OakQuercus species

The Hebrew words elon and elah have been variously translated as “oak” (species of Quercus), “terebinth” (species of Pistacia), “elm” (species of Ulmus), and “holm” (Q. ilex). In the upland forests of the Levant, there are few angiosperm trees that reach a goodly size. The plane tree (Platanus orientalis; see Plane) can become large but is usually restricted in its habitat to watercourses. The two species of pine in the region, Pinus brutia and P. halepensis, are relatively short-lived trees. Cypress, Cupressus sempervirens, and cedar of Lebanon, Cedrus libani, are gymnosperms attaining their greatest girth at higher elevations.

So how can the Bible reader discern between the terebinths and oaks? Bible ecology gives some clues, as in the oaks of Bashan. Historically, this region has been known for its once extensive oak forests (see later). A species of terebinth, P. atlantica, does occur there but is not as abundant as oak, especially Q. calliprinos (kermes oak), which tolerates more aridity than P. atlantica (Liphschitz et al., 1981). Q. infectoria (Aleppo oak) also occurs in the forests of Bashan, but like Q. calliprinos, its frequency today is vastly different from biblical times.