CEDRUS LIBANI 
1 5 
probably does not apply to it. It is in the description of the Behemoth (chap. xl. 17), “ Ele moveth his 
tail like a Cedar. This obviously is meant to convey the idea of a strong, supple, and elastic whip-like 
tree, such as the Poplar or the Cypress. It has no point of resemblance with the Cedar, and seems to 
suit the Cypress better than any other tree of the East. 
The next places where the word occurs are in Leviticus (xiv. verses 4, 6, 49, 5 1, and 52), in relation to 
the cleansing of lepers, and it seems pretty clear that neither can they really apply to the Cedar of 
Lebanon. 
The same objections equally apply to the next notice of the Cedar. It occurs in Numbers (xix. 6). 
Neither is the next notice, which is a poetical allusion in Balaam’s prophecy of the blessing of Israel, 
wholly free from doubt. It is in Numbers (xxiv. 6). 
There may be no reason to dispute that the allusion to the Cedar in Judges (ix. 15), in the speech 
of Jotham on the election of Abimelech as king, really relates to the Cedars of Lebanon. “And the 
bramble said unto the trees, If in truth ye anoint me king over you, then come and put your trust in my 
shadow; and if not, let fire come out of the bramble and devour the Cedars of Lebanon.” 
It is not, however, until David was seated on the throne of Israel that the haze of antiquity begins to 
clear off, and we come to real practical commerce in the Cedar as a branch of trade. The Jews had by 
that time firmly established themselves over the whole of their kingdom, and their territories adjoined 
those of the kings of Tyre and Sidon. 
In 2 Samuel v. 11, we read, “ And Hiram, king of Tyre, sent messengers to David, and Cedar trees, 
and carpenters and masons ; and they, built David an house.” 
It was natural for so devout a mind as David’s, after he had found and appreciated the excellencies 
of Cedar timber in his own house, to wish to extend the use of it to the Lord’s house; and the next 
mention of it in the Bible is an intention or proposition to that effect by David (2 Samuel vii. 2, and in 
nearly the same words in 1 Chron. xvii. 1). The idea was, however, abandoned by David, and he contents 
himself with making preparation for the execution of.it by Solomon when he should succeed him 
(1 Chron. xxii. 4). 
After the death of David, and when Solomon was seated on his throne, frequent mention of the 
Cedar occurs. The first notice is in 1 Kings (iv. 33). Immediately after we have the account of the 
resumption of David’s dropped scheme for building a magnificent house or temple to the Lord; and as 
the excellence of the. Cedar of Lebanon was the first thing which suggested to David the idea of building 
a temple to the Lord, so we find the same idea, of its special fitness for the purpose, also taken up by 
Solomon. Although, afterwards, as the temple rises, and his means increase, his ideas become more 
magnificent, and gold, silver, and precious stones are lavished in its decoration, the Cedar of Lebanon was, 
at the outset, the chief element of grandeur contemplated by Solomon. The first thing he does is to send 
to Hiram, who possessed the desired material, telling his project, and asking his help (2 Chron. ii. 3 and 8, 
and 1 Kings v. 6). 
To Solomon’s application Hiram replied (1 Kings v. 8 and 10), saying, “ I have considered the things 
which thou sentest to me for : and I will do all thy desire concerning timber of Cedar, and concerning timber 
of Fir” [clearly Pinus Halepensis , which grows plentifully along the base of Lebanon]. “ So Hiram gave 
Solomon Cedar trees, and Fir trees, according to all his desire.” And that it was no trifling amount that 
was taken out of the forests may be gathered from what follows ; indeed it seems almost certain that the 
devastation of the forests was greatly accelerated by the enormous demands made upon them by Solomon 
(1 Kings vii. 2, et seq.) 
The next passages in which mention is made of the Cedar give a glimpse of the extent of the uses to 
which it was put (1 Kings vi. 9 ,et seq.) \ “So he built the house, and finished it; and covered the house 
with beams and boards of Cedar. And then he built chambers against all the house five cubits high ; and 
they rested on the house with timber of Cedar.And he built the walls of the house within with 
boards 
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