Greek word · G1636

ἐλαία

elaia

olive tree

The olive tree, and sometimes the olive fruit. The olive was the main source of oil in the ancient Mediterranean, used for light, food, medicine, and anointing kings and priests.

Appears 4 times in 4 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

ἐλαία

(Attic, ἐλάα), -ας, ἡ [in LXX for זַיִת ;]

1. an olive tree: Romans 11:17, 24, Revelation 11:4; τ. ὄρος τῶν ἐ. (זַיִת הַר, Zechariah 14:4), the Mount of Olives: Matthew 21:1 24:3 26:30, Mark 11:1 13:3 14:26, Luke 19:37 22:39; τὸ καλούμενον ἐ. (T, ἐλαιών, which see), Luke 19:29 21:37.

2. an olive (Aristoph.): James 3:12.†

(AS)

From G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of Revelation 11:4

Range of meaning

The olive tree, and sometimes the olive fruit. The olive was the main source of oil in the ancient Mediterranean, used for light, food, medicine, and anointing kings and priests.

Against the English

"Olive tree" is accurate. What English readers miss is the allusion: these are not just any trees but the two trees from Zechariah's vision, and their whole function there is to be sources of oil.

Used elsewhere in the period

Greek Zechariah 4:3, 11 uses ἐλαῖαι for the two trees beside the lampstand. In Zechariah 4:12-14 the prophet asks what the trees mean and is told they are "the two sons of fresh oil" (Hebrew bene ha-yitshar). The Greek Old Testament renders this "the two sons of fatness", and Qumran fragment 4Q254 also mentions "the two sons of oil". In Zechariah's setting (about 520 BC) the two are generally identified as Zerubbabel, heir of David's line, and Joshua the high priest: a royal figure and a priestly one. Paul uses the olive tree for Israel (Romans 11:17-24).

From the study of John 8:1

Range of meaning

Olive tree. Sometimes the fruit, the olive.

Against the English

'Mount of Olives' is accurate. The Greek is plural, 'of the olive trees', and names the hill after its groves.

Used elsewhere in the period

The full phrase 'mount of the olives' appears in the Septuagint (Zechariah 14:4) and in Matthew, Mark and Luke. Luke and Acts also use a different word, ἐλαιών ('olive grove', 'Olivet'), as a name: 'the mount called Olivet' (Luke 19:29; 21:37; Acts 1:12). The Mishnah mentions olive and oil production around Jerusalem, and the name Gethsemane ('oil press') points to the same industry on this slope.

Where it appears

Romans · 2

  1. Romans 11:17 ἐλαίας olive tree

    Now if some branches have been broken off, and you, a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others to share in the nourishment of the olive root,

    Here: The cultivated olive, set against the wild one (agrielaios). Jeremiah 11:16 and Hosea 14:6 already use it as a picture of Israel. Verse 24 calls it "their own olive tree": the tree belongs to Israel.

  2. Romans 11:24 ἐλαίᾳ;¶ olive tree?

    For if you were cut from a wild olive tree, and contrary to nature were grafted into one that is cultivated, how much more readily will these, the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree!

James · 1

  1. James 3:12 ἐλαίας olives

    My brothers, can a fig tree grow olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.

    Here: Here in the plural it means the fruit, "olives" (KJV "olive berries"). A fig tree bearing olives is a picture of something that cannot happen.

Revelation · 1

  1. Revelation 11:4 ἐλαῖαι olive trees

    These witnesses are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth.

    Here: The olive trees of Zechariah 4:3, 11-14, which supply oil directly to the lamps. In Zechariah they stand for the two "sons of oil", Israel's anointed leaders. Here they show the witnesses as anointed people whose power comes from God's Spirit.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.