Olive-tree

The olive tree in biblical literature functions both as an agricultural reality and as a richly layered symbol. As a tree it is described as good in Jotham's fable (Judges 9:9), its oil described as that which honors God and man. The Psalmist describes the righteous man as a green olive tree in the house of God (Psalm 52:8). The two witnesses of Revelation 11:4 are described as the two olive trees and the two lampstands — imagery drawn from Zechariah's vision of the golden lampstand flanked by two olive trees representing the divine supply of anointing (Zechariah 4:3–14).

Cultivation of olive trees was a major occupation in biblical Canaan. Their deep roots and ability to regrow from the stump after cutting made them a fitting symbol of resilience and renewal. The Davidic royal line, whose potential seemed extinguished at the Exile, was compared to a stump from which a shoot would grow — an image that recalls the olive's regenerative power (Isaiah 11:1).