the Week of Proper 28 / Ordinary 33
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Bible Dictionaries
Pine Tree
Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary
or The pine appears in our translation three times, Nehemiah 8:15; Isaiah 41:19; Isaiah 60:13 . Nehemiah 8:15 , giving directions for observing the feast of tabernacles, says, "Fetch olive branches, pine branches, myrtle branches, and branches of thick trees, to make booths." The Hebrew phrase עצ שמן , means literally branches of oily or gummy plants. The LXX say cypress. Scheuchzer says the Turks call the cypress zemin. The author of "Scripture Illustrated" says," I should prefer the whole species called jasmin, on account of its verdure, its fragrance, and its flowers, which are highly esteemed. The word jasmin and jasemin of the Turks, resembles strongly the shemen of the Hebrew original here. The Persians also name this plant semen and simsyk." The authority, however, of the Septuagint must prevail. In Isaiah 41:19; Isaiah 60:13 , the Hebrew word is תדהר ; a tree, says Parkhurst, so called from the springiness or elasticity of its wood. Luther thought it the elm, which is a lofty and spreading tree; and Dr. Stock renders it the ash. After all, it may be thought advisable to retain the pine. La Roche, describing a valley near to Mount Lebanon, has this observation: "La continuelle verdure des pins et des chenes verds fait toujours sa beaute." [The perpetual verdure of the pines and the live oaks makes it ever beautiful.]
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Watson, Richard. Entry for 'Pine Tree'. Richard Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/wtd/p/pine-tree.html. 1831-2.
