Ancient Olive Trees

Olive trees in the ancient world were extremely popular because of their rich produce of expensive olive oil. The olives on each tree were filled with oil, more than 50% of each olive. There was an abundance of olive trees in the land of Israel when the Hebrews entered the land, just as God had promised them. The land was thriving with olive trees and archaeology reveals that it was a center for oil in ancient times.

The olive tree was also valuable for its wood. Olive wood was strong and popular for carving. 

The tree itself had a lifespan of hundreds of years, and the most productive years for oil were 40-50 years old. The branches spread out beautifully, and it was a symbol of peacefulness and reproduction. The Hebrew word for "Messiah" means "to smear" with olive oil.

It is interesting that after the great flood, Noah released a dove and it returned with an olive branch.

"For the LORD thy God bringeth thee into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and depths that spring out of valleys and hills; A land of wheat, and barley, and vines, and fig trees, and pomegranates; a land of oil olive, and honey; A land wherein thou shalt eat bread without scarceness, thou shalt not lack any thing in it; a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills thou mayest dig brass."

Deuteronomy 8:7-9

"And the dove came in to him in the evening; and, lo, in her mouth was an olive leaf plucked off: so Noah knew that the waters were abated from off the earth."

Genesis 8:11

"His branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olive tree"

Hosea 14:6