Leaf

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Faded Fig Leaves

Key Words

Word Gloss Ref.
עָלֶה "leaf, foliage" Ps. 1:3

Ancient Setting

"A variety of leaves were put to practical use in ancient Near East. For example, box tree leaves were used for tanning; black berry leaves were chewed for bleeding gums or applied to burns; fig leaves were woven into baskets; olive leaves provided an astringent; and sycamore and walnut leaves were used to dress wounds."[1]

Connotations

The image of a leaf, as something which fades and falls (נבל), connotes decay (Isa. 1:30; 34:4; 64:5; Jer. 8:13; Ezek. 47:12). It is thus remarkable that the leaves in Psalm 1 "do not fade and fall" (1:3).

Alternatively, the image of a leaf can refer to general success (Ps. 1:3; Prov. 11:28).

Target Domains

  • In Psalm 1 the image of unfading foliage maps onto the steady success of the righteous person. The image of foliage appears in parallel with the image of fruit as part of a broader network of images connected to tree imagery.

References

  1. Leland Ryken, Tremper Longman III, and James Wilhoit, eds., "Leaf" in Dictionary of Biblical Imagery (Downers Grove: Intervarsity Press, 1998).