008 Trees Used for Manufacturing Purposes

Trees Used for Manufacturing Purposes vAlgum or Almug Trees were used in the making of the sacred musical instruments, and in the ornamental parts of the Temple (1 Kings 10:11-12). It was a valuable wood (2 Chronicles 9:10-11). vAsh Tree (Isaiah 44:14). This is not the modern tree of that name. What species is referred to is not known. It was used in the making of idols and various kinds of idolatrous images. vThe Box Tree was a rich and beautiful wood, and in ancient times was used for the inlaying of ivory in articles of value. vThe Cedar. This grand old tree once covered the sides of Mount Lebanon, and was largely used by David, Solomon, and Nebuchadnezzar in the erection of their palaces, also in the construction of the Temple. vThe Chestnut, or, according to the Septuagint, the Plane Tree. Its ample foliage secures a delightful shade and retreat from the burning rays of an Eastern sky, while its enormous trunk supplies timber for a variety of purposes. v The Cypress has been used from time immemorial as a momento over the tombs of the rich. It is a tall and upright tree, and its dark mournful-looking waving plumes make it a fitting emblem for funeral purposes. vEbony. This tree grows in tropical countries. The ebony of Scripture, one of the most valuable of woods in the manufacture of fine articles, was imported probably from India. vFir. Probably no wood was more variously used than "Fir." This tree, formerly very common in Palestine, is now but rarely found throughout the country. vFlax was extensively cultivated all over the East before the introduction of cotton. Egypt especially is noted for its flax crops; so also Palestine. vThe Sycamore Tree is used in the construction of the Mummy boxes of Egypt and in Egyptian articles of furniture generally. It is the most lasting wood known. vThe Pomegranate grows both wild and cultivated; its bark is used in the tanning of the finest kind of leather, and its beautiful fruit and flower were largely used in the ornamentation of the Sanctuary and in the rich robe of the High Priest. vGopher Wood (Genesis 6:14) was used in the construction of Noah’s Ark. Both the "cypress" and the "cedar " were anciently used in ship. building, but whether either was the "gopher wood" of Genesis 6:1-22 cannot with certainty be determined. vThe Gourd of Jonah was a plant peculiarly fitted to afford shade and shelter under a burning Eastern sky. It was and is still used in the construction of arbors. vJuniper Tree, or rather desert shrub. This species of broom afforded shelter to the Prophet (1 Kings 19:1-21), as it does the wandering Arabs and travelers of the nineteenth century. It is largely used in the manufacture of charcoal (Psalms 120:4). vThe Myrtle is one of the most beautiful trees in Palestine (Zechariah 1:8). The leaves, bark, and root are used in tanning Russia leather, and impart to it that peculiar smell characteristic of that kind and quality. vThe Oak is one of the strongest and grandest of old trees. There are some magnificent specimens in Palestine. Underneath its noble branches idolatrous rites were practiced, and from the strong and durable character of its trunk, it was a wood specially adapted for building purposes. vThe Palm is not only justly celebrated for its fruit, but its large, beautifully-shaped leaves were waved as emblematic of victory (Revelation 7:9). The fibrous nature of its trunk makes it an unsuitable wood for the manufacture of fine articles, but for garden-gates, posts, beams, etc., it is well adapted, and for these purposes is largely used in the East. vShittim Wood, or stem of the Shittah Tree, was extensively employed in the construction of the Tabernacle. It abounded in the Arabian Deserts, and could be easily procured in the Sinaitic Peninsula. From its quantity and various properties, it was admirably adapted for the sacred purposes to which it was applied. vThynie Wood is only mentioned in Revelation 18:12, and was at one time the most valuable of woods. It has been identified as the "citron," a native of Africa, and a wood greatly prized by the Romans. vThe Willow is a beautiful tree, flourishing on the banks of the rivers and brooks of Palestine. It has been identified as the "oleander, now the exclusive material with which the summer booths in Galilee are constructed."