Oak (Hastings' Dictionary)

Three of the words tr’ ‘oak’ in EV are perhaps derived from the root i or $x ‘to be prominent.’ They are (1) Sx, pl. οἷν *élim; (2) nox ’élah; (3) jiox ’élén. The following analysis will show the renderings of LXX, Vulg., EV. 4. bx only in const. Sx ’é. EV transliterate (Gn 14°) as part of the proper name El-paran, LXX_ τερέβινθος, Vulg. Campestria, EV render (Is 1%) ‘oaks,’ RVm ‘terebinths,’ LXX εἴδωλα, Vulg. idoli. AV tr. (Is 57°) ‘idols,’ AVm ‘oaks,’ RV ‘oaks,’ RVm ‘idols,’ LXX εἴδωλα, Vulg.

div. EV tr. (Is 613) ‘trees,’ LXX yeveal, Vulg. fortes. EV tr. (Ezk 31") ‘height,’ AVm ‘upon them- selves,’ LXX ὕψος, Vulg. sublimitas. 2. npx ’éldh, EV tr. (Gn 354 LXX τερέβινθος, Vulg. terebinthus ; Je 64-19 LXX τερέμινθος, Vulg. reus; 2 § 18%1-14 LXX δρῦς, Vulg. quercus ; K 134% LXX δρῦς, Vulg. terebinthus ae 1° LXX τερέβινθος, Vulg. quercus; Ezk 6 LXX omitted, Vulg. quercus) ‘oak,’ RVm ‘terebinth. EV transliterate (1S 172 LXX om.; ν.}" δρῦς, Vulg. tere- binthus; 21° LXX Ἡλᾶ, Vulg.

terebinthus) ‘ Elah,’ RVm in both ‘the terebinth.’ AV tr. (Is 6%) ‘teil tree,’ RV ‘terebinth, LXX τερέβινθος, Vulg. terebinthus. AV tr. (Hos 4:3) ‘elms’ (see ELM), RV ‘terebinths,’ LXX δένδρον cvexidtor, Vulg. tere- binthus. 8. bx ’élén, AV tr. (Gn 12° LXX δρῦς, Vulg. con- vallis; 1318 LXX δρῦς, Vulg. vallis; Dt 11% LXX δρῦς, Vulg. vallis; Jg 4 LXX δρῦς, Vulg. vallis; 9° LXX βάλανος, Vulg. guercus; 1S 105 LXX δρῦς, Vulg. quercus) ‘ Bet, or ‘plains,’ RV ‘oak’ or ‘oaks,’ m.

‘terebinth’ or ‘terebinths.’ AV (Jos 1933) transliterates Allon (many edd. read }\>y), RV ‘oak,’ m. ‘terebinth,’ B Μωλά, A Md, Vulg. Llon. Thus it will be seen that the weight of the two Eng. versions for the first two words is ‘oak,’ and AV for the last ‘plain,’ RV (certainly correctly) ‘oak,’ m. ‘terebinth.’ The great diversity in the LXX and Vulg. in1is partly due to the resemblance between the word for ‘oak’ and that for ‘ god.

’ The other two words tr4 ‘oak’ are in appearance derived from an unknown root οὔκ, though they differ from 2 and 3 only in punctuation. ey are 4. aby ’allah (Jos 24"), EV ‘oak,’ LXX τερέμινθος Vulg. quercus. 8. Pox ’allén. This is always tré ‘oak’ in both Eng. versions. LXX give βάλανος, δρῦς, Vulg. quercus. The Arab. affords no clue to the meaning of any of the above terms, as there is no derivative from the cognate roots which refers toatree. Itis thought by many (e.g. Dillm., Del., ef.

RVm) that 4, 2, and 3 denote the terebinth and 4 and 8 the oak (Hos 4", Is 6" show that dx and piby are distinct). See, further, articles TEREBINTH, TORPENTINE, and Dillmann’s note on Gn 12°, There are nine species of oak in Pal. and Syria. (1) Q. Sessiliflora, Sm., a tall tree of subalpine Lebanon, with deciduous, sinuate-pinnate-lobed leaves. (2) Q. Lusitanica, Lam. (Arab. mel/iél and ballit), a large tree, with deciduous, elliptical to oblong and SiR lAsiseclages dentate or crenate leaves.

It grows abundantly from the coast to the middle mountain regions. It bears numerous sorts of galls. (3) Q. Ilex, L., alow tree of the Syrian coast. (4) Q. Coccifera, L., the holm oak, Arab. sindidn, the largest of the oaks of Palestine. It has a flattened gl »bular, very dense comus, often 40-50 0 ft. in diameter, and 25-35 ft. high. It has ever green, ovate to oblong, spiny toothed or entire, glossy leaves, usually not over 1-2in. long.

It is generally planted near Moslem, Druze, and Muta- wily welys. A specimen of this tree, with very straggling branches, is the famous Abraham’s Oak, a tree, however, which is not more than 300-400 years old. (See HoLM TREE). (5) Q. Cerris, L. (Arab. ballit or likk). This has an oblong comus, often 50-60 ft. high, with deciduous, oblong, more or less pinnate-lobed leaves. It grows very luxuri- antly in the mountainous to subalpine regions, esp. in Cassius and Amanus. (6) Q. Ehrenbergii, Ky.

, is a medium-sized tree, with deciduous, ovate, pinnatisect or parted leaves. It is found only in the middle zone of Lebanon and Antilebanon. (7) Q. Aegilops, L., the Valonia oak (Arab. mellil), has a rounded comus, and deciduous, ovate to oblong, unequally coarse serrate leaves, often 2-3 in. long. The acorn is the largest belonging to any Syrian species, being often 1-2in. indiameter.

The cupule contains much tannin, hence it is ex- tensively used in tanning, and is a standard article of commerce. This tree flourishes in the lower and middle mountain zones. (8) Q. Look, Ky. (Arab. likk), is a medium-sized tree or fs ν with deciduous, oblong, wavy, crenate-dentate leaves. It grows in forests in Lebanon and Anti- lebanon and Haurdn. (9) Q. Libani, Oliv., is a low tree or shrub, with lanceolate, glossy, coarsely dentate leaves.

It grows in the middle zones of Lebanon, Cassius, Amanus, and northward. It will thus be seen that the several species of oak are among the most widely disseminated trees of Syria and Palestine. The mountains of Haurdn (Bashan, Is 2, Ezk 275, Zec 11*) have many oak trees still, mostly Q. Coccifera, Q. Aigilops, and Q. Lusitanica. Oak trees were planted by tombs (Gn 358). Few objects in Pal.

or Syria are more striking than the immense oak trees, solitary or grou ed near the wee: Oak trees were places of sacrifice (Hos 4). From oak timber idols were made (Is 44'4), The wood of the oak has always been used for fuel, for roofing of houses, and for shipbuilding (Ezk 27°). G. E. Post.