Augur's Oak
LocationsGeographical Setting
A sacred oak tree located at Shechem, serving as a site for covenant renewal and divine encounter in ancient Israelite tradition.
What is the meaning of Augur's Oak in the Bible?
The augur's oak, identified by the Hebrew phrase 'elon baal-taraphim,' was a sacred oak tree at Shechem associated with household gods and divination, serving as a landmark in the narratives of Genesis 12:6 and Judges 9:37.
SIGNIFICANCE
Recognizing the augur's oak as a site of indigenous Canaanite religious practice helps readers understand the complex religious landscape of ancient Israel, illustrating how early biblical traditions interacted with and often contested local pagan cultic sites.
Bible Study Quick-Reference Guide
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Related Topics
Source Attribution
Built upon the 1915 International Standard Bible Encyclopedia and Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897). Entries have been modernized, checked for academic truthfulness, and shortened for clarity.