Topical Bible: Timber

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Topical Encyclopedia

Timber, a term frequently encountered in the Bible, refers to wood prepared for building and construction purposes. It holds significant importance in biblical narratives, symbolizing both material wealth and divine provision. The use of timber is mentioned in various contexts, from the construction of sacred spaces to the building of royal palaces.

Sources and Types of Timber

The Bible identifies several types of trees used for timber, including cedar, cypress, and almug (or algum) wood. Cedar, particularly from Lebanon, is renowned for its quality and durability. In 1 Kings 5:6, Solomon requests cedar from King Hiram of Tyre for the construction of the Temple, saying, "So give orders that cedars of Lebanon be cut for me. My servants will work with yours, and I will pay you for your servants according to whatever you say."

Cypress wood is also noted for its strength and resistance to decay. It was used in the construction of Noah's Ark, as God instructed Noah in Genesis 6:14, "Make for yourself an ark of gopher wood; make rooms in the ark and coat it with pitch inside and out." While "gopher wood" is a term of uncertain identification, many scholars suggest it could refer to cypress or a similar durable wood.

Almug wood, mentioned in 1 Kings 10:11-12, was brought by the ships of Hiram from Ophir and used for making musical instruments and supports for the Temple. The exact identity of almug wood remains uncertain, but it is often associated with high-quality, exotic timber.

Timber in Construction

Timber played a crucial role in the construction of significant biblical structures. The Temple of Solomon is one of the most notable examples, where timber was used extensively. In addition to cedar, Solomon used cypress and olive wood for various parts of the Temple, as described in 1 Kings 6:15-18. The use of fine timber symbolized the grandeur and sanctity of the Temple, reflecting God's majesty.

The construction of royal palaces also involved the use of timber. Solomon's own palace, known as the "House of the Forest of Lebanon," was built with cedar pillars, beams, and a roof, as detailed in 1 Kings 7:2-3. This lavish use of timber underscored the wealth and power of Solomon's reign.

Symbolic and Economic Significance

Timber in the Bible often symbolizes strength, stability, and prosperity. The cedars of Lebanon, in particular, are frequently used metaphorically to represent majesty and endurance. In Psalm 92:12, the righteous are compared to these mighty trees: "The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, and grow like a cedar in Lebanon."

Economically, timber was a valuable commodity in the ancient Near East. The trade of timber, especially cedar, was a significant aspect of international relations, as seen in the alliance between Solomon and Hiram. The exchange of timber for wheat and oil (1 Kings 5:11) highlights the importance of timber in sustaining political and economic alliances.

Timber in Prophetic and Poetic Literature

Prophetic and poetic books of the Bible also reference timber, often in symbolic terms. Isaiah 14:8 speaks of the cedars of Lebanon rejoicing at the downfall of the Babylonian king: "Even the cypresses and cedars of Lebanon exult over you: 'Since you have been laid low, no woodcutter comes against us.'"

In Ezekiel 31, the Assyrian empire is likened to a cedar in Lebanon, illustrating its former glory and subsequent downfall. This imagery serves as a powerful reminder of the transient nature of earthly power and the sovereignty of God.

Overall, timber in the Bible is a multifaceted symbol, representing both the tangible and the spiritual, the temporal and the eternal. Its presence in Scripture underscores the intricate relationship between God's creation and His divine purposes.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary

1. (n.) A certain quantity of fur skins, as of martens, ermines, sables, etc., packed between boards; being in some cases forty skins, in others one hundred and twenty; -- called also timmer.

2. (n.) The crest on a coat of arms.

3. (v. t.) To surmount as a timber does.

4. (n.) That sort of wood which is proper for buildings or for tools, utensils, furniture, carriages, fences, ships, and the like; -- usually said of felled trees, but sometimes 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 single piece or squared stick of wood intended for building, or already framed; collectively, the larger pieces or sticks of wood, forming the framework of a house, ship, or other structure, in distinction from the covering or boarding.

8. (n.) Woods or forest; wooden land.

9. (n.) A rib, or a curving piece of wood, branching outward from the keel and bending upward in a vertical direction. One timber is composed of several pieces united.

10. (v. t.) To furnish with timber; -- chiefly used in the past participle.

11. (v. i.) To light on a tree.

12. (v. i.) To make a nest.

Greek

1385. dokos -- a beam of timber
... a beam of timber. Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: dokos Phonetic
Spelling: (dok-os') Short Definition: a beam Definition: a beam or spar of ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1385.htm - 7k

5208. hule -- wood, timber, forest
... wood, timber, forest. Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: hule Phonetic
Spelling: (hoo-lay') Short Definition: wood, fuel Definition: wood, fuel. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5208.htm - 6k

3586. xulon -- wood
... From another form of the base of xestes; timber (as fuel or material); by implication,
a stick, club or tree or other wooden article or substance -- staff ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3586.htm - 6k

Strong's Hebrew

636. a -- wood
... Word Origin (Aramaic) corresponding to ets Definition wood NASB Word Usage
beams (1), timber (1), timbers (1), wood (2). timber, wood. ...
/hebrew/636.htm - 6k

6086. ets -- tree, trees, wood
... wood NASB Word Usage carpenters* (4), framework (1), gallows (9), handle (1), logs
(1), shaft (3), stalks (1), stick (8), sticks (3), timber (19), timbers (5 ...
/hebrew/6086.htm - 6k

6763. tsela -- rib, side
... hence, a side, literally (of a person) or figuratively (of an object or the sky,
ie Quarter); architecturally, a (especially floor or ceiling) timber or plank ...
/hebrew/6763.htm - 6k

6097. etsah -- trees
... Word Origin from the same as ets Definition trees NASB Word Usage trees (1). trees.
Feminine of ets; timber -- trees. see HEBREW ets. 6096, 6097. etsah. 6098 ...
/hebrew/6097.htm - 6k

3773. karuthah -- beam
... Word Origin the same as karath, qv. beam Passive participle feminine of karath;
something cut, ie A hewn timber -- beam. see HEBREW karath. 3772, 3773. ...
/hebrew/3773.htm - 5k

Library

The Timber
... The Treasury of Sacred Song. Book First CXXII THE TIMBER. Sure thou didst flourish
once! and many springs, Many bright mornings, much dew, many showers. ...
/.../palgrave/the treasury of sacred song/cxxii the timber.htm

Epistle xxix. To Eulogius, Bishop of Alexandria.
... With regard to what you write about the timber being short in length, the cause
was in the kind of ship by which it was sent; for, if a larger ship had come ...
/.../the epistles of saint gregory the great/epistle xxix to eulogius bishop.htm

Great Preparations for a Great Work
... I give hire for thy servants according to all that thou shalt appoint: for thou
knowest that there is not among us any that can skill to hew timber like unto ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture f/great preparations for a great.htm

Epistle Xlvi. To Isacius, Bishop of Jerusalem .
... And this ark in truth is compacted of incorruptible timber, since it is
built of strong souls, and such as persevere in good. And ...
/.../the epistles of saint gregory the great/epistle xlvi to isacius bishop.htm

God's Testimony Concerning Man
... The outer life of a man is not the man, just as the paint on a piece of timber is
not the timber, and as the green moss upon the hard rock is not the rock ...
/.../bonar/gods way of peace/chapter i gods testimony concerning.htm

How Deceitful the Love of this World Is, and How Amiable God Is.
... The trenches are in ruins, the walls falling down, only that, here and there, the
high tops of the old timber work still project aloft; and in the city is a ...
/.../suso/a little book of eternal wisdom/chapter vi how deceitful the.htm

David's Prohibited Desire and Permitted Service
... an hundred thousand talents of gold, and a thousand thousand talents of silver;
and of brass and iron without weight; for it is in abundance: timber also and ...
/.../expositions of holy scripture g/davids prohibited desire and permitted.htm

Of Marcellus, Bishop of Apamea, and the Idols' Temples Destroyed ...
... there came uninvited to the bishop a man who was no builder, or mason, or artificer
of any kind, but only a labourer who carried stones and timber on his back. ...
/.../the ecclesiastical history of theodoret/chapter xxi of marcellus bishop of.htm

That There is no Distinction in the Scriptural Use of These ...
... Madeira, from the Portuguese "madera"=timber.) "The word hule in Plato bears the
same signification as in ordinary speech: it means wood, timber, and sometimes ...
/.../basil/basil letters and select works/chapter iv that there is.htm

Different Modes of Conceiving.
... For he who, for instance, describes to me some mountain stripped of timber, and
clothed with olive trees, describes it to me who remembers the species both of ...
/.../augustine/on the holy trinity/chapter 8 different modes of conceiving.htm

Thesaurus

Timber (32 Occurrences)
... 2. (n.) The crest on a coat of arms. 3. (vt) To surmount as a timber does. ...
One timber is composed of several pieces united. 10. ...
/t/timber.htm - 18k

Timbers (8 Occurrences)
... Leviticus 14:45 And he shall break down the house, the stones of it, and the timber
thereof, and all the mortar of the house; and he shall carry them forth out ...
/t/timbers.htm - 8k

Fir (22 Occurrences)
... (n.) A genus (Abies) of coniferous trees, often of large size and elegant shape,
some of them valued for their timber and others for their resin. ...
/f/fir.htm - 19k

Logs (12 Occurrences)
... have sent to me. I will do all your desire concerning timber of cedar, and
concerning timber of fir. (See NIV). 1 Kings 5:10 So Hiram ...
/l/logs.htm - 9k

Pine (28 Occurrences)
... have sent to me. I will do all your desire concerning timber of cedar, and
concerning timber of fir. (See NIV). 1 Kings 5:10 So Hiram ...
/p/pine.htm - 17k

Lumber (1 Occurrence)
... 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. ...
/l/lumber.htm - 7k

Sill (1 Occurrence)
... 1. (n.) The basis or foundation of a thing; especially, a horizontal piece, as a
timber, which forms the lower member of a frame, or supports a structure; as ...
/s/sill.htm - 7k

Beams (28 Occurrences)
... 1 Kings 6:10 He built the stories against all the house, each five cubits high:
and they rested on the house with timber of cedar. (See NIV). ...
/b/beams.htm - 14k

Hiram (21 Occurrences)
... I will do all your desire concerning timber of cedar, and concerning timber
of fir. (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV). ...
/h/hiram.htm - 18k

Skilled (44 Occurrences)
... give hire for thy servants according to all that thou shalt appoint: for thou knowest
that there is not among us any that is skilled in hewing timber like the ...
/s/skilled.htm - 20k

Resources

Who was Huram / Hiram in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

What was the purpose of Stonehenge? | GotQuestions.org

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

Timber: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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

Concordance

Timber (32 Occurrences)

1 Corinthians 3:12
And whether the building which any one is erecting on that foundation be of gold or silver or costly stones, of timber or hay or straw--
(WEY)

Exodus 31:5
And in cutting of stones, to set them, and in carving of timber, to work in all manner of workmanship.
(KJV DBY WBS)

Leviticus 14:45
He shall break down the house, its stones, and its timber, and all the house's mortar. He shall carry them out of the city into an unclean place.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV NIV)

2 Samuel 5:11
And Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and timber of cedars, and carpenters, and masons; and they 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 your servants; and I will give you wages for your servants according to all that you shall say. For you know that there is not among us any who knows how to cut timber like the Sidonians."
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV NIV)

1 Kings 5:8
Hiram sent to Solomon, saying, "I have heard the message which you have sent to me. I will do all your desire concerning timber of cedar, and concerning timber of fir.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV)

1 Kings 5:10
So Hiram gave Solomon timber of cedar and timber of fir according to all his desire.
(WEB JPS ASV NAS RSV)

1 Kings 5:18
Solomon's builders and Hiram's builders and the Gebalites did fashion them, and prepared the timber and the stones to build the house.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV NIV)

1 Kings 6:10
He built the stories against all the house, each five cubits high: and they rested on the house with timber of cedar.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV)

1 Kings 15:22
Then king Asa made a proclamation to all Judah; none was exempted: and they carried away the stones of Ramah, and its timber, with which Baasha had built; and king Asa built therewith Geba of Benjamin, and Mizpah.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV NIV)

2 Kings 12:12
and to the masons and the stone cutters, and for buying timber and cut stone to repair the breaches of the house of Yahweh, and for all that was laid out for the house to repair it.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV NIV)

2 Kings 22:6
to the carpenters, and to the builders, and to the masons, and for buying timber and cut stone to repair the house.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV NIV)

1 Chronicles 14:1
Now Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and timber of cedars, with masons and carpenters, to build him an house.
(KJV DBY WBS)

1 Chronicles 22:4
and cedar trees without number: for the Sidonians and they of Tyre brought cedar trees in abundance to David.
(See NAS RSV)

1 Chronicles 22:14
Now, behold, in my affliction I have prepared for the house of Yahweh one hundred thousand talents of gold, and one million talents of silver, and of brass and iron without weight; for it is in abundance: timber also and stone have I prepared; and you may add to them.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV)

1 Chronicles 22:15
There are also workmen with you in abundance, cutters and workers of stone and timber, and all kinds of men who are skillful in every kind of work:
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS)

2 Chronicles 2:8
Send me also cedar trees, fir trees, and algum trees, out of Lebanon; for I know that your servants know how to cut timber in Lebanon: and behold, my servants shall be with your servants,
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV NIV)

2 Chronicles 2:9
even to prepare me timber in abundance; for the house which I am about to build shall be great and wonderful.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV)

2 Chronicles 2:10
Behold, I will give to your servants, the cutters who cut timber, twenty thousand measures of beaten wheat, and twenty thousand measures of barley, and twenty thousand baths of wine, and twenty thousand baths of oil.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV NIV)

2 Chronicles 2:14
the son of a woman of the daughters of Dan; and his father was a man of Tyre, skillful to work in gold, and in silver, in brass, in iron, in stone, and in timber, in purple, in blue, and in fine linen, and in crimson, also to engrave any manner of engraving, and to devise any device; that there may be a place appointed to him with your skillful men, and with the skillful men of my lord David your father.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS)

2 Chronicles 2:16
and we will cut wood out of Lebanon, as much as you shall need; and we will bring it to you in floats by sea to Joppa; and you shall carry it up to Jerusalem."
(See NAS RSV)

2 Chronicles 16:6
Then Asa the king took all Judah; and they carried away the stones of Ramah, and its timber, with which Baasha had built; and he built therewith Geba and Mizpah.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV NIV)

2 Chronicles 34:11
even to the carpenters and to the builders gave they it, to buy cut stone, and timber for couplings, and to make beams for the houses which the kings of Judah had destroyed.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV NIV)

Ezra 5:8
Be it known to the king, that we went into the province of Judah, to the house of the great God, which is built with great stones, and timber is laid in the walls; and this work goes on with diligence and prospers in their hands.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS RSV NIV)

Ezra 6:4
with three courses of great stones, and a course of new timber: and let the expenses be given out of the king's house.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV NIV)

Ezra 6:11
Also I have made a decree, that whosoever shall alter this word, let timber be pulled down from his house, and being set up, let him be hanged thereon; and let his house be made a dunghill for this.
(KJV DBY WBS NAS)

Nehemiah 2:8
and a letter to Asaph the keeper of the king's forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the castle which appertains to the house, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall enter into. The king granted me, according to the good hand of my God on me.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV NIV)

Song of Songs 3:9
King Solomon made himself a bed of the wood of Lebanon.
(See NAS)

Ezekiel 26:12
They shall make a spoil of your riches, and make a prey of your merchandise; and they shall break down your walls, and destroy your pleasant houses; and they shall lay your stones and your timber and your dust in the midst of the waters.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV NIV)

Habakkuk 2:11
For the stone shall cry out of the wall, and the beam out of the timber shall answer it.
(KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS)

Haggai 1:8
Go up to the mountain, bring wood, and build the house. I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified," says Yahweh.
(See NIV)

Zechariah 5:4
I will cause it to go out," says Yahweh of Armies, "and it will enter into the house of the thief, and into the house of him who swears falsely by my name; and it will remain in the midst of his house, and will destroy it with its timber and its stones."
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV NIV)

Subtopics

Timber

Related Terms

Beam (17 Occurrences)

Fish (66 Occurrences)

Sleeper (3 Occurrences)

Timbrel (7 Occurrences)

Boats (11 Occurrences)

Ships (46 Occurrences)

Timber (32 Occurrences)

Yoke (79 Occurrences)

Lattice (6 Occurrences)