A tree that grows naturally in Palestine. Its wood was used for building and construction (1 Kings 6:9). Cedar refers to several types of evergreen trees with cones that are native to Europe, Asia, and Africa. Most mentions of "cedar" in the Bible refer to the cedar of Lebanon.
The cedar of Lebanon (Cedrus libani) is a magnificent tree. It was the tallest and most impressive tree known to the Israelite people. It grows quite quickly, reaching heights of up to 36.6 meters (120 feet). Its trunk grows as wide as 2.4 meters (8 feet) across. During King Solomon's time, these trees were plentiful on the mountains of Lebanon. Today, they are very rare because too many have been cut down for lumber.
People valued the cedar of Lebanon for many reasons: its strength, beauty, long life, pleasant smell, and wood that lasts a very long time without rotting. The tree became a symbol of greatness, power, majesty, dignity, tall stature, and wide spreading branches.
In Ezekiel 17:3, 22–24, and 31:3–18, these towering trees are like kings of the forest. Cedars are used as symbols to represent worldly strength, power, and glory.