Topical Bible: The Cedar: Fragrant

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Topical Encyclopedia

The cedar tree, known for its majestic stature and aromatic wood, holds significant symbolic and practical importance in the Bible. The Hebrew word for cedar, "erez," is frequently mentioned throughout the Scriptures, highlighting its prominence in the ancient Near East. The cedar's fragrance, durability, and beauty made it a valuable resource and a symbol of strength and nobility.

Biblical References and Symbolism

The cedar is often associated with strength and grandeur. In Psalm 92:12, the righteous are compared to the cedar: "The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, and grow like a cedar in Lebanon." This comparison underscores the cedar's towering presence and enduring nature, symbolizing the spiritual vitality and resilience of the faithful.

The cedars of Lebanon, in particular, are renowned in biblical literature. These trees were highly prized for their quality and were used in significant construction projects. King Solomon utilized cedar wood extensively in building the Temple in Jerusalem, as recorded in 1 Kings 5:6: "So give orders that cedars of Lebanon be cut for me. My servants will work with yours, and I will pay you for your servants according to whatever you say. You know that there is no one among us who knows how to cut timber like the Sidonians."

The fragrance of cedar is another notable characteristic. The wood's aromatic quality is mentioned in the context of Solomon's Temple, where it was used not only for its durability but also for its pleasing scent. The cedar's fragrance is emblematic of purity and divine presence, enhancing the sacred atmosphere of the Temple.

Cedar in Prophetic and Poetic Imagery

The prophets often used the cedar as a metaphor for pride and human arrogance. In Ezekiel 31:3, Assyria is likened to a cedar in Lebanon: "Consider Assyria, once a cedar in Lebanon, with beautiful branches overshadowing the forest; it towered on high, its top above the thick foliage." This imagery serves as a reminder of the transient nature of human power and the ultimate sovereignty of God.

In the Song of Solomon, the cedar is used poetically to describe beauty and desirability. Song of Solomon 5:15 describes the beloved: "His legs are pillars of marble set on bases of pure gold. His appearance is like Lebanon, as majestic as the cedars." Here, the cedar's majesty and fragrance are employed to convey the allure and splendor of the beloved.

Cedar in Worship and Sacrifice

The cedar also played a role in Israelite worship and sacrificial practices. In Leviticus 14:4, cedar wood is part of the purification ritual for a person healed of leprosy: "the priest shall order that two live clean birds, cedar wood, scarlet yarn, and hyssop be brought for the one to be cleansed." The inclusion of cedar in this ritual underscores its association with cleansing and renewal.

Conclusion

The cedar's fragrant wood, towering presence, and symbolic richness make it a significant element in biblical narratives and teachings. Its use in construction, worship, and metaphor reflects the multifaceted ways in which this remarkable tree was perceived and valued in the biblical world.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Songs 4:11
Your lips, O my spouse, drop as the honeycomb: honey and milk are under your tongue; and the smell of your garments is like the smell of Lebanon.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

The Joy of Unbroken Communion
... The car of state in which they sit is built of fragrant cedar from Lebanon, and
the finest of the gold and silver have been lavished in its construction. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/taylor/union and communion/section iii the joy of.htm

The Survival of the Fittest.
... of incense on the highest peak of the mountain, Seven and seven bowls I placed there,
And over them I poured out calamus, cedar wood and fragrant herbs. ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/kent/the making of a nation/study iv the survival of.htm

Chapter i
... name is as ointment poured forth, therefore do the virgins love thee.2. And more
fragrant than the ... The beams of our house are cedar and our rafters of fir.16. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/guyon/song of songs of solomon/chapter i.htm

Guests at an Imperial Banquet
... were stiff golden broideries, and between tall lamps in which fragrant flames were ...
feasting the Queen of Sheba in his halls of Lebanonian cedar, amid the ...
/.../chapter xix guests at an.htm

To what the Soul May be Compared which is a Prey to the Attacks of ...
... are of cypress: the beams of our houses are of cedar." [957] And therefore those
sorts of wood are chosen for the temple of God which are fragrant and not ...
/.../cassian/the works of john cassian /chapter iii to what the.htm

The Cedars of Lebanon.
... of their grandeur and their beauty, but of their use; of their fragrant and
incorruptible ... of old; who when they saw the other variety of the cedar growing, in ...
/.../kingsley/westminster sermons/sermon xvi the cedars of.htm

Fruits of Recognized Union
... and the fruitfulness of the tall and upright palm, of the graceful and clinging
vine, of the fragrant and evergreen ... He shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. ...
/.../taylor/union and communion/section v fruits of recognized.htm

Song of Songs of Solomon
... 1, 2. For thy breasts are better than wine, and more fragrant than the choicest ... 16.
The beams of our houses are of cedar and our carved ceilings are of cypress ...
//christianbookshelf.org/guyon/song of songs of solomon/

"Let not Your Heart be Troubled"
... it to the Father without one awkward, stammering word, beautiful and fragrant with
the ... Instead of choosing the graceful palm, the lofty cedar, or the strong oak ...
//christianbookshelf.org/white/the desire of ages/chapter 73 let not your.htm

Sennacherib (705-681 BC )
... On this he erected a magnificent palace, a Bit-Khilani in the Syrian style, with
woodwork of fragrant cedar and cypress overlaid with gold and silver ...
/.../chapter isennacherib 705-681 b c.htm