Topical Encyclopedia The sycamore, also known as the sycamine, is a tree mentioned several times in the Bible, notable for its significance in the cultural and economic life of ancient Israel. The sycamore tree is often identified with the Ficus sycomorus, a type of fig tree that is native to the Middle East and parts of Africa. It is distinct from the sycamore trees found in North America and Europe.Biblical References: 1. 1 Kings 10:27 : "The king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar as abundant as sycamore-fig trees in the foothills." This passage highlights the abundance and commonality of sycamore trees during the reign of King Solomon, indicating their importance in the landscape and economy of Israel. 2. Amos 7:14 : "I was neither a prophet nor the son of a prophet, but I was a shepherd, and I also took care of sycamore-fig trees." The prophet Amos refers to his humble occupation, which included tending to sycamore-fig trees. This suggests that sycamore cultivation was a common and necessary occupation, providing sustenance and economic stability. 3. Luke 19:4 : "So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to see Jesus, who was about to pass that way." This account of Zacchaeus climbing a sycamore tree to see Jesus underscores the tree's physical characteristics, such as its sturdy branches and low height, making it suitable for climbing. 4. Isaiah 9:10 : "The bricks have fallen, but we will rebuild with dressed stone; the sycamores have been cut down, but we will replace them with cedars." Here, the sycamore is used metaphorically to represent resilience and the determination to rebuild, contrasting the common sycamore with the more prestigious cedar. Cultural and Economic Significance: The sycamore tree was valued for its wood and fruit. The wood was used in construction and for making furniture due to its durability and availability. The fruit, although less desirable than other figs, was a staple for the poorer population, providing a reliable food source. The process of cultivating sycamore figs involved piercing the fruit to encourage ripening, a task that required skill and labor. Symbolism and Spiritual Lessons: In biblical literature, the sycamore tree often symbolizes strength, resilience, and humility. Its presence in the account of Zacchaeus illustrates the theme of seeking and finding Jesus, regardless of social status or physical limitations. The sycamore's role in Amos's life emphasizes the value of humble service and the calling of individuals from all walks of life to fulfill God's purposes. The sycamore tree, through its various mentions in Scripture, serves as a reminder of God's provision and the interconnectedness of creation, economy, and spiritual life in the biblical narrative. ATS Bible Dictionary Sycamore or SycamineLuke 17:6, a curious tree, which seems to partake of the nature of both the mulberry and the fig, the former in its leaf, and the latter in its fruit. Hence its name in Greek, meaning the mulberryfig. The sycamore is thus described by Norden: "I shall remark that they have in Egypt divers sorts of figs; but if there is any difference between them, a particular kind differs still more. I mean that, which the sycamore bears, that they name in Arabic giomez. It was upon a tree of this sort that Zaccheus got up, to see our Savior pass through Jericho, Luke 19:4. This sycamore is of the height of a beech, and bears its fruit in a manner quite different from other trees. It has them on the trunk itself, which shoots out little sprigs in form of a grape-stalk, at the end of which grows the fruit, close to one another, much like bunches of grapes. The tree is always green, and bears fruit several times in the year, for I have seen some sycamores which had fruit has the figure and smell of real figs, but is inferior to them in the taste, having a disgustful sweetness. (Compare Am 7:17) Its color is a yellow, inclining to an ochre, shadowed by a flesh color; in the inside, it resembles the common fig, excepting that it has a blackish coloring, with yellow spots. This sort of tree is pretty common in Egypt. The people, for the greater part, live on its fruit." The sycamore has a very large trunk, which breaks up onto five or six stout branches not many feet above the ground; it is planted by the roadside, and often where two ways meet; and sends its enormous roots deeply into the ground in every direction, so that few trees can compare with it in steadfast firmness. The power that could say to it, "Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea," and it should obey, must be of God, Luke 17:6. From 1 Kings 10:27 1 Chronicles 27:28 2 Chronicles 1:15, it is evident that this tree was quite common it Palestine, as well as in Egypt; and from its being joined with the vines in Psalm 78:47, as well as from the circumstance of David's appointing a particular officer to superintend the plantations of them, it seems to have been as much valued in ancient as in modern times. From Isaiah 9:10, we find that the timber of the sycamore was used in the construction of buildings; and notwithstanding its porous and spongy appearance, it was of extreme durability. Describing the catacombs and mummies of Egypt, Dr. Shaw states that he found the mummy chests, and that little square boxes containing various figures, which are placed at the feet of each mummy, to be both made of sycamore and uncorrupted for at least three thousand years. Greek 4807. sukaminos -- the mulberry tree, the sycamine ... sycamine tree, mulberry tree. Of Hebrew origin (shaqam) in imitation of sukomoraia; a sycamore-fig tree -- sycamine tree. see GREEK sukomoraia. see HEBREW shaqam ... //strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4807.htm - 7k Library Ciii. Zacch??us. Parable of the Pounds. Journey to Jerusalem. Unprofitable Servants. Resources Who was Zacchaeus in the Bible? | GotQuestions.orgSycamore: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus |
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