### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word tômer (תֹּמֶר), transliterated H8560, derives from the same root as tāmār (תָּמָר, `{{H8558}}`), which primarily denotes the "date palm" or "palm tree." While tāmār often refers to the fruit-bearing tree, tômer specifically emphasizes the "palm trunk" or the tree in its upright, columnar form. Its semantic range thus encompasses the physical structure of the palm, highlighting its straightness, height, and often its use as a pillar or decorative element. The palm tree, in the ancient Near East, was a ubiquitous and highly valued plant, known for its resilience in arid climates, its abundant fruit (dates), and its striking upright posture. This inherent uprightness and the tree's association with life-giving sustenance in harsh environments contribute to its symbolic potential.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The term tômer appears sparingly in the Hebrew Bible, but its occurrences are highly significant for understanding its symbolic weight.
1. **Jeremiah 10:5**: Here, tômer is used in a polemic against idolatry: "They are like a scarecrow in a cucumber field, and they cannot speak; they must be carried, because they cannot walk. Do not be afraid of them, for they cannot do evil, nor can they do good." The phrase "like a scarecrow" (or "like a palm trunk") describes the idols. The imagery emphasizes their inertness and lifelessness. Like a palm trunk that stands upright but is devoid of life, movement, or agency, so too are idols. They possess an impressive form but lack any inherent power or divine essence, standing as mute, immobile objects that require human intervention to be moved. This passage starkly contrasts the living God with the deadness of human-made deities.
2. **Ezekiel 41:18, 41:19, 41:25, 41:26**: In the detailed vision of the future temple, tômer appears multiple times as an architectural motif. "And it was made with cherubim and palm trees (תֹּמֶר), so that a palm tree (תֹּמֶר) was between cherub and cherub. And each cherub had two faces: a human face toward the palm tree (תֹּמֶר) on one side, and a lion's face toward the palm tree (תֹּמֶר) on the other side" [[Ezekiel 41:18-19]]. The palm trees, along with cherubim, are carved into the walls and doors of the temple. This use of tômer signifies beauty, ornamentation, and possibly a representation of the Garden of Eden within the sacred space. The repetition underscores the prominence of this imagery in the divine blueprint for the temple, suggesting themes of life, flourishing, and the presence of God. Unlike the dead idols in Jeremiah, these palm trees are part of a divinely ordained, living sanctuary.
### Related Words & Concepts
The primary related word is tāmār (תָּמָר, `{{H8558}}`), the more common term for "date palm." This root also gives rise to Tamar (תָּמָר, `{{H8559}}`), a common feminine proper name, often associated with beauty and uprightness. Another significant derivative is timorah (תִּמֹרָה, `{{H8561}}`), which denotes a "palm-shaped ornament" or "palm-like pillar," further reinforcing the architectural and decorative uses seen in Ezekiel.
Conceptually, tômer connects to broader biblical themes:
* **Uprightness and Steadfastness:** The palm's straight trunk symbolizes integrity and resilience.
* **Flourishing and Life:** Though tômer itself emphasizes the trunk, its connection to the fruit-bearing palm links it to themes of sustenance, prosperity, and life, particularly in arid lands where palms signify oases.
* **Beauty and Ornamentation:** As seen in Ezekiel, the palm is a motif of aesthetic beauty and sacred decoration.
* **Idolatry vs. True Worship:** The contrasting uses in Jeremiah and Ezekiel highlight a profound theological distinction between the deadness of idols and the vibrant, sacred imagery within God's dwelling.
### Theological Significance
The theological significance of tômer lies in its dual, contrasting symbolic applications. In Jeremiah, it serves as a powerful metaphor for the **vanity and impotence of idolatry**. Idols, though they may be crafted with skill and stand upright like a palm trunk, are utterly devoid of life, power, or divine essence. They cannot speak, walk, or act, emphasizing the radical difference between human-made gods and the living, active God of Israel. This passage underscores the folly of worshipping creation rather than the Creator.
Conversely, in Ezekiel's temple vision, tômer takes on a profoundly **sacred and life-affirming significance**. Carved alongside cherubim, the palm trees contribute to the holiness and beauty of God's dwelling place. Here, they symbolize not inertness, but divine presence, flourishing life, and perhaps an echo of the Garden of Eden, where God walked with humanity. The imagery suggests a restored creation within the sanctuary, where God's presence brings forth beauty and life. The juxtaposition of the palm with the cherubim, celestial guardians, further elevates its symbolic status, integrating the natural world into the divine cosmic order of worship. Thus, tômer moves from a symbol of lifeless form in idolatry to a vibrant, integral part of the sacred architecture of God's dwelling.
### Summary
The Hebrew word tômer (תֹּמֶר, `{{H8560}}`) primarily denotes a "palm trunk" or "palm tree," emphasizing its upright, columnar structure. While less frequent than its root tāmār (`{{H8558}}`), its biblical occurrences are highly illustrative. In [[Jeremiah 10:5]], tômer is used to describe the lifelessness and futility of idols, which possess form but no inherent power or divine life. In stark contrast, within Ezekiel's vision of the future temple ([[Ezekiel 41:18-26]]), tômer appears as a significant architectural motif, carved into the walls and doors alongside cherubim. In this context, it symbolizes beauty, sacred ornamentation, and the flourishing life associated with God's divine presence within the sanctuary. Thus, tômer serves as a poignant biblical image, highlighting the profound theological distinction between the inertness of human-made gods and the vibrant, life-giving reality of God's dwelling and worship.
TRV