Bay Tree
BAY-TREE
The bay tree is the Laurel of North America and the south of Europe; an evergreen tree, a wreath from which has been from time immemorial the symbolical crown of poets and warriors. The word rendered “bay- tree” in Psa 37:35, seems to mean simply a native, green and vigorous.
Fuente: American Tract Society Bible Dictionary
Bay Tree
Bay Tree. The laurel, a tree native to Canaan. The laurel grew to heights of 12 to 18 meters (40-60 feet) and produced small greenish-white flowers and black berries. Parts of the tree were used in medicine, while its leaves were used as seasoning. The Hebrew word means “a tree in its native soil”; this was a fitting way for David to describe the natural prosperity of the wicked ( Psa 37:35), (KJV; native green tree, NKJV).
Fuente: Plants Animals Of Bible
Bay-tree
(, ezrach’, native; Sept. , apparently by mistake for ) occurs only once in Scripture as the name of a tree, namely, in Psa 37:35 : I have seen the wicked in great power, spreading himself like a green bay-tree; where some suppose it to indicate a specific tree, as the laurel; and others, supported by the Sept. and Vulg. the cedar of Lebanon. It is by some considered to mean an evergreen tree, and by others a green tree that grows in its native soil, or that has not suffered by transplanting, as such a tree spreads itself luxuriantly (so Gesenius, Thes. Heb. s.v. in accordance with the etymology). Others, again, as the unknown author of the sixth Greek edition, who is quoted by Celsius (1, 194), consider the word as referring to the indigenous man, in the sense of self-sufficiency; and this opinion is adopted by Celsius himself, who states that recent interpreters have adopted the laurel or bay-tree for no other reason than because it is an evergreen. Sir Thomas Browne, indeed, says, As the sense of the text is sufficiently answered by this, we are unwilling to exclude that noble plant from the honor of having its name in Scripture. Isidore de Barriere, on the contrary, concludes that the laurel is not mentioned in Scripture because it has been profaned by Gentile fables. But the abuse of a thing should not prevent its proper use; and if such a principle had been acted on, we should not have found in Scripture mention of any trees or plants employed by the Gentiles in their superstitious ceremonies, as the vine, the olive, and the cedar. SEE NATIVE.
Fuente: Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature
Bay tree
named only in Ps. 37:35, Authorized Version. The Hebrew word so rendered is _ereh_, which simply means “native born”, i.e., a tree not transplanted, but growing on its native soil, and therefore luxuriantly. If the psalmist intended by this word to denote any particular tree, it may have been the evergreen bay laurel (Laurus nobilis), which is a native of Palestine. Instead of “like a green bay tree” in the Authorized Version, the Revised Version has, “like a green tree in its native soil.”
Fuente: Easton’s Bible Dictionary
Bay-Tree
BAY-TREE (ezrch, Psa 37:35) is probably a mistranslation for a tree in its native soil (RV [Note: Revised Version.] ). Many authorities, however, would here emend the Heb. text to read erez, cedar.
E. W. G. Masterman.
Fuente: Hastings’ Dictionary of the Bible
Bay Tree
batre (the King James Version only; Psa 37:35; , ‘ezrah): The word means native, indigenous, and the Revised Version (British and American) translations a green tree in its native soil.
Fuente: International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
Bay Tree
Bay-tree or Laurel. This word occurs only once in Scripture, namely in Psa 37:35 : ‘I have seen the wicked in great power, spreading himself like a green bay-tree.’ Commentators and translators have differed respecting the meaning of this word, some supposing it to indicate a specific tree, as the laurel; and others, supported by the Septuagint and Vulgate, the cedar of Lebanon. It is by some considered to mean an evergreen tree, and by others, a green tree that grows in its native soil, or that has not suffered by transplanting, as such a tree spreads itself luxuriantly. It appears to us that the Hebrew word would indicate some tree resembling the bay-tree, rather than the bay-tree itself; but until that can be discovered, the latter is, upon the whole, well suited to stand as its representative.
Fig. 85Bay-tree, Laurus nobilis
The laurel, or bay-tree, laurus nobilis of botanists, is well known to the Asiatics by its Arabic name of ghar, under which it is mentioned by Serapion and Avicenna, who quote chiefly Dioscorides and Galen, thus indicating that they had not much original information of their own respecting a tree which is probably not indigenous in the countries in which they wrote. The leaves and berries of the laurel, as well as the bark and the root, were employed in medicine: the berries continue, even in the present day, to be exported to India, where we found them in the bazaars, under the name of hubal-ghar, being still esteemed as a stimulant medicinal, though not possessed of any properties superior to those of the laurels of more southern latitudes. The bay-tree is well known to be common in the south of Europe, as in Spain, Italy, Greece, and the Levant. It is usually from 20 to 30 feet in height, often having a bushy appearance, from throwing up so many suckers; but in England it has attained a height of 60 feet, which is not unusual in warmer climates. It is unnecessary to allude further to the celebrity which it attained among the ancientsa celebrity which has not yet passed away, the laurel-wreath being still the symbolical crown as well of warriors as of poets. Its ever green grateful appearance, its thick shade, and the agreeable spicy odor of its leaves, point it out as that which was most likely in the eye of the Psalmist.
Fuente: Popular Cyclopedia Biblical Literature
Bay Tree
From ‘native born,’ or that which springs up without transplanting. Psa 37:35 reads in the margin, ‘tree that groweth in his own soil,’ a striking emblem of the wicked spreading himself in his own earthly soil.
Fuente: Concise Bible Dictionary
Bay Tree
Psa 37:35
Fuente: Nave’s Topical Bible
Bay Tree
Bay Tree. A species of laurel, Laurus nobilis, an evergreen, with leaves like our mountain laurel. Psa 37:35.
Fuente: Smith’s Bible Dictionary
Bay-Tree
. It is mentioned only in Psa 37:35-36 : I have seen the ungodly in great power, and flourishing like a green bay-tree. Yet he passed away, and lo, he was not. Yea, I sought him, but he could not be found. Aben Ezra, Jarchi, Kimchi, Jerom, and some others say that the original may mean only a native tree; a tree growing in its native soil, not having suffered by transplantation. Such a tree spreads itself luxuriantly. The Septuagint and Vulgate render it cedars; but the high Dutch of Luther’s Bible, the old Saxon, the French, the Spanish, the Italian of Diodati, and the version of Ainsworth, make it the laurel.
Fuente: Biblical and Theological Dictionary
Bay Tree
Psa 37:35 (a) This tree is a type of the prosperous sinner whose business grows to tremendous proportions and whose interests enter into many departments of life, all of which are successful. GOD is good. He gives some men a Heaven on earth because He knows they will not have one hereafter.