Lexical Summary tomer: Palm tree, palm branch Original Word: תֹּמֶר Strong's Exhaustive Concordance palm tree From the same root as tamar; a palm trunk -- palm tree. see HEBREW tamar NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom an unused word Definition palm tree, post NASB Translation palm tree (1), scarecrow (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs תֹּ֫מֶר noun masculine palm-tree, post; — construct דְּבוֺרָה ׳ת Judges 4:5 palm-tree of Deborah; מִקְשָׁה ׳כְּת Jeremiah 10:5 like a post (i.e. a scare-crow; compare Baruch 6:70) in a cucumber field (simile of idol). Topical Lexicon Physical and Agricultural ContextThe word refers to the stately date-palm, a familiar sight throughout the land of Israel. Rising thirty feet or more on a single, straight shaft before spreading its fronds, the palm conveyed stability, fertility and refreshing shade amid arid landscapes. Its wood, fronds, fruit and sap provided food, shelter and economic value for desert nomads and settled farmers alike, making the tree an emblem of blessing. Biblical Occurrences The form appears twice in the Old Testament: Judges 4:5 and Jeremiah 10:5. While limited in frequency, these two verses span very different literary settings—historical narrative and prophetic satire—allowing the palm’s imagery to function both positively and negatively. Symbolic Meaning in Israelite Thought Even outside the specific form of this word, Scripture frequently employs the palm to picture: • Uprightness and flourishing (Psalm 92:12). Against this backdrop, each occurrence of תֹּמֶר adds an additional nuance: leadership that blesses God’s people (Judges 4) and empty religiosity that cannot save (Jeremiah 10). Usage in Judges 4:5 — The Palm of Deborah “She would sit under the Palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and the Israelites came to her for judgment.” (Judges 4:5) Deborah’s “Palm” became both a geographic marker and a spiritual monument. Sitting beneath a palm rather than within a walled hall underscored her accessibility, impartiality and reliance on divine rather than political authority. The location between Ramah (height) and Bethel (house of God) further links justice with worship. Under its shade, Israel experienced righteous rule that foreshadowed later aspirations for kings who would “fear God” and “do justice” (2 Samuel 23:3). Usage in Jeremiah 10:5 — A Polemic Against Idolatry “Like scarecrows in a cucumber field, their idols cannot speak. They must be carried because they cannot walk.” (Jeremiah 10:5a) Older English versions rendered the term “upright as the palm tree,” but the follows the contextual sense of wooden objects placed for display—here, lifeless idols. The straight, stiff trunk of the palm becomes a picture of impotence: impressive stature masking utter inactivity. Where Deborah’s palm symbolized the living word of God delivered through a prophetess, Jeremiah’s palm-pole caricatures gods who “cannot do harm nor any good” (Jeremiah 10:5b). The same natural image thus exposes the dramatic contrast between Yahweh’s living authority and human-crafted substitutes. Broader Theological Connections 1. Creation vs. idols: Wood that should remind humanity of the Creator (Psalm 19:1) is here degraded into powerless idols (Jeremiah 10:3-5). Lessons for Faith and Ministry • Spiritual authority thrives in humble, open settings where the Word is central, just as Deborah judged in the open air beneath the palm. Forms and Transliterations כְּתֹ֨מֶר כתמר תֹּ֜מֶר תמר kə·ṯō·mer keTomer kəṯōmer tō·mer Tomer tōmerLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Judges 4:5 HEB: יוֹשֶׁ֨בֶת תַּֽחַת־ תֹּ֜מֶר דְּבוֹרָ֗ה בֵּ֧ין NAS: under the palm tree of Deborah KJV: And she dwelt under the palm tree of Deborah INT: to sit under the palm of Deborah between Jeremiah 10:5 2 Occurrences |
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