Pine Tree

Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary

The pine appears in our translation three times,  Nehemiah 8:15;  Isaiah 41:19;  Isaiah 60:13 .  Nehemiah 8:15 , giving directions for observing the feast of tabernacles, says, "Fetch olive branches, pine branches, myrtle branches, and branches of thick trees, to make booths." The Hebrew phrase עצ שמן , means literally branches of oily or gummy plants. The LXX say cypress. Scheuchzer says the Turks call the cypress zemin. The author of "Scripture Illustrated" says," I should prefer the whole species called jasmin, on account of its verdure, its fragrance, and its flowers, which are highly esteemed. The word jasmin and jasemin of the Turks, resembles strongly the shemen of the Hebrew original here. The Persians also name this plant semen and simsyk." The authority, however, of the Septuagint must prevail. In   Isaiah 41:19;  Isaiah 60:13 , the Hebrew word is תדהר ; a tree, says Parkhurst, so called from the springiness or elasticity of its wood. Luther thought it the elm, which is a lofty and spreading tree; and Dr. Stock renders it the ash. After all, it may be thought advisable to retain the pine. La Roche, describing a valley near to Mount Lebanon, has this observation: "La continuelle verdure des pins et des chenes verds fait toujours sa beaute." [The perpetual verdure of the pines and the live oaks makes it ever beautiful.]

Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible

Pine Tree . 1 . ‘çts-shemen ,   Nehemiah 8:15 , see Oil Tree. 2 . tidhâr .   Isaiah 41:19 [RVm [Note: Revised Version margin.] ‘plane’] 60:13. From similarity to the Syr. daddâr (‘elm’), the tidhâr has been supposed to be the elm, but quite as probably may have been a kind of pine; of these the two common varieties known in Syria are the Aleppo or maritime ( Pinus halepensis ), and the stone ( P. pinea ) with its umbrella-like top.

E. W. G. Masterman.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

Pine Tree.

1. (Hebrew, tidhar .)  Isaiah 41:19;  Isaiah 60:13. What tree is intended is not certain: but the rendering "pine," seems least probable of any.

2. (Hebrew, Shemen ,)  Nehemiah 8:16, is probably the wild olive.

Morrish Bible Dictionary

1. tidhar. A tree that grew on Mount Lebanon, but of what sort is uncertain.  Isaiah 41:19;  Isaiah 60:13 .

2. ets shemen , 'trees of oil,'  Nehemiah 8:15 . See OIL TREE.

Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary

This tree is spoken of in Scripture by the Lord himself, as one of the trees which the Lord would take to beautify his sanctuary, ( Isaiah 60:13) No doubt, it is figuratively spoken in allusion to believers. See Cedar Tree

Easton's Bible Dictionary

 Isaiah 41:19 60:13 Nehemiah 8:15Fir

Holman Bible Dictionary

Plants In The Bible

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

pı̄n trē  : (1) שׁמן עץ , ‛ēc shemen , translated the Revised Version (British and American) "wild olive," the King James Version "pine" (  Nehemiah 8:15 ); the Revised Version (British and American) "oil-tree," m "oleaster" ( Isaiah 41:19 ); "olive-wood" ( 1 Kings 6:23 ,  1 Kings 6:31-33 ). See Oil Tree . (2) תּדהר , tidhhār ( Isaiah 41:19 , margin "plane";  Isaiah 60:13 ); πεύκη , peúke , "fir." Lagarde, from similarity of tidhhār to the Syriac deddar, usually the "elm," considers this the best translation. Symmachus also translated tidhhār ( Isaiah 41:19 ) by πτελέα , pteléa , the "elm." The elm, Ulmus campestris , is rare in Palestine and the Lebanon, though it is found today N. of Aleppo. Post ( HDB , III, 592-93) considers that (1) should be translated as "pine," which he describes as a "fat wood tree"; it is perhaps as probably a correct translation for (2), but great uncertainty remains. Two species of pine are plentiful in the Lebanon and flourish in most parts of Palestine when given a chance. These are the stone pine, Pinus pinea , and the Aleppo pine, Pinus halepensis  ; all the highlands looking toward the sea are suited to their growth.