730. erez
Lexical Summary
erez: Cedar

Original Word: אֶרֶז
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: erez
Pronunciation: EH-rez
Phonetic Spelling: (eh-rez')
KJV: cedar (tree)
NASB: cedar, cedars
Word Origin: [from H729 (אָרַז - To gather)]

1. a cedar tree (from the tenacity of its roots)

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
cedar tree

From 'araz; a cedar tree (from the tenacity of its roots) -- cedar (tree).

see HEBREW 'araz

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
from an unused word (729)
Definition
a cedar
NASB Translation
cedar (48), cedars (25).

Brown-Driver-Briggs
אֶ֫רֶז noun masculineEzekiel 17:23 cedar; — feminine Ezekiel 17:22 הָרָמָה ׳א, but strike out הרמה ᵐ5 Co; — (Arabic pine-tree, etc.; Ethiopic Syriac ) — ׳א absolute Leviticus 14:4 19t., אָ֑רֶז Job 40:17 6t.; plural אֲרָזִיס Isaiah 9:9 35t.; construct אַרְזֵי Isaiah 2:13 5t.; suffix אֲרָזֶיךָ Jeremiah 22:17; Zechariah 11:1; אֲרָזָיו Isaiah 37:24 = 2 Kings 19:23; —

1 cedar-tree, (a) as growing Numbers 24:6; Psalm 148:9; Isaiah 41:19; Isaiah 44:14 compare Ezekiel 31:8; especially as growing on Lebanon 1 Kings 5:13; 2 Kings 14:9 2Chronicles 25:18 (both in fable of Jehoash); often אַרְזֵי (הַ) לְּבָנוֺן Judges 9:15; Isaiah 2:13; Isaiah 14:8; Psalm 29:5 (twice in verse) (figurative) Psalm 104:16, compare 1 Kings 5:20; 2 Kings 19:23 = Isaiah 37:24; Psalm 92:13; Songs 5:15; Ezekiel 27:5 (singular collective) Zechariah 11:1,2(figurative); Songs 1:17; Ezra 3:7; Jeremiah 22:23 (figurative) Ezekiel 17:3 (figurative); (b) especially in simile, of outward power, stateliness & majesty Psalm 80:11 (אֵל ׳א) compare Ezekiel 31:3 (personified, but see Co on text), Amos 2:9; of individuals Jeremiah 22:7; Psalm 92:13; Ezekiel 17:22,23; compare other examples of figurative use, above; simile of straightness & strength Job 40:17 (tail of hippopotamus).

2 cedar-timber, cedar-wood for building, עֲצֵי אֲרָזִים 1 Samuel 5:11; 1 Kings 5:22; 1 Kings 5:24; 1 Kings 6:10; 1 Kings 9:11; 1 Chronicles 14:1; 1 Chronicles 22:4 (twice in verse); 2Chron 2:7; Ezra 3:7; without עֵץ 2 Samuel 7:2,7; 1 Kings 6:9,15,16,18 (twice in verse); 1 Kings 6:20,36; 1 Kings 7:2 (twice in verse); 1 Kings 7:3,7,11,12; 1 Kings 10:27; 1 Chronicles 17:1; 1 Chronicles 17:6; 2Chron 1:15; 2 Chronicles 2:3; 2 Chronicles 9:27 & Songs 8:9; Isaiah 9:9; Jeremiah 22:14,15 (compare also Isaiah 44:14; 1 Kings 5:20; Ezekiel 27:5; Ezra 3:7 above)

3 cedar-wood used in purifications, with עֵץ Leviticus 14:4,6,49,51,52; Numbers 19:6 (all P).

Topical Lexicon
Entry 730 – Cedar (אֶרֶז, ’erez)

Botanical and Geographic Profile

A tall, fragrant conifer native to the high ridges of Lebanon, Hermon, and the Amanus range, the cedar was famed in the ancient Near East for its straight trunk, resistance to decay, and abundant resin. Israel did not possess large cedar forests; therefore kings and builders looked north to Lebanon and hired Phoenician lumbermen for felling and transport (1 Kings 5:6; Ezra 3:7). The image of mountains crowned with cedars became a poetic shorthand for the glory of creation (Psalm 104:16).

Architectural and Artistic Use

Cedar supplied the framework, paneling, and décor of Israel’s most important buildings.
• Solomon’s Temple: “So Solomon built the temple and finished it, roofing it with beams and planks of cedar” (1 Kings 6:9). Inside walls, floors, and altar were sheathed in carved cedar (1 Kings 6:15–18, 20).
• Royal Palaces: David’s house (2 Samuel 5:11), Solomon’s “House of the Forest of Lebanon” (1 Kings 7:2), and Ahab’s palace (1 Kings 22:39) all featured cedar throughout. Jeremiah rebukes Jehoiakim for coveting “a house paneled in cedar” while exploiting his people (Jeremiah 22:14–15).
• Post-exilic Temple: Cedars of Lebanon again supplied beams for the second temple (Ezra 3:7).

The material thus became inseparably linked to worship, covenant, and national identity.

Cultic and Ceremonial Use

Cedar figures in two purification rites that foreshadow Christ’s atoning work.
• Leprous cleansing (Leviticus 14:4–6): a piece of cedar, hyssop, scarlet yarn, and the blood of a bird released over living water declare the cleansed person accepted back into the community.
• Red heifer sacrifice (Numbers 19:6): cedar wood, hyssop, and scarlet wool burned with the heifer produce ashes for the water of purification used to remove defilement from death.

Both rituals unite cedar’s enduring, incorruptible character with the promise of life restored through substitutionary blood.

Symbolic Themes

Majesty and Strength

The cedar’s stature makes it a ready emblem of royal greatness. “The righteous will flourish like a palm tree; he will grow like a cedar in Lebanon” (Psalm 92:12). Solomon’s encyclopedic knowledge “from the cedar in Lebanon to the hyssop that grows in the wall” (1 Kings 4:33) spans the created order, placing cedar at the summit.

Human Pride and Divine Judgment

Isaiah indicts arrogant nations and individuals who exalt themselves “against all the cedars of Lebanon—lofty and lifted up” (Isaiah 2:13). Assyrian kings boasted of felling cedars (2 Kings 19:23; Isaiah 37:24), yet Yahweh’s voice “breaks the cedars” (Psalm 29:5). The axe laid to cedars foretells the humbling of the proud.

Messianic and Eschatological Hope

Ezekiel 17:22–24 pictures the Lord transplanting a tender twig from a cedar’s top to become a “stately cedar” sheltering birds—anticipating the universal kingdom of the Messiah. Isaiah 60:13 foresees cedars adorning the future sanctuary: “The glory of Lebanon will come to you—the cypress, elm, and box tree together—to adorn the place of My sanctuary.” The same wood once used in the first temple will beautify the millennial house, testifying to covenant continuity.

Literary and Poetic Imagery

• Stability: “His body is polished ivory decorated with sapphires; his legs are pillars of marble set on bases of pure gold” (Song of Solomon 5:15) parallels the beloved’s strength with cedar beams (Song of Solomon 1:17).
• Fertility: cedars drip sap (Psalm 104:16), a sign of abundance.
• Contrast: from cedar’s heights to hyssop’s lowliness illustrate extremes (1 Kings 4:33), encouraging humility.

Historical Notes

Hiram of Tyre’s cedars floated as rafts to Joppa (2 Chronicles 2:16). Tiglath-Pileser, Sennacherib, and Nebuchadnezzar listed cedar-cutting campaigns on inscriptions, confirming Biblical references to imperial lumbering. Modern cores from surviving Lebanese cedars show age spans matching Biblical eras, underscoring Scripture’s historical reliability.

Everyday and Medicinal Uses

Cedar oil served as a preservative and fragrance; shavings repelled insects from scrolls and garments. Its imperviousness to rot typified permanence, explaining why cedar coffins and tablets survived millennia in the dry climate of Egypt and Mesopotamia.

Theological Reflections

Cedar’s prominence in the temple anticipates the Person it signifies. The incorruptible wood overlaid with gold typifies the sinless humanity and divine glory of Christ. The house “built of cedar inside” (1 Kings 6:18) foreshadows the Church indwelt by the Spirit, “built together into a dwelling place for God” (Ephesians 2:22). As the righteous grow “like a cedar,” the believer’s steadfastness derives from union with the true Temple and true Cedar, Jesus Christ.

Representative References

Numbers 19:6; Leviticus 14:4–6, 49; 2 Samuel 5:11; 1 Kings 4:33; 1 Kings 5:6–10; 1 Kings 6:9–20; 1 Kings 7:2; 1 Kings 10:27; 2 Kings 19:23; 1 Chronicles 17:1; 2 Chronicles 2:8–16; Ezra 3:7; Nehemiah 8:15; Psalm 29:5; Psalm 92:12; Psalm 104:16; Isaiah 2:13; Isaiah 14:8; Isaiah 37:24; Isaiah 60:13; Jeremiah 22:14–23; Ezekiel 17:22–24; Ezekiel 31:3; Hosea 14:5–6; Amos 2:9; Zechariah 11:1.

Forms and Transliterations
אֲרָזִ֑ים אֲרָזִ֔ים אֲרָזִ֖ים אֲרָזִ֛ים אֲרָזִ֜ים אֲרָזִ֣ים אֲרָזִ֤ים אֲרָזִ֨ים אֲרָזִֽים׃ אֲרָזִים֙ אֲרָזֶ֔יךָ אֲרָזָיו֙ אֶ֔רֶז אֶ֛רֶז אֶ֣רֶז אֶ֤רֶז אַֽרְזֵ֥י אַֽרְזֵי־ אַרְזֵ֣י אַרְזֵ֥י אָ֑רֶז אָֽרֶז׃ ארז ארז׃ ארזי ארזי־ ארזיו ארזיך ארזים ארזים׃ בַּאֲרָזֶֽיךָ׃ בָּֽאֲרָזִ֑ים בָּאֶ֔רֶז בָּאֶ֗רֶז בָּאָ֔רֶז בָאָ֑רֶז בארז בארזיך׃ בארזים הָ֠אֶרֶז הָאֲרָזִ֗ים הָאֶ֙רֶז֙ הָאֶ֛רֶז הָאֶ֜רֶז הָאָֽרֶז׃ הארז הארז׃ הארזים וְאֶ֤רֶז וַאֲרָזִ֖ים וָאָֽרֶז׃ וארז וארז׃ וארזים כְּאֶ֖רֶז כַּאֲרָזִ֖ים כָּאֲרָזִֽים׃ כארז כארזים כארזים׃ לְאֶ֣רֶז לארז ’ă·rā·zāw ’ă·rā·ze·ḵā ’ă·rā·zîm ’ā·rez ’ar·zê ’ar·zê- ’ărāzāw ’ărāzeḵā ’ărāzîm ’ārez ’arzê ’arzê- ’e·rez ’erez araZav araZeicha araZim Arez arZei ba’ărāzeḵā bā’ărāzîm bā’ārez ḇā’ārez bā’erez ba·’ă·rā·ze·ḵā bā·’ă·rā·zîm bā·’ā·rez ḇā·’ā·rez bā·’e·rez baaraZeicha baaraZim baArez baErez Erez hā’ărāzîm hā’ārez hā’erez hā·’ă·rā·zîm hā·’ā·rez hā·’e·rez haaraZim haArez haErez ka’ărāzîm kā’ărāzîm ka·’ă·rā·zîm kā·’ă·rā·zîm kaaraZim kə’erez kə·’e·rez keErez lə’erez lə·’e·rez leErez vaaraZim vaArez veErez wa’ărāzîm wā’ārez wa·’ă·rā·zîm wā·’ā·rez wə’erez wə·’e·rez
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Englishman's Concordance
Leviticus 14:4
HEB: טְהֹר֑וֹת וְעֵ֣ץ אֶ֔רֶז וּשְׁנִ֥י תוֹלַ֖עַת
NAS: birds and cedar wood
KJV: [and] clean, and cedar wood,
INT: clean wood and cedar scarlet oppressor

Leviticus 14:6
HEB: וְאֶת־ עֵ֥ץ הָאֶ֛רֶז וְאֶת־ שְׁנִ֥י
NAS: he shall take it together with the cedar wood
KJV: he shall take it, and the cedar wood,
INT: shall take wood the cedar and the scarlet oppressor

Leviticus 14:49
HEB: צִפֳּרִ֑ים וְעֵ֣ץ אֶ֔רֶז וּשְׁנִ֥י תוֹלַ֖עַת
NAS: two birds and cedar wood and a scarlet
KJV: birds, and cedar wood,
INT: birds wood and cedar scarlet oppressor

Leviticus 14:51
HEB: אֶת־ עֵֽץ־ הָ֠אֶרֶז וְאֶת־ הָ֨אֵזֹ֜ב
NAS: Then he shall take the cedar wood
KJV: And he shall take the cedar wood,
INT: shall take wood the cedar and the hyssop and the scarlet

Leviticus 14:52
HEB: הַחַיָּ֗ה וּבְעֵ֥ץ הָאֶ֛רֶז וּבָאֵזֹ֖ב וּבִשְׁנִ֥י
NAS: bird and with the cedar wood
KJV: bird, and with the cedar wood,
INT: the live wood the cedar the hyssop the scarlet

Numbers 19:6
HEB: הַכֹּהֵ֗ן עֵ֥ץ אֶ֛רֶז וְאֵז֖וֹב וּשְׁנִ֣י
NAS: shall take cedar wood
KJV: shall take cedar wood,
INT: the priest wood cedar and hyssop and scarlet

Numbers 24:6
HEB: נָטַ֣ע יְהוָ֔ה כַּאֲרָזִ֖ים עֲלֵי־ מָֽיִם׃
NAS: by the LORD, Like cedars beside
KJV: hath planted, [and] as cedar trees beside the waters.
INT: planted the LORD cedars beside the waters

Judges 9:15
HEB: וְתֹאכַ֖ל אֶת־ אַרְזֵ֥י הַלְּבָנֽוֹן׃
NAS: and consume the cedars of Lebanon.'
KJV: and devour the cedars of Lebanon.
INT: the bramble and consume the cedars of Lebanon

2 Samuel 5:11
HEB: דָּוִד֒ וַעֲצֵ֣י אֲרָזִ֔ים וְחָרָשֵׁ֣י עֵ֔ץ
NAS: to David with cedar trees
KJV: to David, and cedar trees,
INT: David trees cedar and carpenters trees

2 Samuel 7:2
HEB: יוֹשֵׁ֖ב בְּבֵ֣ית אֲרָזִ֑ים וַֽאֲרוֹן֙ הָֽאֱלֹהִ֔ים
NAS: in a house of cedar, but the ark
KJV: in an house of cedar, but the ark
INT: dwell A house of cedar the ark of God

2 Samuel 7:7
HEB: לִ֖י בֵּ֥ית אֲרָזִֽים׃
NAS: Me a house of cedar?''
KJV: Why build ye not me an house of cedar?
INT: built A house cedar

1 Kings 4:33
HEB: הָֽעֵצִים֒ מִן־ הָאֶ֙רֶז֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בַּלְּבָנ֔וֹן
NAS: of trees, from the cedar that is in Lebanon
KJV: of trees, from the cedar tree that [is] in Lebanon
INT: trees from the cedar is in Lebanon

1 Kings 5:6
HEB: וְיִכְרְתוּ־ לִ֨י אֲרָזִ֜ים מִן־ הַלְּבָנ֗וֹן
NAS: that they cut for me cedars from Lebanon,
KJV: thou that they hew me cedar trees out of Lebanon;
INT: command cut cedars from Lebanon

1 Kings 5:8
HEB: חֶפְצְךָ֔ בַּעֲצֵ֥י אֲרָזִ֖ים וּבַעֲצֵ֥י בְרוֹשִֽׁים׃
NAS: what you desire concerning the cedar and cypress
KJV: concerning timber of cedar, and concerning timber
INT: what timber the cedar timber and cypress

1 Kings 5:10
HEB: לִשְׁלֹמֹ֗ה עֲצֵ֧י אֲרָזִ֛ים וַעֲצֵ֥י בְרוֹשִׁ֖ים
NAS: as he desired of the cedar and cypress
KJV: gave Solomon cedar trees and fir
INT: Solomon timber of the cedar timber and cypress

1 Kings 6:10
HEB: הַבַּ֖יִת בַּעֲצֵ֥י אֲרָזִֽים׃ פ
NAS: to the house with timbers of cedar.
KJV: on the house [with] timber of cedar.
INT: to the house timbers of cedar

1 Kings 6:15
HEB: מִבַּ֙יְתָה֙ בְּצַלְע֣וֹת אֲרָזִ֔ים מִקַּרְקַ֤ע הַבַּ֙יִת֙
NAS: with boards of cedar; from the floor
KJV: with boards of cedar, both the floor
INT: of the house boards of cedar the floor of the house

1 Kings 6:16
HEB: הַבַּ֙יִת֙ בְּצַלְע֣וֹת אֲרָזִ֔ים מִן־ הַקַּרְקַ֖ע
NAS: with boards of cedar from the floor
KJV: with boards of cedar: he even built
INT: of the house boards of cedar both the floor

1 Kings 6:18
HEB: וְאֶ֤רֶז אֶל־ הַבַּ֙יִת֙
NAS: There was cedar on the house within,
KJV: And the cedar of the house within
INT: cedar on the house

1 Kings 6:18
HEB: צִצִּ֑ים הַכֹּ֣ל אֶ֔רֶז אֵ֥ין אֶ֖בֶן
NAS: all was cedar, there was no
KJV: flowers: all [was] cedar; there was no stone
INT: flowers all was cedar there stone

1 Kings 6:20
HEB: וַיְצַ֥ף מִזְבֵּ֖חַ אָֽרֶז׃
NAS: He also overlaid the altar with cedar.
KJV: the altar [which was of] cedar.
INT: overlaid the altar cedar

1 Kings 6:36
HEB: וְט֖וּר כְּרֻתֹ֥ת אֲרָזִֽים׃
NAS: of cut stone and a row of cedar beams.
KJV: and a row of cedar beams.
INT: row beams of cedar

1 Kings 7:2
HEB: טוּרֵי֙ עַמּוּדֵ֣י אֲרָזִ֔ים וּכְרֻת֥וֹת אֲרָזִ֖ים
NAS: rows of cedar pillars
KJV: rows of cedar pillars,
INT: rows pillars of cedar beams cedar

1 Kings 7:2
HEB: אֲרָזִ֔ים וּכְרֻת֥וֹת אֲרָזִ֖ים עַל־ הָעַמּוּדִֽים׃
NAS: pillars with cedar beams
KJV: pillars, with cedar beams
INT: of cedar beams cedar on the pillars

1 Kings 7:3
HEB: וְסָפֻ֣ן בָּאֶ֗רֶז מִמַּ֙עַל֙ עַל־
NAS: It was paneled with cedar above
KJV: And [it was] covered with cedar above
INT: and covered cedar above upon

70 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 730
70 Occurrences


’ă·rā·zāw — 2 Occ.
’ă·rā·ze·ḵā — 1 Occ.
’ă·rā·zîm — 26 Occ.
’ā·rez — 3 Occ.
’ar·zê — 6 Occ.
ba·’ă·rā·ze·ḵā — 1 Occ.
bā·’ă·rā·zîm — 1 Occ.
bā·’ā·rez — 1 Occ.
bā·’e·rez — 2 Occ.
’e·rez — 8 Occ.
hā·’ă·rā·zîm — 3 Occ.
hā·’ā·rez — 1 Occ.
hā·’e·rez — 7 Occ.
ka·’ă·rā·zîm — 2 Occ.
kə·’e·rez — 1 Occ.
lə·’e·rez — 1 Occ.
wa·’ă·rā·zîm — 1 Occ.
wā·’ā·rez — 2 Occ.
wə·’e·rez — 1 Occ.

729
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