SPECIAL TOPIC: TREES (BDB 781, KB 863)

1. It is very important for us to recognize the significance of trees in semi-arid areas. They almost seem to have a holy sense because they represent the presence of underground water. They also provide shade which, in arid areas of the world, can mean a significant change in temperature.
   
   
2. Sacred tree(s) are recurrent themes in early Israel.
   1. great tree at Moreh ‒ Gen. 12:6; Deut. 11:30
   2. great tree at Mamre ‒ Gen. 13:18; 14:13; 18:1 (cf. Josephus, Antiq. 1.10.4)
   3. great tree at Shechem ‒ Gen. 35:4; Jdgs. 9:6
   4. the oak ‒ Josh. 24:26
   5. "the diviners oak" ‒ Jdgs. 9:37 (see SPECIAL TOPIC: DIVINATION)
   6. great tree at Zaanannim ‒ Josh. 19:38; Jdgs. 4:11
   7. great tree at Ophrah ‒ Jdgs. 6:11,19
   8. great tree at Tabor ‒ I Sam. 10:3
   
   
3. Other uses of BDB 781, KB 863
   The root, עצ (BDB 781, KB 863) has a wide semantic field connected to wooden objects.
   1. a tree, trees (Ps. 1:3)
   2. Tree of Life (Gen. 2:9,16; Prov. 3:18; 13:12; 15:4)
   3. wooden idol (Deut. 4:28; 28:36,64; Jer. 10:8)
   4. building material (Gen. 6:14; Deut. 10:3)
   5. piece of wood
   6. firewood (Deut. 19:5; Isa. 30:33; Ezek. 24:5)
   7. stake on which bodies are impaled (Gen. 49:10; Deut. 21:22-23; Josh. 8:29; 10:26,27)
   8. vine (Ezek. 15:2,6)
   9. fertility gods (Deut. 12:2; Ezek. 6:13; 20:28; Jer. 2:20; 3:9,13)
   10. figurative (i.e. Jdgs. 9:8; Isa. 10)
   
   
4. For a good brief discussion of sacred trees in the ANE, see
   1. Roland deVaux, Ancient Israel, pp. 278-279, (c).
   2. UBS Helps for Translators, Fauna and Flora of the Bible

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