FOREST. 1. ya‘ar (root meaning a ‘rugged’ place), Deuteronomy 19:5 , 2 Kings 2:24 , Jeremiah 46:23 , Micah 3:12 etc. 2. horesh , 2 Chronicles 27:4 etc.; tr. [Note: translate or translation.] ‘wood,’ 1 Samuel 23:15 (perhaps a proper name). 3. pardçs , Nehemiah 2:3 AV [Note: Authorized Version.] ‘king’s forest,’ RVm [Note: Revised Version margin.] ‘park’; also tr. [Note: translate or translation.] ‘orchards,’ Song of Solomon 4:13 , Ecclesiastes 2:5 , RV [Note: Revised Version.] ‘parks.’ From the many references it is clear that Palestine had more extensive forests in ancient times than to-day, indeed, within living memory there has been a vast destruction of trees for fuel. Considerable patches of woodland still exist, e.g. on Tabor and Carmel, in parts of N. Galilee, around Banias, and specially in Gilead between es-Salt and the Jabbok.
E. W. G. Masterman.
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