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 TimberThe 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 ConstructionTimber 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 SignificanceTimber 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 LiteratureProphetic 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 oftimber... 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
...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....
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...
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.
...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...
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...
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...
3773. karuthah -- beam
... Word Origin the same as karath, qv. beam Passive participle feminine of karath;
something cut, ie A hewntimber -- beam. see HEBREW karath. 3772, 3773....
Library
TheTimber
... The Treasury of Sacred Song. Book First CXXII THETIMBER. Sure thou didst flourish
once! and many springs, Many bright mornings, much dew, many showers....
Epistle xxix. To Eulogius, Bishop of Alexandria.
... With regard to what you write about thetimber being short in length, the cause
was in the kind of ship by which it was sent; for, if a larger ship had come...
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 hewtimber like unto...
Epistle Xlvi. To Isacius, Bishop of Jerusalem .
... And this ark in truth is compacted of incorruptibletimber, since it is
built of strong souls, and such as persevere in good. And...
God's Testimony Concerning Man
... The outer life of a man is not the man, just as the paint on a piece oftimber is
not thetimber, and as the green moss upon the hard rock is not the rock...
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 oldtimber work still project aloft; and in the city is a...
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...
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 andtimber on his back....
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...
Different Modes of Conceiving.
... For he who, for instance, describes to me some mountain stripped oftimber, and
clothed with olive trees, describes it to me who remembers the species both of...
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.
...Timbers (8 Occurrences)
... Leviticus 14:45 And he shall break down the house, the stones of it, and thetimber
thereof, and all the mortar of the house; and he shall carry them forth out...
Fir (22 Occurrences)
... (n.) A genus (Abies) of coniferous trees, often of large size and elegant shape,
some of them valued for theirtimber and others for their resin....
Logs (12 Occurrences)
... have sent to me. I will do all your desire concerningtimber of cedar, and
concerningtimber of fir. (See NIV). 1 Kings 5:10 So Hiram...
Pine (28 Occurrences)
... have sent to me. I will do all your desire concerningtimber of cedar, and
concerningtimber of fir. (See NIV). 1 Kings 5:10 So Hiram...
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 heavytimber....
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...
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 withtimber of cedar. (See NIV)....
Hiram (21 Occurrences)
... I will do all your desire concerningtimber of cedar, and concerningtimber
of fir. (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)....
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 hewingtimber like the...
Resources
Who was Huram / Hiram in the Bible? | GotQuestions.orgWhat was the purpose of Stonehenge? | GotQuestions.orgWhat is the significance of Cyprus in the Bible? | GotQuestions.orgTimber: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
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