אֵלָה
an oak or other strong tree
Definition
The Hebrew noun אֵלָה (ʼêlâh) refers primarily to a strong, sturdy tree, most commonly understood as an oak or terebinth tree. In the Old Testament, it often denotes a specific type of large, long-lived tree that served as a landmark, a place of shade, or a site for significant events, such as the 'oak of weeping' in Genesis 35:4 where Jacob buried foreign idols. In some contexts, like 2 Samuel 18:9-10, it is simply a large tree in which Absalom becomes entangled. The word can also refer to the wood or timber from such a tree, as implied in its usage for crafting idols (Isaiah 44:14-15 uses the related אֵל, H352).
Biblical Usage
This word appears 12 times, primarily in narrative books like Genesis, Judges, Samuel, and Kings. It is used to describe specific, named trees that are locations for pivotal events: Deborah, Rebekah's nurse, is buried under an אֵלָה near Bethel (Genesis 35:8), and Gideon meets an angel under one (Judges 6:11, 19). In 2 Samuel 18:9-14, the 'great אֵלָה' is the scene of Absalom's fatal accident. The pattern shows these trees as natural landmarks and settings for divine encounters, burials, and political drama.
Etymology
אֵלָה (ʼêlâh) is the feminine form of the masculine noun אֵל (ʼêl, H352), which means 'ram,' 'strength,' 'power,' or 'god.' The derivation suggests the core idea of 'strength' or 'might,' which was then applied to these robust, durable trees. Cognates exist in other Semitic languages (like Ugaritic and Aramaic) for 'oak' or 'terebinth,' confirming its meaning as a strong tree.
Semantic Range
While primarily a botanical term, אֵלָה gains theological significance through its association with sites of covenant, judgment, and idolatry. The trees often mark places where God interacts with people (Judges 6:11) or where pagan practices occur (Hosea 4:13, using the related אֵלָה). Understanding it as a 'strong tree' highlights the contrast between the enduring, true God and the perishable idols sometimes made from its wood. Its role as a burial marker (Genesis 35:8) and a place of mourning (2 Samuel 18:9-10) also connects it to themes of mortality and divine justice.
In ancient Israelite culture, large trees like the oak or terebinth were not just natural features but sacred spaces, often associated with Canaanite pagan worship (as 'high places' under green trees). They provided communal shade, served as burial sites, and were reliable landmarks in a largely agrarian society. The modern reader might miss the cultural weight these specific trees carried as settings for legal transactions, prophecies, and encounters with the divine.
אַלּוֹן (ʼallôn, H437) — Another word for 'oak,' often used interchangeably but sometimes for a different species. אֵל (ʼêl, H352) — The masculine root, meaning 'ram' or 'strength,' and also 'god' or 'deity,' sharing the core concept of power. אַשּׁוּר (ʼashshûr, H839) — A general term for a fir or cypress tree, distinguished by its use for shipbuilding and construction.
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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