The term "willows" in the Bible refers to a type of tree that is often associated with water and fertility due to its preference for growing near streams and rivers. The Hebrew word for willow is "ʿarav," which is sometimes translated as "poplar" or "brook tree" in various Bible versions. Willows are mentioned in several passages, symbolizing both joy and lamentation, and they hold ceremonial significance in Jewish tradition.

Biblical References:

1. Leviticus 23:40: In the context of the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot), the Israelites are commanded to take "the fruit of splendid trees, branches of palm trees, boughs of leafy trees, and willows of the brook" to rejoice before the LORD. This use of willows highlights their role in worship and celebration, symbolizing life and prosperity as part of the natural elements used in the festival.

2. Job 40:22: The willow is mentioned in the description of Behemoth, a creature of great strength and size, which "lies under the lotus plants, hidden among the reeds of the marsh. The lotus plants conceal him in their shade; the willows of the brook surround him." Here, willows are depicted as part of the lush, watery habitat that provides shelter and sustenance, emphasizing the abundance of God's creation.

3. Psalm 137:2: In a poignant expression of sorrow, the exiled Israelites lament, "There on the willows we hung our harps." This verse captures the deep grief and longing for their homeland, as the willows by the rivers of Babylon become a symbol of their mourning and loss. The imagery of harps hanging on willows underscores the contrast between the joy of music and the silence of despair.

4. Isaiah 44:4: In a prophetic vision of restoration and blessing, the descendants of Israel are described as springing up "like grass in a meadow, like poplar trees by flowing streams." The reference to trees by water, including willows, conveys the idea of growth, renewal, and divine favor, as God's people flourish under His care.

Cultural and Ceremonial Significance:

In Jewish tradition, willows are one of the four species (along with the etrog, lulav, and hadass) used during the Feast of Tabernacles. The willows, known as "aravot," are bound together with the other species and waved in a ritual that symbolizes unity and the acknowledgment of God's provision. This practice reflects the biblical command in Leviticus 23:40 and underscores the importance of willows in religious observance.

Symbolism:

Willows are often associated with water, life, and fertility due to their natural habitat near water sources. In biblical literature, they can symbolize both joy and lamentation, depending on the context. Their presence in celebratory rituals and in expressions of sorrow highlights their versatility as a symbol of the human experience in relation to God.

Overall, willows in the Bible serve as a reminder of God's creation, the cycles of joy and sorrow, and the hope of restoration and blessing for His people.Willows

are mentioned in (Leviticus 23:40; Job 40:22; Psalms 137:2; Isaiah 44:4) With respect to the tree upon which the captive Israelites hung their harps, there can be no doubt that the weeping willow Salix babylonica , is intended. This tree grows abundantly on the banks of the Euphrates, in other parts of Asia as in Palestine. The Hebrew word translated willows is generic, and includes several species of the large family of Salices , which is well represented in Palestine and the Bible lands, such as the Salix alba, S. viminalis (osier), S. aegyptiaca .

(1.) Hebrews `arabim (Leviticus 23:40; Job 40:22; Isaiah 15:7; 44:3, 4; Psalm 137:1, 2). This was supposed to be the weeping willow, called by Linnaeus Salix Babylonica, from the reference in Psalm 137. This tree is frequently found "on the coast, overhanging wells and pools. There is a conspicuous tree of this species over a pond in the plain of Acre, and others on the Phoenician plain." There are several species of the salix in Palestine, but it is not indigenous to Babylonia, nor was it cultivated there. Some are of opinion that the tree intended is the tamarisk or poplar.

(2.) Hebrews tzaphtzaphah (Ezek. 17:5), called by the Arabs the safsaf, the general name for the willow. This may be the Salix AEgyptica of naturalists.

Tristram thinks that by the "willow by the water-courses," the Nerium oleander, the rose-bay oleander, is meant. He says, "It fringes the Upper Jordan, dipping its wavy crown of red into the spray in the rapids under Hermon, and is nutured by the oozy marshes in the Lower Jordan nearly as far as to Jericho...On the Arnon, on the Jabbok, and the Yarmuk it forms a continuous fringe. In many of the streams of Moab it forms a complete screen, which the sun's rays can never penetrate to evaporate the precious moisture. The wild boar lies safely ensconced under its impervious cover."

WILLOWS

wil'-oz (`arabhim); itea (Leviticus 23:40 Job 40:22 Psalm 137:2 Isaiah 15:7; Isaiah 44:4)): In all references this tree is mentioned as beside running water. They may all refer to the willow, two varieties of which, Salix fragilis and S. alba, occur commonly in Palestine, or to the closely allied Populus euphratus (also Natural Order Salicaceae), which is even more plentiful, especially on the Jordan and its tributaries. The Brook of the Willows (Isaiah 15:7) must have been some stream running from Moab to the Jordan or Dead Sea. Popular fancy has associated the willows of Psalm 137:2 with the so-called "weeping willow" (Salix babylonica), but though this tree is found today in Palestine, it is an introduction from Japan and cannot have existed "by the waters of Babylon" at the time of the captivity.

E. W. G. Masterman

WILLOWS, THE BROOK OF THE

Evidently mentioned as the boundary of Moab (Isaiah 15:7) and generally identified with the brook Zered.

See BROOK; ZERED.

6155. arab -- (a kind of tree) perhaps poplar, also a wadi in Moab
... (a kind of tree) perhaps poplar, also a wadi in Moab. Transliteration: arab or
arabah Phonetic Spelling: (aw-rawb') Short Definition: willows. ...
/hebrew/6155.htm - 6k

My Harp Upon the Willows, Grave,
... ASPIRATIONS My harp upon the willows, grave,. tr., John Brownlie 8,8,8,8. I. My
harp upon the willows, grave,. In weeping days is sadly hung,. ...
/.../brownlie/hymns from the morningland/my harp upon the willows.htm

That Passage of David Explained; what the Harps Hung Upon the ...
... Chapter III."That Passage of David Explained; What the Harps Hung Upon the Willows
Signify; The Willow a Symbol of Chastity; The Willows Watered by Streams. ...
/.../chapter iii that passage of david.htm

Bowed with Grief and Anguish Low,
... V. Lead me, O Thou Christ of God,. Where the willows weeping sigh; ... E'en with
dangers lurking nigh,". Past the willows and the grave,. ...
/.../brownlie/hymns of the apostolic church/bowed with grief and anguish.htm

Psalm CXXXVII.
... 5. "On the willows in the midst thereof we hung up our instruments of music"
(ver.2). The citizens of Jerusalem have their "instruments of music," God's ...
/.../augustine/exposition on the book of psalms/psalm cxxxvii.htm

The Banquet of the Ten Virgins, or Concerning Chastity
... Chapter III.--That Passage of David Explained; What the Harps Hung Upon the Willows
Signify; The Willow a Symbol of Chastity; The Willows Watered by Streams. ...
/.../methodius/the banquet of the ten virgins or concerning chastity/

Concerning the Sacrament of Penance
... We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof." (Psalm 137:1, 2.)
May the Lord curse the barren willows of those rivers! Amen. ...
/.../first principles of the reformation/concerning the sacrament of penance.htm

The Consecration of Joy
... And ye shall take you on the first day the boughs of goodly trees, branches of
palm-trees, and the boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook; and ye ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture k/the consecration of joy.htm

Funeral Oration on Meletius .
... The words run thus: "We hung our harps upon the willows, and condemned ourselves
as well as our harps to silence." I make this song my own. ...
/.../gregory/gregory of nyssa dogmatic treatises etc/funeral oration on meletius.htm

The World Turned Upside Down
... anoint their face, that they appear not unto men to fast, but still secretly before
God they have to groan; they hang their harps upon the willows; they mourn ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 4 1858/the world turned upside down.htm

Hymns from the Morningland
... Like music at the stilly hour,. O Lord, Thou in the hour of need,. My harp upon
the willows, grave,. To Thee my soul enraptured sings,. MODERN GREEK HYMNS. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/brownlie/hymns from the morningland/

Willows (5 Occurrences)
... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. WILLOWS. ... The Brook of the Willows (Isaiah 15:7)
must have been some stream running from Moab to the Jordan or Dead Sea. ...
/w/willows.htm - 11k

Poplars (5 Occurrences)
... Leviticus 23:40 You shall take on the first day the fruit of goodly trees, branches
of palm trees, and boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook; and you ...
/p/poplars.htm - 7k

Willow (1 Occurrence)

/w/willow.htm - 7k

Brook (75 Occurrences)
... etc. Isaiah (15:7) speaks of the "book of the willows," probably the
Wady-el-Asha. (2 ... Mochmur. WILLOWS, THE BROOK OF THE. Evidently ...
/b/brook.htm - 45k

Leafy (22 Occurrences)
... Leviticus 23:40 And ye shall take on the first day the fruit of beautiful trees,
palm branches and the boughs of leafy trees, and willows of the brook; and ye ...
/l/leafy.htm - 12k

Lotus-trees (2 Occurrences)
... (ASV JPS). Job 40:22 The lotus-trees cover him with their shade; The willows of
the brook compass him about. (ASV JPS). Lotuses, Lotus-trees. Loud . ...
/l/lotus-trees.htm - 6k

Lotuses (1 Occurrence)
... Multi-Version Concordance Lotuses (1 Occurrence). Job 40:22 The lotuses cover him
with their shade. The willows of the brook surround him. (WEB NIV). ...
/l/lotuses.htm - 6k

Lotus (2 Occurrences)
... (WEB JPS ASV DBY NAS RSV NIV). Job 40:22 The lotuses cover him with their shade.
The willows of the brook surround him. (Root in WEB JPS ASV DBY NAS RSV NIV). ...
/l/lotus.htm - 8k

Lotus-bushes (2 Occurrences)
... Job 40:22 Lotus-bushes cover him with their shade; the willows of the brook surround
him. (DBY). Lotus, Lotus-bushes. Lotuses . Reference Bible.
/l/lotus-bushes.htm - 6k

Water-courses (9 Occurrences)
... the towers fall. (DBY). Isaiah 44:4 And they shall spring up among the
grass, as willows by the water-courses. (DBY). Ezekiel 6:3 ...
/w/water-courses.htm - 9k

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