Willow tree (Hastings' Dictionary)

Botu these Heb. words appear to be used for the willow, although some consider the latter to be the poplar (see Oxf. Heb. Lex. and authorities cited s.v.) The former is the cognate of the Arab, ^"fs&f, which is generic for willow. The latter is the cognate of the Arab. (jhnrab, which signilies a willow, more particularly the weeping willow, SaVix Babylonica, L.

/fajjii- zOphfih occurs but once (Ezk 17'), in a poetical rhapsodj' concerning the transplanting of a cedar top, contrary to its nature, apparently to the waterside, where a plant from the seed of the land is set out aa a willow, and spreads as a vine. Arubiiii occurs in live places. In all of them the fact that willow trees grow by the watercourses i.s alluded to. 'Willows of tlie wftdy ' (Lv 23") were taken for booths during the Feast of Taber- nacles.

The lair of Behemoth was among the ' willows of the wady ' (.lub 4(1-"). ' By the rivers of Babylon . . upon the willows . . we hanged our harps' (Pa 137-). Moab carried 'riches . . to the wudy of the willows' (Is 15' AVm 'valleys of the Arabians '). Israel is to ' spring up among the grass as willows by the watercourses' (Is 44'). Kiglit species of willow grow in the Holy Land — Satix bri/aaf, Forsk., .S'. /nirjilis, L., the brittle willow, i'. alba, L., tlie white willow, .V.

Baby- lunka, L., the weeping willow, S. trinndra, L., S. Caprcea, L., the Caprcean willow, S. pedicel- lata, De.sf., the stalked willow, and S. nigri rans, Fres., the blackish willow (Arab, bdn) The first four are far more abundant than the latter. One of the peaks of Jebel Mflsa, in Sinai, is called Rdi es-Snffiifeh, from some willow trees at its base. No allusion is made in Scriiiture u the economic uses of the willow. Its branches are much used at the present day for ba-sket-work.

Willows are planted or "row spontaneously by all watercourses, and are characteristic trees of the landscape. The 'wady of the willows' (Is 15'), LXX cj>af>a.yya 'Apa^as, Vulg. torrcns salioim, is probably a wady at one of the boundaries of Moab, with willows by its watercourses. If it be the southern boundary, it may be the same as Srj njTi'n 'the wadj' of the'Arabah (or of the Willow),' which was the southern border in the days oi Amos (6"), about 70 j-ears earlier.

What tliie was is uncertain. Wady Kerak, a part of this valley, is said by Irby to be called IVddi/ es- 5(7/V4/"= Valley of the Willow. G. E. Post. ' WIMPLES is AV tr. in Is S^^ (only) of mn??p (RV •shawls'). See art. DliESS, vol. i. p. 627", and Mantle, vol. iii. p. 24U^ The word 'winijile' means a covering for the neck (.-Vnglo Sax. «-(7i/;ii;/. Old High Ger. wimpal). Skeat guesses ' a cover- ing from the wind, taking An^lo-Sax. win-pel as from ' wind ' and pell (Lat. pallium) a covering.