Topical Encyclopedia
In biblical literature, the term "trunk" is not frequently used in the context of trees or plants as it is in modern language. However, the concept of a tree's trunk can be inferred from various passages that discuss trees, their growth, and their symbolic meanings. The trunk, being the main structural component of a tree, is essential for the tree's stability and nourishment, serving as a conduit for water and nutrients from the roots to the branches and leaves.
Symbolism of Trees in the BibleTrees hold significant symbolic meaning throughout the Bible, often representing life, growth, and stability. The trunk, as the central part of the tree, can be seen as a metaphor for strength and endurance. In
Psalm 1:3 , the righteous man is compared to "a tree planted by streams of water, yielding its fruit in season, whose leaf does not wither, and who prospers in all he does." While the trunk is not explicitly mentioned, it is implied as the core structure that supports the tree's flourishing.
The Tree of Life and the Tree of KnowledgeIn Genesis, the Tree of Life and the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil are central to the narrative of the Garden of Eden. The Tree of Life, in particular, is a symbol of eternal life and divine provision. Although the Bible does not describe the physical characteristics of these trees, the trunk would have been an integral part of their structure, supporting the branches and fruit that held such profound spiritual significance.
The Olive TreeThe olive tree is frequently mentioned in the Bible and is a symbol of peace, prosperity, and divine blessing. In
Romans 11, the Apostle Paul uses the imagery of an olive tree to describe the relationship between Israel and the Gentiles. The trunk of the olive tree represents the root and foundation of God's covenant people, with the branches symbolizing those who are grafted into this spiritual heritage.
Romans 11:17-18 states, "But if some branches have been broken off, and you, a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others to share in the nourishment of the olive root, do not boast over those branches. If you do, remember this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you."
The Cedar of LebanonThe cedar of Lebanon is another significant tree mentioned in the Bible, known for its height, strength, and durability. In
Ezekiel 31, the Assyrian empire is compared to a cedar in Lebanon, illustrating its former glory and eventual downfall. The trunk of the cedar, though not explicitly mentioned, would have been a symbol of the empire's might and the central support of its expansive reach.
Practical Uses of Tree TrunksIn biblical times, the trunk of a tree was a valuable resource for construction and craftsmanship. The wood from tree trunks was used to build homes, temples, and various implements. The construction of Solomon's Temple, for example, involved the use of cedar and cypress wood, prized for their quality and durability (
1 Kings 5:6).
ConclusionWhile the Bible does not frequently mention the trunk of a tree explicitly, its role as the central support and conduit for life-giving resources is implicit in the many references to trees and their symbolic meanings. The trunk serves as a powerful metaphor for strength, stability, and the sustaining power of God's creation.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (
n.) The stem, or body, of a tree, apart from its limbs and roots; the main stem, without the branches; stock; stalk.
2. (n.) The body of an animal, apart from the head and limbs.
3. (n.) The main body of anything; as, the trunk of a vein or of an artery, as distinct from the branches.
4. (n.) That part of a pilaster which is between the base and the capital, corresponding to the shaft of a column.
5. (n.) That segment of the body of an insect which is between the head and abdomen, and bears the wings and legs; the thorax; the truncus.
6. (n.) The proboscis of an elephant.
7. (n.) The proboscis of an insect.
8. (n.) A long tube through which pellets of clay, p/as, etc., are driven by the force of the breath.
9. (n.) A box or chest usually covered with leather, metal, or cloth, or sometimes made of leather, hide, or metal, for containing clothes or other goods; especially, one used to convey the effects of a traveler.
10. (n.) A flume or sluice in which ores are separated from the slimes in which they are contained.
11. (n.) A large pipe forming the piston rod of a steam engine, of sufficient diameter to allow one end of the connecting rod to be attached to the crank, and the other end to pass within the pipe directly to the piston, thus making the engine more compact.
12. (n.) A long, large box, pipe, or conductor, made of plank or metal plates, for various uses, as for conveying air to a mine or to a furnace, water to a mill, grain to an elevator, etc.
13. (v. t.) To lop off; to curtail; to truncate; to maim.
14. (v. t.) To extract (ores) from the slimes in which they are contained, by means of a trunk. See Trunk, n., 9.
Greek
3586. xulon -- wood... Spelling: (xoo'-lon) Short Definition: a staff, cross, anything made of wood Definition:
anything made of wood, a piece of wood, a club, staff; the
trunk of a
...Strong's Hebrew
1503. geza -- a stock, stem... stem, stock. From an unused root meaning to cut down (trees); the
trunk or stump
of a tree (as felled or as planted) -- stem, stock. 1502, 1503. geza. 1504 >
...8560. tomer -- palm tree, post
... palm tree. From the same root as tamar; a palmtrunk -- palm tree. see HEBREW
tamar. 8559, 8560. tomer. 8561 . Strong's Numbers.
Library
The Work of Regeneration.
... The successful grafting of a budding shoot of the cultivated grape upon the
wild vine results in a good tree growing upon the wildtrunk....
Of the Holy Spirit and the Mystery of the Trinity.
... that the Father should be sometime the Son, and sometime the Holy Spirit: just as,
in a tree, the root is nothing else than the root, and thetrunk (robur) is...
The Cross and the Winepress.
... Upon this occasion a new wine-press, resembling the holy Cross in shape, had been
devised; it consisted of the hollowtrunk of a tree placed upright, with a...
What the Big Chest Contained
... To this John smiled and said: "Hey, Will, do you know what's in thattrunk?" John
referred to a largetrunk that was sitting near the bed on the opposite side...
But Origen Also, You Will Tell Us, in Composing his Work Called...
... No man begins by cutting thetrunk of a tree when he is intending to lean against
it; and no man first impugns the faith of another and then invokes his faith...
Implanting in Christ.
... of speech and style, for comparison's sake reverses God's work in nature; for while
in reality the cultivated bud is grafted on the wildtrunk, he makes in...
Then Midas, King of Pessinus, Wishing to Withdraw the Youth from...
... the pine tree, beneath which Attis had unmanned himself; and Acdestis joining in
her wailings, she beats and wounds her breast, pacing round thetrunk of the...
Different Degrees of Knowledge.
... For a bud (eye) is cut out of atrunk of a good sort, a circle being drawn
round in the bark along with it, of the size of the palm....
Humility.
... Golden head must have golden breast, and a golden breast must have a goldentrunk,
and goldentrunk golden legs, and golden legs must rest on feet of gold....
The Rise of the Assyrian Empire
... up on the land somewhere near their city at the foot of a tamarisk, and that this
tree, in its rapid growth, had gradually enfolded within itstrunk the body...
Thesaurus
Trunk (3 Occurrences)... 3. (n.) The main body of anything; as, the
trunk of a vein or of an artery, as distinct
from the branches.
... See
Trunk, n., 9. Multi-Version Concordance
...Asherah (40 Occurrences)
... with one another, but the identity in the pronunciation of the two words caused
them to be identified in signification, and as the tree-trunk or cone of stone...
Neck (97 Occurrences)
... 1. (n.) The part of an animal which connects the head and thetrunk, and which,
in man and many other animals, is more slender than thetrunk....
Lock (6 Occurrences)
... 2. (n.) Anything that fastens; specifically, a fastening, as for a door, a lid,
atrunk, a drawer, and the like, in which a bolt is moved by a key so as to...
Plow (11 Occurrences)
... The upper end of the severedtrunk is pointed and forms the share. Between this
and the side branch is fitted a brace.... from thetrunk and forms the pole....
Body (562 Occurrences)
... 2. (n.) Thetrunk, or main part, of a person or animal, as distinguished from the
limbs and head; the main, central, or principal part, as of a tree, army...
Sycomore (3 Occurrences)
... The sycomore produces small, rounded figs, about an inch long, which grow upon tortuous,
leafless twigs springing from thetrunk or the older branches; they...
Sit (216 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (vt) To rest upon the haunches, or the lower
extremity of thetrunk of the body. 2. (vt) To rest upon...
Tree (245 Occurrences)
... (see ADAM.). Noah Webster's Dictionary. 1. (n.) Any perennial woody plant of
considerable size (usually over twenty feet high) and growing with a singletrunk....
Journey (214 Occurrences)
... tree or wall and also 2,000 paces beyond, but in such a case he must do the work
thoroughly and must say: "Let my Sabbath residence be at thetrunk of that tree...
Resources
What did Jesus mean when He said, “I am the True Vine” (John 15:1)? | GotQuestions.orgWho was Asherah / Ashtoreth? | GotQuestions.orgWhat is the significance of the olive tree in the Bible? | GotQuestions.orgTrunk: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
Bible Dictionary •
Bible Encyclopedia •
Topical Bible •
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