Bible Word Study
עֵצָה
ʻêtsâh · timber
עֵצָה
timber
Definition
The Hebrew noun עֵצָה (ʻêtsâh) primarily means 'timber' or 'wood suitable for construction.' In its single biblical occurrence in Jeremiah 6:6, it refers to the wood used to build siege ramps against Jerusalem. This meaning is a direct extension from its root, עֵץ (ʻêts, H6086), meaning 'tree' or 'wood.' While this specific form is rare, the related masculine noun is common and can refer to trees, wood, or wooden objects throughout the Old Testament.
Biblical Usage
This specific feminine form of the word occurs only once in the Old Testament, in Jeremiah 6:6, where it is used in a military context for the 'timber' needed to construct siegeworks against Jerusalem. The more common masculine noun עֵץ (ʻêts) appears hundreds of times, used for trees (Genesis 1:11), wood as a material (Exodus 25:10 for the ark of the covenant), and wooden objects like idols (Isaiah 44:19).
Etymology
עֵצָה (ʻêtsâh) is the feminine form of the masculine noun עֵץ (ʻêts, H6086), which means 'tree,' 'wood,' or 'stick.' The root conveys the fundamental idea of firmness or strength, associated with trees. The feminine form here specifically denotes the material—'timber'—derived from trees. Cognate words exist in related Semitic languages like Aramaic and Ugaritic with similar meanings.
Semantic Range
In the ancient Near East, timber was a vital and often scarce resource for construction, fuel, and military engineering, especially in the more arid regions of Israel. The specific use in Jeremiah 6:6 highlights its strategic importance in warfare for building siege ramps and towers, a common practice of invading armies like the Babylonians. עֵץ (ʻêts, H6086) — The base masculine noun, a broader term for tree, wood, or a wooden object. עֵץ (ʻēṣ, H6086) — The same Strong's number, showing the common root. קוֹרָה (qôrâh, H6982) — A beam or rafter, a specific piece of timber used in building.
Word Details
How this works
Definitions are from the Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (BDB, 1906, public domain). Concordance and morphology data are from the OSHB (Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible).
Full methodology & sources →References
- Abbott-Smith, G. (1921) A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament. Edinburgh: T&T Clark. [Public Domain]
- Brown, F., Driver, S.R. and Briggs, C.A. (1906) A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament. Oxford: Clarendon Press. [Public Domain]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Tyndale Brief lexicon of Extended Strongs for Greek (TBESG). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Formatted full LSJ (TFLSJ). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Thayer, J.H. (1889) A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. [Public Domain]
- Gesenius, W. (1846) Gesenius' Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon to the Old Testament. [Public Domain]
- Dodson, J. (2010) Greek Lexicon. Biblical Humanities. [CC0]