A very common tree, which grows in marshy places, Job 40:22 Isa 44:4, with a leaf much like that of the olive. God commanded the Hebrews to take branches of the handsomest trees, particularly of the willows of the brook, and to bear them in their hands before the Lord, as a token of rejoicing, at the feast of Tabernacles, Lev 23:40 .\par The "weeping willow," memorable in connection with the mourning Hebrew captives, Psa 137:2, is a native of Babylonica. The "book of the willows," Isa 15:7, on the southern border of Moab, flows into the southeast extremity of the Dead Sea.\par
ereb. Supposed to be the Salix Babylonica. Its boughs were used at the Feast of Tabernacles, a season of joy; but at the captivity and since, it is a symbol of sorrow. It was on such that the captives hung their harps when in captivity, of which the Psalmist spoke prophetically. Lev 23:40; Job 40:22; Psa 137:2; Isa 15:7; Isa 44:4. In Eze 17:5 the word is tsaphtsaphah, supposed by some to be the Arabic safsâf, a willow or osier which grows by the water.
By: Emil G. Hirsch, Immanuel Löw
Any tree or shrub of the genus Salix. Willows and poplars are numerous in Palestine. In all regions the white willow (Salix alba) and the Euphrates poplar (Populus Euphratica) occur with great frequency, while the crack-willow (Salix fragilis) and the white poplar (Populus alba) are also common. On the banks of the Jordan and in the valleys of the Dead Sea grow the Salix safsaf and its variety, the Salix hierochuntica. The following species also occur, although less frequently: black willow (Salix nigricans) at Amanus, near Beirut; French willow (Salix triandra) at Al-Zib; Salix alba, var. latifolia, near Beirut and the Dead Sea; var. integrifolia near ’Ainṭab; goat-willow (Salix caprea) on Lebanon; Salix alba, var. Libanotica; Salix pedicellata near Damascus and in Cœle-Syria; black poplar (Populus nigra); weeping willow (Salix Babylonica); and Lombardy poplar (Populus pyramidalis). The "willows" of the Bible (
, Isa. xv. 7, xliv. 4, and Ps. cxxxvii. 2; 
, Lev. xxiii. 40 and Job xl. 22) were the Euphrates poplars, although the Mishnah interprets 
as "willows," despite the Talmudic traces that the willow had previously been termed 
(comp.Ezek. xvil. 5). 
(Gen. xxx. 37; Hos, iv. 13; the 
of the Targum) is not the officinal storax (Styrax officinalis), but the white poplar (Populus alba). See Plants.
The Feast of Tabernacles requires, according to the Bible, "willows of the brook," the Karaites and recent exegetes regarding this as applying to the booths themselves, while rabbinical tradition refers it to the accessory decorations for the festival. One tannaitic tradition seems to show that the Biblical "willow of the brook" had leaves serrate like a sickle, while the variety with leaves dentate like a saw was rejected. Another tannaitic tradition, however, states that 
may be used only when they have red twigs and lanceolate leaves, they being unavailable if they have white twigs and round leaves. Babli combines these traditions, and identifies the former of the two varieties of willow with the 
, while the useless willow is the 
(Euphrates poplar). The tannaitic description of the 
corresponds to the trembling poplar, or aspen (Populus tremula), and even more closely to the Salix safsaf, or the French willow (Salix triandra). Still another variety is the 
, a willow with red twigs and an oblong, sickle-shaped leaf, probably the white willow (Salix alba), and which answers to the tannaitic requirements.
The ruling of Babli concerning the available varieties of the willow was naturally adopted by the codifiers, such as Maimonides. Joseph Caro, however, followed by Mordecai Jaffe, dissented, claiming that the usage was at variance with the phraseology of the Halakah, since all willow twigs are green, although they become red after sufficient exposure to the sun, so that it is inadmissible to reject twigs because they are green, and not red.
In addition to the species of willow unavailable in themselves, twigs were forbidden which had been placed under the ban, or which had been stolen or cut, or had become dry, though twigs whose leaves had partly fallen or withered might be used. Willows were also used independently on the Feast of Tabernacles as a shield for the altar, and were carried in the processions which took place daily, or, after the destruction of the Temple, on the seventh day, the "willow of the brook" receiving the name of "hosanna" from the processional shout.
Willow twigs were used for weaving baskets and similar utensils, peeled twigs being employed for the finer grades; while the wood of the willow and poplar was made into troughs, etc. The galls on the leaves of the willow served to dye veils, and the cotton of the seeds of the female willow and poplar was made into an inferior grade of lamp-wick.
The Haggadah is concerned with the willow only so far as it forms part of the festal bush, in which the "willow of the brook" symbolizes: (1) God; (2) the impious and the ignorant of Israel, who have neither righteousness nor knowledge, as the willow has neither taste nor smell; (3) Joseph and Rachel, who, like the willow, faded before the rest; (4) the Sanhedrin, the pair of twigs typifying the two secretaries; (5) the mouth, on account of the labiate leaves. All four trees symbolize the beneficence of the rain which they cause; they fulfil their purpose when two fragrant and two scentless varieties of trees are combined. These metaphors are repeated frequently in synagogal poetry and in homiletic literature, with little change or addition, even in modern times.
WILLOW (‘ărâbîm, Lev 23:40, Job 40:22, Psa 137:2, Isa 15:7; Isa 44:4 [cf. Arab.
E. W. G. Masterman.
Willow. A tree which grew to about 9 to 12 meters (30-40 feet) and had reddish-brown bark; narrow, pointed leaves; and flowers or catkins which hung downward. Willow branches were used to construct the booths for the Feast of Tabernacles ( Lev 23:40). The Israelites hung their harps on willows while in Babylon.
Some biblical scholars think the willow mentioned in the Bible was actually the poplar or Euphrates Aspen. The word for willow is consistently translated as poplar by the NIV. ( Isa 44:4) is translated poplar by the NEB and NASB as well. Also see Poplar.
A willow is a tree or shrub with long, narrow leaves and flexible branches.
In the Bible, the word “willow” may refer to several kinds of trees that grow near water. Some Bible translations use the word “aspen” for these same trees because the exact species is uncertain (Leviticus 23:40; Job 40:22; Isaiah 15:7).
See Aspen; see also Plants; Willows, Ravine of the.
Aquifer Open Bible Dictionary © 2026 Mission Mutual, an adaptation of the Tyndale Open Bible Dictionary © 2023 Tyndale House Publishers. Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
References:
Discussion:
There are two kinds of willow in Palestine, the White Willow Salix alba being the northern one, and the Common Willow Salix acmophylla being the southern, more heat-tolerant one. In the Jordan Valley the willow gives way to the salt-tolerant Euphrates poplar as the river gets close to the Dead Sea. Some confusion of names arises from the fact that the Euphrates poplar has two kinds of leaves. The younger shoots produce a narrow leaf like the willow, and the mature shoots produce a wider, ovate leaf.
Zohary states confidently that the species in LEV 23:40 and ISA 44:4 is definitely the willow. Presumably the same Hebrew word ‘aravah in JOB 40:22 also refers to the willow. Hepper, translating this word as “willows” in ISA 44:4, apparently agrees with Zohary. FFB concedes that putting “willows” in LEV 23:40 may be correct, but goes on to reverse itself by saying that “poplar” is justified in all passages by the fact that the Arabic name gharab is cognate with the Hebrew word. In response, Zohary argues that Arabs use gharab for both poplars and willows, the leaves of the two trees being very similar.
Considering the context, the word ‘aravah found in PSA 137:2 most likely refers to the Euphrates poplar (see 1.20 Poplar). Ezekiel’s reference to a plant (tsaftsafah in Hebrew) that grew by a stream could refer either to a poplar or to a willow. According to Zohary, Arabs in Egypt call willows safsaf, whereas elsewhere in North Africa safsaf refers to the Euphrates poplar.
Description:
The willow is found along streams, where it can grow to a height of 6 meters (20 feet). It has long, narrow leaves which drop during the winter and the tiny green flowers appear around October.
Special significance:
If “willow” is indeed the correct translation of ‘aravah in Leviticus, then it is one of the four species recommended for use in building shelters for the Festival of Shelters. In Job it is the habitat of the mysterious Behemoth that no man can tame. In Isaiah and Ezekiel it is a metaphor for something that grows luxuriantly.
Translation:
The English versions fall into several groups regarding the translation of ‘aravah in LEV 23:40: 1) ”willows” (RSV, NLT, REB, NASB, NJPSV); 2) ”poplars” (NIV, NCV, GW, NAB); 3) ”flowering shrubs” (NJB); and 4) ”leafy trees/branches” (GNB, CEV; GNB combines the last two of the series, CEV the last three).
As explained above, we recommend “willow” or a member of the Salix genus in LEV 23:40; JOB 40:22; ISA 44:4. Over three hundred Salix species are found around the world in temperate regions. They are sometimes known as ossiers or sallows. At least one Salix species (Safsaf Willow Salix subserrata) is found in sub-Saharan Africa in addition to being found in Egypt, Libya, and Israel. Flora of West Tropical Africa lists three other species, and Palgrave records two other indigenous willows in southern Africa. There are willows on the Jos Plateau in Nigeria (Hepper, private communication). People who make round, thatched houses use thin, flexible sticks from a shrub to form the concentric rings that hold the radial sticks (either bamboo or sorghum stalks) in place. Some of these may be willows, and if so, the local word would be appropriate in the biblical context where shelters are being constructed.
Where such a local plant is not available, we favor following something like “tree of wilo ” or using a generic phrase, lumping it with the previous phrase, but making sure that wilo or its equivalent in a major language is included in a footnote.
In ISA 44:4 and EZK 17:5 the willow is symbolic of quick growth and may require an appropriate local equivalent of a thriving plant.
Plants and Trees in the Bible © United Bible Societies. Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.