Lexical Summary tirzah: Tirzah Original Word: תִּרְזָה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance cypress Probably from razah; a species of tree (apparently from its slenderness), perhaps the cypress -- cypress. see HEBREW razah NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originof uncertain derivation Definition (a tree) perhaps cypress NASB Translation cypress (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs תִּרְוָה noun feminine a tree, AV cypress, RV holm-tree, but very dubious: TrNHB 338 PostHast. DB CYPRESS; ᵑ9 ilex, and so M'LeanEncy. Bib. CYPRESS; — absolute ׳ת Isaiah 44:14 (+ אַלּוֺן, "" אֲרָזים). Topical Lexicon Botanical identity and habitat תִּרְזָה appears to denote an evergreen of hard, durable wood that flourishes in the well-watered highlands of the Levant. Modern proposals range from the holm oak (Quercus ilex) through the Aleppo pine (Pinus halepensis) to a Mediterranean cypress (Cupressus sempervirens). All three species share features consistent with the prophetic context: ready availability in the forests of Lebanon and Bashan, height sufficient for impressive beams or carved idols, and timber that weathers well in the dry climate of Judah and Israel. Occurrence in Scripture The word is found once, in Isaiah 44:14. Set amid a satire on idolatry (Isaiah 44:9-20), it stands in a list of trees the craftsman might select for fashioning an image: “He cuts down cedars, or he chooses a cypress or oak. He lets it grow strong among the trees of the forest. He plants a fir, and the rain nourishes it.” (Isaiah 44:14) Historical and economic background 1. Construction and joinery. Evergreen oaks, pines, and cypresses were prized for beams, paneling, and shipbuilding (compare 1 Kings 5:6; Ezekiel 27:5). Their straight trunks and resinous composition resisted decay and insects. Prophetic significance in Isaiah 44 Isaiah contrasts the grandeur of the Creator with the absurdity of worshiping created matter. The growth cycle of the תִּרְזָה—from seedling to towering tree—is entirely dependent on the providence of God (“the rain nourishes it”), yet the idol-maker arrogates to himself the right to turn God’s gift into a false god. The word therefore serves the prophet’s larger polemic: the futility of trusting in anything fashioned by human hands when the living LORD alone “forms light and creates darkness” (Isaiah 45:7). Symbolic resonances • Permanence versus perishability: the evergreen hints at endurance, yet once carved into an idol it becomes fuel for the fire (Isaiah 44:15-16). Ministry applications 1. Stewardship of creation. Isaiah’s mention of planting, cultivating, and harvesting trees encourages responsible use of natural resources while recognizing God as their ultimate Owner. Summary Though תִּרְזָה surfaces only once, it anchors Isaiah’s rebuke of idolatry in the tangible world of forestry and craftsmanship. The verse calls God’s people to recognize His sovereign provision, reject the worship of the work of their own hands, and devote every natural gift to His glory. Forms and Transliterations תִּרְזָה֙ תרזה tir·zāh tirZah tirzāhLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Isaiah 44:14 HEB: אֲרָזִ֔ים וַיִּקַּ֤ח תִּרְזָה֙ וְאַלּ֔וֹן וַיְאַמֶּץ־ NAS: for himself, and takes a cypress or an oak KJV: and taketh the cypress and the oak, INT: cedars and takes A cypress an oak and raises 1 Occurrence |
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