Lexical Summary
armon: Palace, citadel, fortress
Original Word:עַרְמוֹן
Part of Speech:Noun Masculine
Transliteration:`armown
Pronunciation:ar-mone'
Phonetic Spelling:(ar-mone')
KJV: chestnut tree
NASB:plane trees
Word Origin:[probably fromH6191 (עָרַם - become shrewd)]
1. the plane tree (from its smooth and shed bark)
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
chestnut tree
Probably fromaram; the plane tree (from its smooth and shed bark) -- chestnut tree.
see HEBREWaram
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originfrom an unused word
Definitionplane tree
NASB Translationplane trees (2).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
(as
stripped of bark); —
Genesis 30:37 (J); plural
Ezekiel 31:8.
2Chron 28:15 see below II. .
Topical Lexicon
Botanical Identity and SymbolismThe עַרְמוֹן (armon) is generally identified with the Oriental plane tree (Platanus orientalis), admired for its broad canopy, exfoliating bark, and vigorous growth along watercourses. In the lands of the Bible it provided welcome shade, durable timber, and an image of stately beauty. The tree’s yearly renewal of bark made it a natural emblem of freshness and hidden strength—qualities prized in Israel’s agrarian setting and easily transferred to spiritual truths about covenant faithfulness and continual renewal in God.
Biblical Occurrences
•Genesis 30:37 records Jacob selecting “fresh branches of poplar, almond, and plane trees” for the unusual breeding stratagem by which God prospered him at Laban’s expense. The armon branch, with its contrasting inner and outer layers, served Jacob’s purpose of visible differentiation. The episode highlights God’s sovereign blessing on the patriarch while subtly portraying the plane tree as an instrument of divine provision.
•1 Samuel 23:22 recounts Saul’s emissaries describing David as “very cunning.” Though the verse does not reference a literal tree, the root consonants of עַרְמוֹן link the wordfamily of the plane tree to the idea of shrewdness and subtlety. In the narrative, David’s “plane-tree like” resourcefulness—adaptive, vigorous, and hard to uproot—confounds Saul’s pursuit. The connection is etymological rather than botanical, yet it reinforces the notion of hidden resilience found in the tree’s physical character.
•Ezekiel 31:8 situates the armon in Edenic grandeur: “the plane trees could not compare with its boughs.” The prophet contrasts Assyria’s temporary splendor with a garden scene surpassing all earthly glory. The plane tree, counted among the finest of creation, serves as a benchmark of beauty that still falls short of the exalted cedar symbolizing imperial hubris. Its inclusion elevates the tree’s stature in biblical imagination while warning nations against pride.
Cultural and Historical Background
In antiquity the plane tree furnished strong, attractive wood for carved panels, lyres, and ceremonial furniture. Its broad leaves and cooling shade made groves natural gathering spots; Greek and Persian monarchs sometimes held audiences beneath them. Israel’s neighbors used such pleasant retreats for pagan rites, an association hinted at inHosea 4:13 where people “sacrifice… under oaks, poplars, and terebinths”—noticeably omitting armon, perhaps to keep the plane tree free of shame in prophetic rhetoric. The silence may itself be intentional, preserving the armon’s dignity for nobler symbolism in Ezekiel.
Spiritual Lessons and Ministry Applications
1. Divine Resourcefulness: Jacob’s use of plane branches illustrates God’s ability to turn ordinary materials into means of extraordinary blessing. Believers facing injustice, like Jacob under Laban, may trust the Lord to employ simple, even unexpected, resources for their vindication.
2. Resilient Discipleship: David’s evasive skill mirrors the plane tree’s capacity to thrive under pruning and seasonal peeling. Ministry workers who endure repeated trials can draw comfort from the armon’s metaphor of renewed bark, reminding them that affliction often strips away the old to reveal fresh growth (James 1:2-4).
3. Humility before Majesty: Ezekiel’s Edenic comparison rebukes self-exalting powers. When even the majestic plane tree is described as inferior to the prophetic cedar, the point is clear: all human splendor is derivative. Churches and leaders should measure success by faithfulness rather than size or visibility (1 Corinthians 3:6-7).
Connection with Broader Biblical Themes
• Covenant Provision – From Eden’s garden to Jacob’s flocks, the armon quietly testifies that God supplies beauty and utility for His people’s good.
• Hidden Wisdom – The etymological link with cleverness in1 Samuel 23:22 invites reflection on Christ, “in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians 2:3).
• Eschatological Restoration – If the plane tree adorned the primeval garden, its rejuvenating bark foreshadows the promised renewal of creation when “the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations” (Revelation 22:2).
The armon, though mentioned only three times, weaves through Scripture as a quiet witness to God’s creative artistry, providential care, and moral order—roots sunk deep beside life-giving waters, branches stretched wide beneath the Sovereign’s gaze.
Forms and Transliterations
וְעֶרְמ֑וֹן וְעַרְמֹנִ֥ים וערמון וערמנים יַעְרִ֖ם יערם vearmoNim veerMon wə‘armōnîm wə‘ermōwn wə·‘ar·mō·nîm wə·‘er·mō·wn ya‘·rim ya‘rim yaRim
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