clear lumber. 8. (superl.) Free from guilt or stain; unblemished. ...
/c/clear.htm - 39k

Josiah (51 Occurrences)
... of all, they had through heedless years and ages drifted into a medley of religious
ideas and customs which had accumulated until all this lumber of Manasseh's ...
/j/josiah.htm - 42k

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