Easton's Bible Dictionary
Palm tree
(Hebrews tamar), the date-palm characteristic of Palestine. It is described as "flourishing" (Psalm 92:12), tall (Cant. 7:7), "upright" (Jeremiah 10:5). Its branches are a symbol of victory (Revelation 7:9). "Rising with slender stem 40 or 50, at times even 80, feet aloft, its only branches, the feathery, snow-like, pale-green fronds from 6 to 12 feet long, bending from its top, the palm attracts the eye wherever it is seen." The whole land of Palestine was called by the Greeks and Romans Phoenicia, i.e., "the land of palms." Tadmor in the desert was called by the Greeks and Romans Palmyra, i.e., "the city of palms." The finest specimens of this tree grew at Jericho (Deuteronomy 34:3) and Engedi and along the banks of the Jordan. Branches of the palm tree were carried at the feast of Tabernacles (Leviticus 23:40). At our Lord's triumphal entrance into Jerusalem the crowds took palm branches, and went forth to meet him, crying, "Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord" (Matthew 21:8; John 12:13). (see DATE.)
Palm trees, The city of
The name given to Jericho (q.v.), Deuteronomy 34:3; Judges 1:16; 3:13.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (
n.) The inner and somewhat concave part of the hand between the bases of the fingers and the wrist.
2. (n.) A lineal measure equal either to the breadth of the hand or to its length from the wrist to the ends of the fingers; a hand; -- used in measuring a horse's height.
3. (n.) A metallic disk, attached to a strap, and worn the palm of the hand, -- used to push the needle through the canvas, in sewing sails, etc.
4. (n.) The broad flattened part of an antler, as of a full-grown fallow deer; -- so called as resembling the palm of the hand with its protruding fingers.
5. (n.) The flat inner face of an anchor fluke.
6. (n.) Any endogenous tree of the order Palmae or Palmaceae; a palm tree.
7. (n.) A branch or leaf of the palm, anciently borne or worn as a symbol of victory or rejoicing.
8. (n.) Any symbol or token of superiority, success, or triumph; also, victory; triumph; supremacy.
9. (v. t.) To handle.
10. (v. t.) To manipulate with, or conceal in, the palm of the hand; to juggle.
11. (v. t.) To impose by fraud, as by sleight of hand; to put by unfair means; -- usually with off.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
CITY OF PALM TREESpam'-trez (`ir ha-temarim).
See JERICHO (Deuteronomy 34:3 Judges 1:16; Judges 3:13 2 Chronicles 28:15).
PALM (OF THE HAND)
pam (kaph): The Hebrew word which is used in a variety of senses (see HAND; PAW) is usually translated "hand" in English Versions of the Bible, but the translation "palm" is found in 5 passages of the Old Testament, in 3 of which the Hebrew text adds the word yadh ("hand," 1 Samuel 5:4 2 Kings 9:35; Daniel 10:10). It would properly mean the "hollow hand" (root kaphaph, "to bend," "to curve"), which receives or grasps things. It is therefore used in reference to filling the priest's hands with sacrificial portions (Leviticus 14:15, 26). The palms of the hands of Dagon are mentioned as cut off, when the idol was found mutilated in the presence of the ark of Yahweh (1 Samuel 5:4), from which may be inferred that this idol probably was represented with hands spread out in blessing, as we find in numerous Babylonian representations of divinities.
In a beautiful metaphor God answers the repentant people of Jerusalem, who thought Yahweh had forgotten and forsaken them: "Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands" (Isaiah 49:16; see also Ecclesiasticus 18:3). Daniel is touched upon the palms of his hands to wake him from sleep (Daniel 10:10).
In the New Testament we find the phrase, "to smite with the palms of the hands," as a translation of the Greek verb rhapizo (Matthew 26:67; see also 5:39 and Septuagint Hosea 11:4; 1 Esdras 4:30), and, derived from the same verb, rhapisma, a blow of the palm on the cheek, etc. (Mark 14:65 John 18:22; John 19:3, where, however, in English Versions of the Bible the word "palm" has not been given). The marginal translation "to smite or strike with rods" (Matthew 26:67 John 18:22; John 19:3) and "strokes of rods" (Mark 14:65 margin) does not seem to be applicable to the Greek text of the Old Testament and New Testament, while it is a frequent meaning of the words in classical language. It would therefore be better to eliminate these marginal additions.
H. L. E. Luering
PALM TREE
pam'-tre (tamar, same as the Aramaic and Ethiopic, but in Arabic = "date"; phoinix (Exodus 15:27 Leviticus 23:40 Numbers 33:9 Deuteronomy 34:3 Judges 1:16; Judges 3:13 2 Chronicles 28:15 Nehemiah 8:15 Psalm 92:12 Songs 7:7 Joel 1:12); tomer, Deborah "dwelt under the palm-tree" (Judges 4:5); "They are like a palm-tree (margin "pillar"), of turned work" (Jeremiah 10:5); timorah (only in the plural), the palm tree as an architectural feature (1 Kings 6:29, 32, 35; 1 Kings 7:36 2 Chronicles 3:5 Ezekiel 40:16); Greek only Ecclesiasticus 50:12; John 12:13 Revelation 7:9):
1. Palm Trees:
The palm, Phoenix dactylifera (Natural Order Palmeae), Arabic nakhl, is a tree which from the earliest times has been associated with the Semitic peoples. In Arabia the very existence of man depends largely upon its presence, and many authorities consider this to have been its original habitat. It is only natural that such a tree should have been sacred both there and in Assyria in the earliest ages. In Palestine the palm leaf appears as an ornament upon pottery as far back as 1800 B.C. (compare PEF, Gezer Mere., II, 172). In Egypt the tall palm stem forms a constant feature in early architecture, and among the Hebrews it was extensively used as a decoration of the temple (1 Kings 6:29, 32, 35; 1 Kings 7:36 2 Chronicles 3:5). It is a symbol of beauty (Songs 7:7) and of the righteous man:
"The righteous shall flourish like the palm-tree:
He shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
They are planted in the house of Yahweh;
They shall flourish in the courts of our God.
They shall still bring forth fruit in old age;
They shall be full of sap and green" (Psalm 92:12-14).
The palm tree or branch is used extensively on Jewish coinage and most noticeably appears as a symbol of the land upon the celebrated Judea Capta coins of Vespasian. A couple of centuries or so later it forms a prominent architectural feature in the ornamentation of the Galilean synagogues, e.g. at Tell Chum (Capernaum). The method of artificial fertilization of the pistillate (female) flowers by means of the staminate (male) flowers appears to have been known in the earliest historic times. Winged figures are depicted on some of the early Assyrian sculptures shaking a bunch of the male flowers over the female for the same purpose as the people of modern Gaza ascend the tall trunks of the fruit-bearing palms and tie among the female flowers a bunch of the pollen-bearing male flowers.
2. Their Ancient Abundance in Palestine:
In Palestine today the palm is much neglected; there are few groves except along the coast, e.g. at the bay of Akka, Jaffa and Gaza; solitary palms occur all over the land in the courtyards of mosques (compare Psalm 92:13) and houses even in the mountains. Once palms flourished upon the Mount of Olives (Nehemiah 8:15), and Jericho was long known as the "city of palm-trees" (Deuteronomy 34:3 Judges 1:16; Judges 3:13 2 Chronicles 28:15; Josephus BJ, IV, viii, 2-3), but today the only palms are scarce and small; under its name Hazazon-tamar (2 Chronicles 20:2), En-gedi would appear to have been as much a place of palms in ancient days as we know it was in later history. A city, too, called Tamar ("date palm") appears to have been somewhere near the southwestern corner of the Dead Sea (Ezekiel 47:19; Ezekiel 48:28). Today the numerous salt-encrusted stumps of wild palm trees washed up all along the shores of the Dead Sea witness to the existence of these trees within recent times in some of the deep valleys around.
3. Palm Branches:
Branches of palms have been symbolically associated with several different ideas. A palm branch is used in Isaiah 9:14; Isaiah 19:15 to signify he "head," the highest of the people, as contrasted with the rush, the "tail," or humblest of the people. Palm branches appear from early times to have been associated with rejoicing. On the first day of the Feast of Tabernacles the Hebrews were commanded to take branches of palms, with other trees, and rejoice before God (Leviticus 23:40; compare Nehemiah 8:15; 2 Maccabees 10:7). The palm branch still forms the chief feature of the lulabh carried daily by every pious Jew to the synagogue, during the feast. Later it was connected with the idea of triumph and victory. Simon Maccabeus entered the Akra at Jerusalem after its capture, "with thanksgiving, and branches of palm trees, and with harps, and cymbals, and with viols, and hymns, and songs: because there was destroyed a great enemy out of Israel" (1 Maccabees 13:51 the King James Version; compare 2 Maccabees 10:7). The same idea comes out in the use of palm branches by the multitudes who escorted Jesus to Jerusalem (John 12:13) and also in the vision of the "great multitude, which no man could number.... standing before the.... Lamb, arrayed in white robes, and palms in their hands" (Revelation 7:9). Today palms are carried in every Moslem funeral procession and are laid on the new-made grave.
See also TAMAR as a proper name.
E. W. G. Masterman
Greek
5404. phoinix -- the date palm, a palm ... the date
palm, a
palm. Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine Transliteration: phoinix
Phonetic Spelling: (foy'-nix) Short Definition: a
palm tree,
palm branch
... //strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5404.htm - 6k902. baion -- a palm branch
... a palm branch. Part of Speech: Noun, Neuter Transliteration: baion Phonetic Spelling:
(bah-ee'-on) Short Definition: a palm branch Definition: a palm branch. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/902.htm - 6k
4474. rhapizo -- to strike with a rod, hence to strike with the ...
... to strike with a rod, hence to strike with the palm of the hand. Part of Speech:
Verb Transliteration: rhapizo Phonetic Spelling: (hrap-id'-zo) Short Definition ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4474.htm - 6k
4475. rhapisma -- a blow (with a stick or the palm of the hand)
... a blow (with a stick or the palm of the hand). Part of Speech: Noun, Neuter
Transliteration: rhapisma Phonetic Spelling: (hrap'-is-mah) Short Definition: a ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4475.htm - 6k
2048. eremos -- solitary, desolate
... Here and there, in clefts and basins, and on the hillsides, grade on grade, you
observe a patch of corn, a clump of olives, a single palm' " (, 22).]. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2048.htm - 8k
5180. tupto -- to strike, smite, beat
... and patasso, which denote a (usually single) blow with the hand or any instrument,
or plesso with the fist (or a hammer), or rhapizo with the palm; as well as ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5180.htm - 7k
5403. Phoinike -- Phoenicia, a region North of Galilee
... Phoenicia. From phoinix; palm-country; Phoenice (or Phoenicia), a region of Palestine --
Phenice, Phenicia. see GREEK phoinix. (phoiniken) -- 2 Occurrences. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5403.htm - 6k
1325. didomi -- to give (in various senses lit. or fig.)
... deliver (up), give, grant, hinder, make, minister, number, offer, have power, put,
receive, set, shew, smite (+ with the hand), strike (+ with the palm of the ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1325.htm - 12k
Strong's Hebrew
8558. tamar -- palm tree, date palm... 8557, 8558. tamar. 8559 .
palm tree, date
palm. Transliteration: tamar
Phonetic Spelling: (taw-mawr') Short Definition: trees. Word
... /hebrew/8558.htm - 6k 8561. timorah -- palm (tree) figure
... 8560, 8561. timorah. 8562 . palm (tree) figure. Transliteration: timorah
Phonetic Spelling: (tim-more') Short Definition: trees. ...
/hebrew/8561.htm - 6k
3709. kaph -- hollow or flat of the hand, palm, sole (of the foot) ...
... 3708b, 3709. kaph. 3710 . hollow or flat of the hand, palm, sole (of the foot),
a pan. Transliteration: kaph Phonetic Spelling: (kaf) Short Definition: hands ...
/hebrew/3709.htm - 6k
8560. tomer -- palm tree, post
... 8559, 8560. tomer. 8561 . palm tree, post. Transliteration: tomer Phonetic
Spelling: (to'-mer) Short Definition: tree. ... palm tree. ...
/hebrew/8560.htm - 6k
3712. kippah -- a branch, frond (of a palm tree)
... 3711, 3712. kippah. 3713 . a branch, frond (of a palm tree). Transliteration:
kippah Phonetic Spelling: (kip-paw') Short Definition: branch. Word Origin fem ...
/hebrew/3712.htm - 6k
6450. Pas Dammim -- "palm of blood," a place in Judah
... 6449, 6450. Pas Dammim. 6451 . "palm of blood," a place in Judah. Transliteration:
Pas Dammim Phonetic Spelling: (pas dam-meem') Short Definition: Pasdammim ...
/hebrew/6450.htm - 6k
6447. pas -- palm (of the hand)
... 6446, 6447. pas. 6448 . palm (of the hand). Transliteration: pas Phonetic
Spelling: (pas) Short Definition: back. Word Origin (Aramaic ...
/hebrew/6447.htm - 6k
5899. ir hattemarim -- Ir-hat-Temarim, a place in Palestine -- the ...
... Ir-hat-Temarim, a place in Palestine -- the city of palm trees. Transliteration:
ir hattemarim Phonetic Spelling: (eer hat-tem-aw-reem') Short Definition: palm. ...
/hebrew/5899.htm - 6k
8490. timarah -- (palm-like) column
... 8489, 8490. timarah. 8491 . (palm-like) column. Transliteration: timarah
Phonetic Spelling: (tee-maw-raw') Short Definition: columns. ...
/hebrew/8490.htm - 6k
2947. tephach -- a span, handbreadth, coping
... From taphach; a spread of the hand, ie A palm- breadth (not "span" of the fingers);
architecturally, a corbel (as a supporting palm) -- coping, hand-breadth. ...
/hebrew/2947.htm - 6k
Library
Palm Sunday
... HYMNS OF THE EARLY CHURCH Palm Sunday. 8,6,8,6 Palm Sunday. Behold the Lord to Zion
rides,. And crowds hosannas sing; They spread their garments in the way,. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/brownlie/hymns of the early church/palm sunday.htm
Palm Sunday
... Palm Sunday. Text: Philippians 2, 5-11. 5 Have this mind in you, which was
also in Christ Jesus: 6 who, existing in the form of God ...
//christianbookshelf.org/luther/epistle sermons vol ii/palm sunday.htm
The Palm-Bearing Multitude.
... EXPOSITION OF THE APOCALYPSE. The Palm-bearing Multitude. "After ... them.
The palm-branches in their hands, are emblems of victory. ...
/.../bliss/a brief commentary on the apocalypse/the palm-bearing multitude.htm
Palm Branches.
... XVIII. PALM BRANCHES. We ... salvation? Let us ask, have we received Jesus as
our King?"have our palm branches been cast at His feet? ...
//christianbookshelf.org/macduff/memories of bethany/xviii palm branches.htm
Troparia for Palm Sunday.
... TROPARIA FOR PALM SUNDAY. The following Stanzas are from the triodion sung
at Compline on Palm Sunday: which has the same name among ...
/.../neale/hymns of the eastern church/troparia for palm sunday.htm
Of the Palm-bearing Multitude of Persons innumerable, rejoicing in ...
... Of the Palm-bearing Multitude of Persons innumerable, rejoicing in triumph, out
of all nations, and kindreds, and peoples, and tongues; with the Seventh Trumpet ...
/.../mede/a key to the apocalypse/synchronism vii of the palm-bearing.htm
Sermon for Palm Sunday
... SERMONS OF THE Reverend Doctor John Tauler XIII Sermon for Palm Sunday.
How a man ought in all His works to regard God alone, and ...
/.../xiii sermon for palm sunday.htm
Palm Sunday. And the Multitude that Went Before, and that Followed ...
... Palm Sunday. And the multitude that went before, and that followed, cried,
saying, Hosanna to the Son of David; Blessed is He that ...
/.../winkworth/lyra germanica the christian year/palm sunday and the multitude.htm
Palm Sunday Music by Franz Schubert Edited and Revised by NA ...
... No. 163 PALM SUNDAY MUSIC by Franz Schubert Edited and revised by NA Montani. PALM
SUNDAY MUSIC by Franz Schubert Edited and revised by NA Montani ...
/.../the st gregory hymnal and catholic choir book/no 163 palm sunday music.htm
Palm Sunday --The Day of Triumph.
... PALM SUNDAY"THE DAY OF TRIUMPH. THE TRIUMPHAL ENTRY. On the morrow when
they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, unto Bethphage and Bethany ...
//christianbookshelf.org/barton/his last week/palm sundaythe day of triumph.htm
Thesaurus
Palm (49 Occurrences)...Palm tree. (Hebrews tamar), the date-
palm characteristic of Palestine.
... Branches of
the
palm tree were carried at the feast of Tabernacles (Leviticus 23:40).
.../p/palm.htm - 35kPalm-trees (23 Occurrences)
Palm-trees. Palm-tree, Palm-trees. Palsied . Multi-Version
Concordance Palm-trees (23 Occurrences). John 12:13 Took ...
/p/palm-trees.htm - 13k
Palm-tree (8 Occurrences)
Palm-tree. Palms, Palm-tree. Palm-trees . Multi-Version Concordance
Palm-tree (8 Occurrences). Judges 4:5 And she dwelt ...
/p/palm-tree.htm - 8k
Palm-branch (2 Occurrences)
Palm-branch. Palm, Palm-branch. Palm-branches . Multi-Version Concordance
Palm-branch (2 Occurrences). Isaiah 9:14 Therefore Jehovah ...
/p/palm-branch.htm - 6k
Palm-branches (1 Occurrence)
Palm-branches. Palm-branch, Palm-branches. Palm-column . Multi-Version
Concordance Palm-branches (1 Occurrence). Nehemiah 8:15 and ...
/p/palm-branches.htm - 6k
Palm-column (1 Occurrence)
Palm-column. Palm-branches, Palm-column. Palmerworm . Multi-Version
Concordance Palm-column (1 Occurrence). Jeremiah ...
/p/palm-column.htm - 6k
Carved (36 Occurrences)
... 1 Kings 6:29 He carved all the walls of the house around with carved figures of
cherubim and palm trees and open flowers, inside and outside. ...
/c/carved.htm - 17k
Uprights (20 Occurrences)
... windows inside the doorway all round, and in the same way the covered way had windows
all round on the inside: and on every upright there were palm-trees. ...
/u/uprights.htm - 12k
Jambs (19 Occurrences)
... to the lodges, and to their posts within the gate all around, and likewise to the
arches; and windows were around inward; and on each post were palm trees. ...
/j/jambs.htm - 11k
Resources
What is Palm Sunday? | GotQuestions.orgWhat does the Bible say about palm reading? | GotQuestions.orgWhat is the significance of the triumphal/triumphant entry? | GotQuestions.orgPalm: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
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