Ezekiel’s Cedars and the Bible’s Other Trees

One thing those Zionist farmers did was plant trees, which, the Bible makes clear, were spread over much of the land in ancient times. Beginning with the third day of creation and the famous trees of the Garden of Eden, trees play a major role in the Tanakh, and often convey rich symbolism. Adriane Leveen examines some of these symbolic uses, noting that they are far from generic; rather, “the prophets use their knowledge of trees, gained from acute observation” to convey their message. Take, for instance, the way Ezekiel evokes the cedar: