the cedar

September 7, 2016

Wood as fuel (Isa 44:14-44:15)

“The carpenter cuts down cedars.

He may choose a holm tree.

He may choose an oak tree.

He lets it grow strong

Among the trees of the forest.

He plants a cedar.

The rain nourishes it.

Then it can be used as fuel.

He takes a part of it.

He warms himself.

He kindles a fire.

He bakes bread.”

Second Isaiah points out that tree wood has many uses. The most common form of Middle Eastern trees was the cedar or the oak tree, especially the holm oak. You have to let these trees grow strong among the many other trees in the forest. A cedar tree had to be nourished by rain. When it is chopped down, it could be used as fuel to warm oneself. You could also start a fire in order to bake bread.

May 21, 2016

The tall growth of wisdom (Sir 24:13-24:14)

“‘I grew tall

Like a cedar in Lebanon.

I grew tall

Like a cypress on the heights of Hermon.

I grew tall

Like a palm tree in En-gedi.

I grew tall

Like rosebushes in Jericho.

I grew tall

Like a fair olive tree in the field.

I grew tall

Like a plane tree beside water.’”

Sirach continues with his personification of wisdom in the first person singular. Wisdom points out how she has grown tall like the various trees around Israel. First, she was tall like the cedar and cypress trees in the northern area of Lebanon and Hermon. Then she was like the palm trees on the west side of the Dead Sea in En-gedi and the rosebushes nearby in Jericho. Finally, she was tall like the various planted olive trees and the trees that were planted beside water. Wisdom was a like a tall tree, no matter where she was.