Oak-trees are mentioned several times in the Bible, often symbolizing strength, endurance, and longevity due to their robust nature and long lifespan. These trees are native to the regions of the Middle East and have been significant in biblical history and symbolism.

Biblical References:

1. Genesis 35:4 · "So they gave Jacob all the foreign gods in their possession and all the earrings in their ears, and Jacob buried them under the oak near Shechem." This passage highlights the oak as a significant landmark, serving as a place of burial for idols, symbolizing a turning away from false gods and a return to the worship of the one true God.

2. Joshua 24:26 · "And Joshua recorded these things in the Book of the Law of God. Then he took a large stone and set it up there under the oak that was near the sanctuary of the LORD." Here, the oak is associated with a covenant renewal ceremony, marking a place of commitment and remembrance for the Israelites.

3. Judges 6:11 · "Then the angel of the LORD came and sat down under the oak in Ophrah that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, where his son Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress to hide it from the Midianites." The oak serves as a setting for divine encounter and revelation, as Gideon is called to deliver Israel from oppression.

4. 1 Kings 13:14 · "and he went after the man of God and found him sitting under an oak tree. 'Are you the man of God who came from Judah?' he asked. 'I am,' he replied." The oak tree here is a place of rest and reflection for the man of God, indicating its role as a natural shelter and a place of contemplation.

5. Isaiah 1:29 · "For you will be ashamed of the oaks in which you have delighted; you will be embarrassed by the gardens that you have chosen." In this prophetic rebuke, oaks are associated with idolatrous practices, as they were often sites of pagan worship. The prophet Isaiah warns against the misuse of these trees for ungodly purposes.

Symbolism and Significance:

In biblical literature, oak-trees often symbolize strength and endurance. Their deep roots and sturdy trunks make them a fitting metaphor for stability and resilience. The oak's presence in significant biblical events underscores its role as a witness to God's covenantal actions and divine encounters.

The oak's association with idolatry in some passages serves as a caution against the misuse of God's creation for false worship. This dual symbolism reflects the broader biblical theme of creation's intended purpose to glorify God and the consequences of its misuse.

Cultural and Historical Context:

In ancient Near Eastern culture, oak-trees were often seen as sacred and were sometimes used as sites for religious rituals. Their prominence in the landscape made them natural gathering places for communities. The biblical narrative often contrasts the use of oaks for pagan practices with their role in God's redemptive history, emphasizing the call to worship the Creator rather than the creation.

Overall, oak-trees in the Bible serve as powerful symbols of God's enduring presence and the call to faithfulness amidst the temptations of idolatry.

Argument. --Novatian
... He has also established the oak trees of the woods for the future benefit
of human uses. He has developed the harvests into food. ...
/.../a treatise of novatian concerning the trinity/chapter i argument novatian.htm

The Introduction.
... was on the decline, and the idolatry of the Druids prevailed; they were an order
of Heathen priests, who performed their rites in groves of oak trees; this was ...
/.../howie/biographia scoticana scots worthies/the introduction.htm

Of Removing Tithes.
... Oak-trees."See Trees. Orchards pay tithes, both for the fruit they produce, and
the grass or grain, if any be sown or cut therein.2 Inst.652. Ore. ...
/.../prideaux/directions to church-wardens/8 of removing tithes.htm

Concerning "Good," "Light," "Beautiful," "Desire," "Ecstasy ...
... The principle in an oak tree constituting it an oak is the formal cause. But before
there were any oak trees this principle existed as an exemplar. ...
/.../rolt/dionysius the areopagite/chapter iv concerning good light.htm

part ii
My Life in Christ. <. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/calvin/my life in christ/part ii.htm

Oak-trees (1 Occurrence)
Oak-trees. Oak-tree, Oak-trees. Oar . Multi-Version Concordance
Oak-trees (1 Occurrence). Ezekiel 27:6 Of oak-trees...
/o/oak-trees.htm - 6k

Oak-tree (11 Occurrences)
Oak-tree. Oak-the, Oak-tree. Oak-trees . Multi-Version Concordance Oak-tree
(11 Occurrences). ... (BBE). Oak-the, Oak-tree. Oak-trees . Reference Bible.
/o/oak-tree.htm - 10k

Oar (1 Occurrence)

/o/oar.htm - 7k

Floors (12 Occurrences)
... Ezekiel 27:6 Of oak-trees from Bashan they have made your driving blades; they have
made your floors of ivory and boxwood from the sea-lands of Kittim. (BBE). ...
/f/floors.htm - 9k

Troas (6 Occurrences)
... Timothy 4:13). The ruins of Troas extend over many miles, the site being
now mostly covered with a forest of oaktrees. The modern ...
/t/troas.htm - 11k

Blades (5 Occurrences)
... (BBE). Ezekiel 27:6 Of oak-trees from Bashan they have made your driving blades;
they have made your floors of ivory and boxwood from the sea-lands of Kittim. ...
/b/blades.htm - 7k

Augur's
... The oaktrees of Genesis 12:6 and of Judges 9:37, if two distinct trees are meant,
would be trees which the Canaanites had been in the habit of consulting ...
/a/augur's.htm - 8k

Scarlet (54 Occurrences)
... obtained by the Egyptians from the shell-fish Carthamus tinctorius; and by the Hebrews
from the Coccus ilicis, an insect which infests oaktrees, called kermes ...
/s/scarlet.htm - 26k

Sea-lands (24 Occurrences)
... (BBE). Ezekiel 27:6 Of oak-trees from Bashan they have made your driving blades;
they have made your floors of ivory and boxwood from the sea-lands of Kittim. ...
/s/sea-lands.htm - 13k

Oak (22 Occurrences)
... The oaktrees of Genesis 12:6 and of Judges 9:37, if two distinct trees are meant,
would be trees which the Canaanites had been in the habit of consulting ...
/o/oak.htm - 33k

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