Bible Dictionaries
Fig

Bridgeway Bible Dictionary

Search for…

Enter query below:

or

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

Prev Entry
Festus

Next Entry
Firstborn

Resource Toolbox

Print Article

Additional Links

Concordances
Nave Topical Bible
• Fig Tree
• Fig
Thompson Chain Reference
• Figs
• Fig-Trees
Treasury of Biblical Knowledge
• Trees: & Figs
• Figs; Tree
Torrey Topical Textbook
• Fig-Tree, the
Dictionaries
American Tract Society
• Fig
Bridgeway Bible Dictionary
• Fig
Easton's Bible Dictionary
• Naughty Figs
• Fig
Fausset Bible Dictionary
• Fig
Holman Bible Dictionary
• Fig, Figtree
Hastings' BibleDictionary
• Fig
Hastings' NT Dictionary
• Fig-Tree
• Fig, Fig-Tree
King James Dictionary
• Fig
Morrish Bible Dictionary
• Fig, Fig-Tree
1910 New Catholic Dictionary
• Tree, Fig
• Sunday, Fig
• Fig Tree
•   (only first 3 shown)
Hawker's Poor Man's Dictionary
• Fig Tree
People's Bible Dictionary
• Fig Tree
• Fig
Smith Bible Dictionary
• Fig Tree
• Fig
Vines' Expository Dictionary
• Fig Tree
• Fig
Wilson's Bible Types
• Fig (Tree)
• Fig (Leaves)
Webster Dictionary
• Fig-Shell
• Fig
• Elemi Figs
•   (only first 3 shown)
Watson's Theological Dictionary
• Fig Tree
Encyclopedias
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
• Fig; Fig-Tree
Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia
• Fig-Tree
• Figs
McClintock and Strong's Bible Encyclopedia
• Fig
• Fig-Tree, Cursed.
The Jewish Encyclopedia
• Fig and Fig-Tree
Lexicons
• ܦ݁ܰܩܽܘܥܳܐ
• ܬ݁ܺܐܬ݂ܶܐ
• ὄλυνθος
• συκῆ
• σῦκον
• בִּכוּרִּים
• בִּכוּרָּה
• בָּלַס
•   (only first 3 shown)

Like olives and grapes, figs were plentiful in Israel and neighbouring countries (Deuteronomy 8:8; Judges 9:8-13; Jeremiah 5:17). The saying ‘to sit under one’s own vine and fig tree’ indicated the enjoyment of long-lasting peace, contentment and prosperity. On the other hand ‘to lay waste one’s vines and fig trees’ indicated devastation and ruin (1 Kings 4:25; 2 Kings 18:31; Hosea 2:12; Joel 1:7; Joel 1:12; Micah 4:4). The cultivation of fig trees required years of patient labour, and the failure of a harvest was a major calamity (Proverbs 27:18; Luke 13:7; cf. Psalms 105:33; Habakkuk 3:17).

People ate figs either fresh or dried and often made them into cakes (1 Samuel 25:18; 1 Chronicles 12:40; Nahum 3:12). They also believed that figs had some medicinal value (Isaiah 38:21).

Healthy fig trees bore fruit for about ten months of the year, though they lost their leaves and grew new ones according to the season (Matthew 24:32). Jesus on one occasion was disappointed when he found that a fig tree that should have had fruit on it (even though the season for picking the fruit had not yet arrived) had no fruit at all. He saw the fruitless tree as symbolic of Israel, a nation that was useless to God. It produced no spiritual fruit and would fall under God’s judgment (Mark 11:12-14; cf. Luke 13:6-9).