Palm Tree

Occurrences in Scripture

• The palms of Elim: After the Exodus, Israel encamped at Elim, where there were twelve wells of water and seventy palm trees (Exodus 15:27).
• Branches for the Feast of Tabernacles: Leviticus commands that on the first day of the Feast of Tabernacles the people take branches of palm trees and boughs of other trees and rejoice (Leviticus 23:40). The people who returned from exile also built booths in keeping with this ordinance (Nehemiah 8:15).
• The city of palm trees: Jericho was called "the city of palm trees" (Deuteronomy 34:3; Judges 1:16).
• The palm tree of Deborah: The judge Deborah sat under a palm tree to render judgment (Judges 4:5).
• Temple decoration: Solomon carved cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers on the walls and doors of the temple (1 Kings 6:29). Palm-tree ornamentation also appears in the temple Ezekiel saw in his vision (Ezekiel 41:18).
• Poetry and song: Scripture declares, "The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree" (Psalm 92:12), and the Song of Solomon compares the stature of the beloved to a palm tree (Song of Solomon 7:7).
• Entry into Jerusalem: The crowd took branches of palm trees and went out to meet Jesus, crying "Hosanna" (John 12:13).
• Heavenly worship: A great multitude clothed in white robes stands before the throne with palms in their hands (Revelation 7:9).

Background

The palm tree of the Bible is generally identified as the date palm. In arid regions the date palm grows wherever water is available, and its fruit served as a source of food. It was especially abundant in the oasis city of Jericho. The Hebrew word is tamar, the same word as the feminine name Tamar. The New Testament uses the Greek word phoinix. The palms planted as ornamental trees in Korea belong to a different species from the date palm.

Significance Across Scripture

The palm tree carries several meanings in the Bible. At the Feast of Tabernacles it expresses the joy of the harvest, and in the Psalms it represents the flourishing of the righteous. In the Jerusalem temple it adorned the place of God's presence, and in the entry narrative it served as a sign of welcome for a king. First Maccabees, which Protestants do not include in the canon, also records that when Simon, the leader of the Jews, entered the citadel of Jerusalem, he was welcomed with praise and palm branches. The New Testament takes up these uses. The palm branches in Revelation are commonly read as depicting the victory and joy of the redeemed multitude.

Interpretation and Issues

• Differences among the Gospels: John is the only Gospel that specifically names palm trees. Matthew (21:8) and Mark (11:8) speak only of "branches," and Luke mentions only the garments spread on the road.
• The crowd's expectations: Some scholars regard the palm branches as a symbol of the hopes for national liberation current at the time. On this reading, the image of Jesus riding on a donkey stands in contrast to such expectations. Other interpreters, however, read the gesture simply as one of welcome.
• Connection with the Feast of Tabernacles: Some interpreters link the entry scene with the imagery of the Feast of Tabernacles. Others treat this connection with caution, noting that the event took place just before Passover.
• Embellishments in preaching: Sermon illustrations often add stories about the natural characteristics of the palm tree. These are not part of what the text says, and some of them have not been botanically verified.

In the Korean Church

The name Palm Sunday for the Sunday that begins Holy Week derives from the scene in John 12. The Catholic Church in Korea calls the same day Seongji Sunday (聖枝, "holy branch"). Churches that emphasize the church year and liturgy, such as the Anglican Church of Korea, sometimes hold a procession with palm branches or other branches in their place. In other churches, sermons on this day often focus on the entry narrative.