CEDAR (אֶ֫רֶז, H780, firmness; cedar work, אַרְזָה, H781). Cedar is mentioned in sixty-five texts and “cedar tree” in six texts. It undoubtedly refers to the Cedar of Lebanon (Cedrus libani). This word “cedar” appears to come from Arabia, the meaning being “strong and firmly-rooted tree.” This cedar can grow to a height of 120 ft., and is often thirty to forty ft. in girth. Starting as a rule about nine or ten ft. from the ground, the branches grow out horizontally and become very wide-spreading. When young, however, the cedar is almost pyramid-shaped. The cones the trees bear are fascinating. They start the first year pale green and small; the second year they become browner and about three inches across; and the third year they turn a dark brown, and open out to release quite small seeds. There are cedar trees today over 2,000 years of age.

Cedars are much admired, not only because of their beauty, but because of their fragrance. The wood is not attacked by insect pests; it is of a pleasant, warm red color, and is free from knots. It has remarkable lasting qualities. It is no wonder, therefore, that Solomon used it for his palace and for the Temple. It is certainly the monarch of the evergreens.

Not only do the branches spread out well, but so do the roots, thus Hosea 14:5 (KJV) says: “He shall cast forth his roots as Lebanon,” while the righteous, of course, grow like the cedar trees (Ps 92:12), and Israel itself is strong and happy like cedar trees beside the waters (Num 24:6).

The Lebanon range where the trees grew was N of Pal., and evidently in Solomon’s days the forests were extremely large. It was obviously extremely presumptuous of the thistle to talk as it did in 2 Kings 14:9 about the cedar, “the monarch of the forest.” Further, it must be remembered that in Amos the prophet compares the cedar, because of its great size, to the giants of Anak (Amos 2:9).