Definition and Uses:
Olive oil, a staple in ancient Israelite culture, is derived from the fruit of the olive tree (Olea europaea). It served multiple purposes in biblical times, including culinary, medicinal, religious, and practical applications. Olive oil was a symbol of prosperity, blessing, and divine favor.

Culinary Uses:
Olive oil was a primary cooking ingredient and a source of nourishment. It was used in preparing bread and other foods, as seen in the account of the widow of Zarephath, who used her last bit of oil to make bread for Elijah (1 Kings 17:12-16). It was also used as a condiment and for preserving food.

Medicinal Uses:
Olive oil had medicinal properties and was used for healing and anointing wounds. In the parable of the Good Samaritan, the Samaritan uses oil to treat the wounds of the injured man (Luke 10:34). This reflects its role as a soothing and healing agent.

Religious and Ceremonial Uses:
Olive oil held significant religious importance. It was used in anointing rituals, symbolizing consecration and the Holy Spirit's presence. Kings, priests, and prophets were anointed with oil, marking them as chosen by God. For instance, Samuel anointed David with oil, signifying his selection as king (1 Samuel 16:13).

The oil was also a key component in the tabernacle and temple services. It was used in the menorah, the lampstand in the tabernacle, to provide light continually before the Lord (Exodus 27:20). This perpetual light symbolized God's eternal presence and guidance.

Symbolism:
Olive oil is often associated with joy, abundance, and the Holy Spirit. In Psalm 23:5, David speaks of his head being anointed with oil, signifying blessing and abundance: "You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows."

Economic Importance:
Olive oil was a valuable commodity and a significant part of the economy in ancient Israel. It was used in trade and as a form of wealth. The abundance of olive oil was a sign of prosperity and God's blessing on the land, as described in Deuteronomy 8:8, where the Promised Land is depicted as "a land of olive oil and honey."

Biblical References:
· Anointing of Kings and Priests: "Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and the Spirit of the LORD rushed upon David from that day forward" (1 Samuel 16:13).
· Healing and Medicinal Use: "He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine" (Luke 10:34).
· Symbol of Blessing and Abundance: "You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows" (Psalm 23:5).
· Religious Ceremonies: "And you are to command the Israelites to bring you pure oil of pressed olives for the light, to keep the lamps burning continually" (Exodus 27:20).

Olive oil's multifaceted role in biblical times underscores its importance in daily life, religious practices, and as a symbol of divine favor and blessing.1637. elaion -- olive oil
... olive oil. Part of Speech: Noun, Neuter Transliteration: elaion Phonetic Spelling:
(el'-ah-yon) Short Definition: olive oil Definition: olive oil, oil. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1637.htm - 7k

218. aleipho -- anoint.
... 218 -- properly, to rub or smear olive oil on the body. 218 () is the ordinary
term used for anointing the body with (olive) oil. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/218.htm - 7k

3464. muron -- ointment
... anointing-oil, ointment. 3464 an ointment made of olive oil (1637 ) and
other spices (scents). Word Origin a prim. word Definition ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3464.htm - 7k

5548. chrio -- to anoint
... Anointing (literally) involved rubbing olive oil on the head, etc., especially to
present someone as (appointed by God) to serve as prophet, priest or king, etc ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5548.htm - 7k

5547. Christos -- the Anointed One, Messiah, Christ
... Messiah, the Christ. 5547 (from 5548 , " with olive oil") -- properly, "
anointed one," the (Hebrew, ""). Word Origin from chrio ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5547.htm - 7k

Whether Olive Oil is a Suitable Matter for this Sacrament?
... EXTREME UNCTION (QQ -33) Whether olive oil is a suitable matter for this
sacrament? ... Now, properly speaking, oil is none but olive oil. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/aquinas/summa theologica/whether olive oil is a.htm

Whether Chrism is a Fitting Matter for this Sacrament?
... Therefore not only olive oil should be used for this sacrament. ... But olive
oil is not to be procured everywhere; and much less is balm. ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/aquinas/summa theologica/whether chrism is a fitting.htm

Thou Anointest My Head with Oil; My Cup Runneth Over.
... He has olive oil and cedar-tar to use as healing ointments for their wounds, and
he has cool, refreshing water for those that are worn and weary. ...
/.../callan/the shepherd of my soul/x thou anointest my head.htm

Psalm LXXXIV.
... are usually made ready; and as long as they hang on their boughs, they seem to enjoy
free air; and neither is the grape wine, nor the olive oil, before they ...
/.../augustine/exposition on the book of psalms/psalm lxxxiv.htm

On Confirmation
... a cross. *169 Q. What is holy chrism? A. Holy chrism is a mixture of olive
oil and balm, consecrated by the bishop. The oil signifies ...
/.../kinkead/baltimore catechism no 4/lesson 15 on confirmation.htm

Book vii. On the Useful or the Ordinary
... blended for you. [Prov.9:5]. Olive oil is mercy or the Holy Spirit; in the
psalm: I have anointed him with my holy oil. The same in ...
/.../eucherius/the formulae of st eucherius of lyons/book vii on the useful.htm

Concerning Faith and Baptism.
... Olive oil [2336] is employed in baptism as a significant of our anointing, [2337]
and as making us anointed, and as announcing to us through the Holy Spirit ...
/.../exposition of the orthodox faith/chapter ix concerning faith and baptism.htm

The Meaning of the Name Stromata or Miscellanies.
... For the Athenians were wont to cry:". "The harvest-wreath bears figs and fat
loaves,. And honey in a cup, and olive oil to anoint you.". ...
/.../clement/the stromata or miscellanies/chapter ii the meaning of the.htm

The Knowledge Both of Language and Things is Helpful for the ...
... indicated by the olive branch which the dove brought with it when it returned to
the ark, [1797] is that we know both that the smooth touch of olive oil is not ...
/.../on christian doctrine in four books /chapter 16 the knowledge both of.htm

Second Great Group of Parables.
... quickly and write fifty. [The amount remitted here"450 gallons of olive
oil"represented a large sum of money. Such a reduction ...
/.../mcgarvey/the four-fold gospel/xcii second great group of 5.htm

Olive-oil (4 Occurrences)
Olive-oil. Olive-leaf, Olive-oil. Olive-plants . Multi-Version
Concordance Olive-oil (4 Occurrences). Exodus 27:20 And ...
/o/olive-oil.htm - 7k

Olive (61 Occurrences)
...Oliveoil is pressed from its flesh. ... 3. OliveOil: Oil is obtained on a
larger scale in one of the many varieties of oil mills. ...
/o/olive.htm - 37k

Lamp (45 Occurrences)
...Oliveoil was generally burned in them (Exodus 27:20). ...Oliveoil was commonly used,
but terebinth oil also (Thomson, LB, III, 472). H. Poster. ...
/l/lamp.htm - 28k

Tree (245 Occurrences)
... ol'-iv tre (zayith, a word occurring also in Aramaic, Ethiopic and Arabic; in the
last it means "oliveoil," and zaitun, "the olive tree"; elaia): 1. The Olive ...
/t/tree.htm - 75k

Ointment (29 Occurrences)
...Oliveoil formed the base. ...Oliveoil, being a non-drying oil which does not
thicken readily, yielded an ointment of oily consistency. ...
/o/ointment.htm - 18k

Cassia (3 Occurrences)
... kash'-a: Two Hebrew words, (1) qiddah, which is mentioned, along with myrrh, cinnamon,
calamus and oliveoil, as one of the ingredients of the "holy anointing ...
/c/cassia.htm - 9k

Oil (281 Occurrences)
... Only oliveoil seems to have been used among the Hebrews. ... Zeit usually means
oliveoil, unless some qualifying name indicates another oil. ...
/o/oil.htm - 60k

Lampstand (38 Occurrences)
... These lamps were used by the peasants of the country down to recent times,
when petroleum has superseded oliveoil for lighting. ...
/l/lampstand.htm - 24k

Pressed (65 Occurrences)
... Exodus 27:20 "You shall command the children of Israel, that they bring to you pure
oliveoil beaten for the light, to cause a lamp to burn continually. ...
/p/pressed.htm - 25k

Beaten (73 Occurrences)
... It was reckoned the best. (see OLIVE.). Noah Webster's Dictionary. 1. (pp) of Beat. ...
6. (a.) Tried; practiced. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. OIL, BEATEN. ...
/b/beaten.htm - 31k

What was olive oil a symbol of in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

What is the significance of the olive tree in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

What does the Bible say about anointing oil? | GotQuestions.org

Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus