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Olive

Olive [nave]

OLIVE, a fruit tree. Branch of, brought by the dove to Noah's ark, Gen. 8:11.
Common to the land of Canaan, Ex. 23:11; Deut. 6:11; 8:8; Israelites commanded to cultivate in the land of promise, Deut. 28:40.
Branches of, used for booths, Neh. 8:15.
Bears flowers, Job 15:33.
Precepts concerning gleaning the fruit of, Deut. 24:20; Isa. 17:6.
Cherubim made of the wood of, 1 Kin. 6:23, 31-33.
Parable of, Judg. 9:8.
Figurative
Of prosperity, Psa. 128:3.
The wild, a figure of the Gentiles; the cultivated, of the Jews, Rom. 11:17-21, 24.
Symbolical
Zech. 4:2-12; Rev. 11:4.
Fruit of
Oil extracted from, used as illuminating oil in the tabernacle, Ex. 39:37; Lev. 24:2; Zech. 4:12.
See: Oil.

Olive [ebd]

the fruit of the olive-tree. This tree yielded oil which was highly valued. The best oil was from olives that were plucked before being fully ripe, and then beaten or squeezed (Deut. 24:20; Isa. 17:6; 24:13). It was called "beaten," or "fresh oil" (Ex. 27:20). There were also oil-presses, in which the oil was trodden out by the feet (Micah 6:15). James (3:12) calls the fruit "olive berries." The phrase "vineyards and olives" (Judg. 15:5, A.V.) should be simply "olive-yard," or "olive-garden," as in the Revised Version. (See OIL.)

OLIVE [smith]

The olive was among the most abundant and characteristic vegetation of Judea. The olive tree grows freely almost everywhere on the shores of the Mediterranean, but it was peculiarly abundant in Palestine. See (6:11; 8:8; 28:40) Oliveyards are a matter of course in descriptions of the country like vines and cornfields. (Judges 15:5; 1 Samuel 8:14) The kings had very extensive ones. (1 Chronicles 27:28) Even now the is very abundant in the country. Almost every village has its olive grove. Certain districts may be specified where at various times this tree been very luxuriant. The cultivation of the olive tree had the closest connection with the domestic life of the Israelites (2 Chronicles 2:10) their trade, (Ezekiel 27:17; Hosea 12:1) and even their Public ceremonies and religious worship. In Solomon?s temple the cherubim were "of olive tree," (1 Kings 6:23) as also the doors, vs. (1 Kings 6:31,32) and posts. ver. (1 Kings 6:33) For the various uses of olive oil see OIL. The wind was dreaded by the cultivator of the olive for the least ruffling of a breeze is apt to cause the flowers to fall. (Job 15:33) It is needless to add that the locust was a formidable enemy of the olive. It happened not unfrequently that hopes were disappointed, and that "the labor of the olive failed." (Habakkuk 3:17) As to the growth of the tree, it thrives best in warm and sunny situations. It is of moderate height, with knotty gnarled trunk and a smooth ash-colored bark. It grows slowly, but lives to an immense age. Its look is singularly indicative of tenacious vigor, and this is the force of what is said in Scripture of its "greenness, as emblematic of strength and prosperity. The leaves, too, are not deciduous. Those who see olives for the first time are occasionally disappointed by the dusty color of their foilage; but those who are familiar with them find an inexpressible charm in the rippling changes of their slender gray-green leaves. (See Ruskin?s "Stones of Venice," iii. 175-177.) The olive furnishes the basis of one of Paul?s allegories. (Romans 11:16-25) The Gentiles are the "wild olive" grafted in upon the "good olive," to which once the Jews belonged, and with which they may again be incorporated, (The olive grows from 20 to 40 feet high. In general appearance it resembles the apple tree; in leaves and sterns, the willow. The flowers are white and appear in June, The fruit is like a plum in shape and size, and at first is green, but gradually becomes purple, and even black, with a hard stony kernel, and is remarkable from the outer fleshy part being that in which much oil is lodged, and not, as is usual, in the almond of the seed. The fruit ripens from August to September. It is sometimes eaten green, but its chief value is in its oil. The wood is hard, fine beautifully veined, and is open used for cabinet work. Olive trees were so abundant in Galilee that at the siege of Jotapata by Vespasian the Roman army were driven from the ascent of the walls by hot olive oil poured upon them and scalding them underneath their armor. --Josephus, Wars, 3; 7:28. --ED.)

OLIVE [isbe]

OLIVE - See OLIVE TREE.

OLIVE [bridgeway]

Olive trees, both wild and cultivated, were among the most common trees of Palestine (Deut 8:8; Judg 15:5; 1 Chron 27:28; Luke 22:39). They grew also in Mesopotamia and other places in the region (Gen 8:11). The trees grew to about six metres in height, and although their timber was of no use in building construction, it could be used to make furniture and ornamental articles (1 Kings 6:23,31). The Israelites used branches of olive trees to help make shelters for the Feast of Tabernacles (Neh 8:15).

Mostly, however, people grew olive trees for their fruit, which could be crushed to produce oil (Exod 27:20; Lev 2:4; 2 Kings 18:32; Micah 6:15; see OIL). Farmers harvested the olives by shaking or beating the tree so that the fruit fell to the ground. They then collected the fruit in baskets (Deut 24:20; Isa 17:6; 24:13; Amos 8:2). To obtain higher quality fruit and larger harvests, they sometimes grafted branches from good quality trees on to wild trees. To graft branches from wild trees on to good trees was ‘contrary to nature’ (Rom 11:17-24).

In the symbols and pictures of the Bible, the olive tree had a variety of meanings. It was a symbol of peace (Gen 8:10-12), fruitfulness (Ps 128:3-4), freshness (Ps 52:8), pleasantness (Jer 11:16), beauty (Hosea 14:5-7), God’s Spirit (Zech 4:1-6), God’s family (Rom 11:17-24) and God’s witnesses (Zech 4:11-14; Rev 11:3-4).

Also see definition of "Olive" in Word Study