Dictionary of Bible Themes  »  4000 Creation  »  4400 Vegetation and food  »  4528 trees

Large, woody plants with trunk, branches, leaves and roots, noted for their long lives. Scripture refers to many different varieties of tree.

God's creation of trees

Genesis 1:11-12

Acacia

Exodus 37:1-5 See also Exodus 25:1-16,23; Exodus 26:15,26; Exodus 27:1,6; Exodus 30:1; Exodus 36:36; Exodus 37:25; Exodus 38:1; Deuteronomy 10:3; Isaiah 41:19

Almond tree

Jeremiah 1:11-12 See also Genesis 30:37-39; Exodus 25:31-34 pp Exodus 37:17-20; Ecclesiastes 12:5

Almug-wood

1 Kings 10:11-12

Balsam tree

2 Samuel 5:22-25 pp 1 Chronicles 14:13-16

Broom tree

Job 30:4 See also 1 Kings 19:3-4; Psalm 120:4

Cedar tree

Ezekiel 31:3 See also 1 Kings 4:33; Kings 10:27; Psalm 92:12-15

Cypress tree

Isaiah 44:14 See also Genesis 6:14; Isaiah 41:19; Isaiah 60:13; Ezekiel 27:6

Fig-tree

Micah 4:4 See also Deuteronomy 8:7-9; Luke 21:29-31

Fir tree

Isaiah 41:19-20 See also Isaiah 60:13

Myrtle

Isaiah 55:13 See also Isaiah 41:19; Zechariah 1:8-11

Oak tree

Joshua 24:26 See also Genesis 35:4,8; Judges 6:11-19; 2 Samuel 18:9-14; 1 Kings 13:13-14; Psalm 29:9; Psalm 56:1; Isaiah 1:29-30; Isaiah 2:12-13; Isaiah 6:13; Isaiah 44:14; Isaiah 57:5; Isaiah 61:3; Ezekiel 6:13; Ezekiel 27:6; Hosea 4:13; Amos 2:9; Zechariah 11:2

Olive tree

Psalm 52:8 See also Judges 9:8-9; Zechariah 4:1-14; Romans 11:24

Palm tree

Numbers 33:9 See also Exodus 15:27; 1 Kings 6:29,35; 2 Chronicles 3:5; Psalm 92:12; Songs 7:8; Ezekiel 40:16; Ezekiel 41:17-20

Pine tree

Isaiah 60:13 See also 1 Kings 6:15; Kings 9:11; 2 Kings 19:23 pp Isaiah 37:24; Isaiah 14:8; Isaiah 41:19; Isaiah 55:13; Ezekiel 27:5; Ezekiel 31:8; Hosea 14:8; Zechariah 11:2

Plane trees

Genesis 30:37 See also Ezekiel 31:8

Poplar tree

Isaiah 44:4 See also Genesis 30:37; Hosea 4:13

Sycamore-fig tree

1 Kings 10:27 pp 2 Chronicles 1:15 pp 2 Chronicles 9:27

Terebinth tree

Isaiah 6:13 See also Hosea 4:13

Willow tree

Ezekiel 17:5-6

Great trees

Genesis 13:18 See also Genesis 14:13; Genesis 18:1; Deuteronomy 11:30

Symbolic use of trees

As a symbol of permanence or long life

Isaiah 65:22

As a symbol of well-being

Psalm 1:3; Jeremiah 17:8

As a means of execution

Deuteronomy 21:23; Acts 5:30; Galatians 3:13; 1 Peter 2:24

As bearers of fruit

Matthew 3:10; Matthew 7:17-19; Matthew 12:33; Luke 6:43-44

The trees of life and knowledge

Genesis 2:9; Revelation 2:7; Revelation 22:2,14

As an example of distorted vision

Mark 8:24

See also

4402  plants
4404  food
4416  branch
4424  cedar
4440  fig-tree
4448  forests
4450  fruit
4492  olive
4504  roots
4518  sycamore-fig tree
4526  tree of life
4552  wood