Acts242

Thanks for your insight on the Tamarisk tree, and for your challenging question at the end.

I’ve been reading 1 Samuel and Tamarisk tree stuck out to me. I read again today in 1 Sam, that the bones of Saul and his sons were buried under this tree. I decided to check out blueletterbible.com and also google tamarisk tree to get more info. You mentioned that the only place Scripture mentions the Tamarisk tree was in Genesis, but it is also mentioned twice in 1 Sam. Just wanted to share that with you. Thanks again for your insight and charge to be others-focused.

1 Samuel 22:6
[ Saul Kills the Priests of Nob ] Now Saul heard that David and his men had been discovered. And Saul, spear in hand, was seated under the tamarisk tree on the hill at Gibeah, with all his officials standing around him.

1 Samuel 31:13
Then they took their bones and buried them under a tamarisk tree at Jabesh, and they fasted seven days.

Laura , Thanks for pointing out the other references to the tamarisk tree found in 1 Samuel. I have changed my post to reflect those verses. I appreciate you taking the time to read my thoughts-you sound like a woman of the text. God Bless Bob

What authority would one consult to find the basis for your statement:

To a Bedouin or a Jew, you don’t plant a tamarisk for yourself, you plant it for the generations to come. From the Abraham story, they took the idea that I am planting this tree to say, “for generations to come, my family is going to be here”. “This shade is for the generations to come, I’ll never get to use it.”

Thanks for the posts and the I Samuel references. I was intrigued with the reference to the tree as I read the Genesis account and it seems to me, the tamarisk tree is a foreshadowing of the cross. Abraham planted it to make peace with Abimelech. In I Samuel 22, Saul was sitting under a tamarisk tree when he ordered the murder of the priests. Later, in I Samuel 31, Saul’s bones were buried under a tamarisk tree.
From a google search I learned that the tamarisk tree is able to grow in deserts because it sends its roots down deep and can live in saline places where other plants can’t grow. It secretes salt and water. It has little value and tends to crowd out other vegetation. It sends out huge numbers of seeds.
The cross also was a tree planted to make peace in a desert-like environment (a sinful world of death). The cross itself is an ugly object of scorn, ridicule and death. The perfect priest of God (Jesus) was killed on it as a peace offering. It represents death (Saul’s bones were buried there). Yet it collects and brings forth living water and the “salt of the earth” in the desert. Its seeds spread forth like the gospel and will eventually crowd out competitors (other ways to God and false religions).

Thank you for the post about the Tamarisk tree. I believe your insight has helped me expand my view on it. I do wonder if I’m missing the point here though, when I read the passage in Genesis, from what I’ve researched about Tamarisk tree’s, it seems to me that not only was Abraham leaving his mark as a sign that “this is the land God has given me, and my family and their family will rest under this tree” but also it was a sign of his covenant with Abimelech and his covenant with God. A tamarisk tree can withstand extreme seasons and natural elements. Like you said, in the Middle East they grow much larger, so it could be seen from a distance. I feel that this tree was a reminder for Abraham and Abimelech for their loyalty to their covenant, and was also a promise for his family that they would rest in the land God had promised for better or worse.

I think the significance of planting the Tamarisk Tree is in that Abraham was saying that he trusted God and this was his sign of trust to the Lord, that he was planting something that he himself would not be able to enjoy, but was provision for the promise fulfilled in his seed. The highest significance of Abraham in the Bible is that he TRUSTED God…and it was his trust that caused God to call him righteous.

Thank you for the uplifting comments on the Tamarisk Tree. I was researc hing the tree because of the one that is planted next to the stone in New Mexico with the ten commands engraved in ancient Hebrew. It is in San Lunas. You might be interested in reading about it.

Thank you for the information on the tamarisk tree. What a blessing to know! while I was reading my Bible in Genesis. :)

Thanks for the insight,it shows that every symbol in the word of God has a powerful significance,if we only know how to use them for the benefit of the Kingdom and generations to come

Thank you,for your insights regarding the Tamarisk tree, the significance of the planting is varied, but the fact that we can take the message into our lives and live it out is praiseworthy. For a couple of weeks it has been in my head regarding the Tamarisk tree from another source but then I read this blog of yours which reminded me of. “How much of what we do in life is done for just ourselves? Our comfort, our profit, our satisfaction? Do we do anything to bless or to plant a seed for the generations that are to come? Is there anything that you are currently involved in that will outlive you? A thought, do something this week that will benefit people long after you are gone. The desert speaks… ”
I pray that the Lord will show me the seed He wants me to plant for future generations to enjoy.

Thanks for your insight on the purpose of the Tree planted by Abraham. it was exactly what I sought. Your insight adapts very well when searching for further understanding for why this type of tree was planted. (I’m studying Blood Covenants in Scripture). In truth, I wasn’t surprised that it was a tree because that was often a sign or memorial confirming a Blood Covenant. God and Abraham ‘cut’ a covenant (the slain animal being God’s substitute) and Abraham made one with Abimelech (with differences). They each one, became permanent partners because the life is in the blood and now their lives are exchanged, meaning what is yours in mine and mine yours and if you have need of something, you can draw from my strength, or wealth etc. Also part of the covenant was the witness (Phicol), the exchange of agreements (promises) , a sign and or memorial. The tree I would call the Memorial. Being a slow growing tree it would last into succeeding generations and be well watered! (Covenants can be generational: consider Mephibosheth. “Consider others as better than yourself” goes along with your call to think of others in what we do. (Abe’s family was protected for a long time by this covenant- at least two generations of Abimelech’s). (Genesis 21:22-34) ps These Covenants are NOT treaties. Sorry for the length of this, you may edit.

@Joan – If you have not already read them, I highly recommend Michael Horton’s “God of Promise” and Meredith Kline’s “Treaty of the Great King: The Covenant Structure of Deuteronomy” when researching covenants; excellent work here by both authors.

why the word tamarisk is not mentioned in KJV ?

From the Strong’s entry for ‘eshel (#815), the word can also be used to signify a grove or tree: “From a root of uncertain signification; a tamarisk tree; by extension, a grove of any kind — grove, tree.” It appears the KJV interpreted ‘eshel in Gen 21:33 as “grove” and simply as “tree” in the other mentions. It’s worth noting the New King James Version updated the interpretation to tamarisk – supposedly “due to the similarity of ‘eshel to the Arabic ‘athl, ‘the tamarisk.’“

How I enjoyed reading all of the comments regarding the tamarisk tree.
I am studying Genesis and wanted to find out more of the significance of the tree. These comments have been very interesting. God is so good. It’s amazing how He ties everything together of us in His word.
So much significance that goes beyond and points to Christ our Lord. God Bless you all!…
What am I doing to have an impact on the future? Trying to share my knowledge of the Lord with nephews, nieces and their children…
However the spirit leads me : )

I am also studying Genesis and I had to stop for some reason to search for the meaning of this Tamarisk tree. There is something to say about trees and how incredible they are just by itself. In a more simple way to look at this passage I remember throughout my childhood my parents planting lots and lots of trees and i know that there many this day that are enjoying the fruits of their labor.
Resently my husband gave me a garden, in the backyard of our house we live in for 20 years, with 28 trees in it. All I can say is that I never felt so connected to this placed as I do now. Maybe there is more to understand and learn about trees. We were made to live in a garden so maybe inside of us trees make us feel like home (where the tree of live is).