אֲשֻׁר
the cedar tree or some other light elastic wood
Definition
The Hebrew word אֲשֻׁר (ʼăshur) refers to a specific type of wood, likely from a cedar or cypress tree, known for its light, elastic, and durable qualities. It appears only once in the Old Testament, in Ezekiel 27:6, where it describes a material used in shipbuilding for the oars of the Tyrian trading vessel. The context suggests it was a prized, high-quality timber suitable for crafting essential maritime components. While some translations render it as 'boxwood' or 'cypress,' the precise botanical identification remains uncertain, but it is clearly a fine, workable wood.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only in Ezekiel 27:6, within a poetic lament over the city of Tyre. The prophet Ezekiel lists the luxurious materials used to construct Tyre's merchant ships, stating, 'Of oaks from Bashan they made your oars; they made your deck of pines from the coasts of Cyprus, inlaid with ivory, and of אֲשֻׁר from the coasts of Elishah.' Its singular usage is in a context of maritime trade, luxury, and craftsmanship, highlighting the wealth and international connections of Tyre before its judgment.
Etymology
The word אֲשֻׁר (ʼăshur) is a contracted or shortened form of the Hebrew noun תְּאַשּׁוּר (teʼashshur, H8391), which also refers to a type of tree, likely the box tree. This longer form appears in Isaiah 41:19 and 60:13. The contraction is a linguistic feature of Biblical Hebrew. The root may be related to the concept of being 'straight' or 'upright,' possibly describing the tree's growth or the straight grain of its wood, making it suitable for carving and construction.
Semantic Range
In the ancient Near East, specific types of wood were valuable commodities, often imported from distant regions as symbols of wealth, power, and skilled artistry. The mention of אֲשֻׁר wood from the 'coasts of Elishah' (a location often associated with Cyprus or Greece) in Ezekiel 27:6 reflects the extensive trade networks of the Phoenician city-state of Tyre. This wood was not just a common building material but a luxury import, used for fine craftsmanship in high-status projects like the construction of prestigious trading vessels.
תְּאַשּׁוּר (teʼashshur, H8391) — The full, uncontracted form of the word, also referring to the box tree or a similar fine wood (Isaiah 41:19; 60:13). אֶרֶז (ʼerez, H730) — Cedar; a more commonly cited, prestigious wood used in temple construction and symbolism. בְּרוֹשׁ (berosh, H1265) — Cypress or fir; another high-quality wood used in building and shipmaking.
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
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