Description
Olive oil is extracted from the fruit of the olive tree.
Usage
The fruit of the olive tree was crushed in order to extract the oil it contained. The successive stages of the extraction produced oil of decreasing quality. Olive oil was used as food, as medicine (see Oil, ointment), as fuel for burning in lamps (see Oil lamp and wick), and as a perfume when mixed with sweet-smelling substances (see Perfumes). It was also offered with some cereal offerings in the Tabernacle and Temple (see, for example, LEV 2:0). Oil was also spread on war shields (see Small shield, buckler). It was also used to anoint certain objects or people as an act of consecration (see Anointing oil). The composition of the priestly anointing oil is given in EXO 30:22–EXO 30:25.
Translation
“Oil” in the Bible almost always refers to olive oil. Where olives and olive oil are unknown, it may be possible to substitute the oil extract of some other plant, such as soy or maize. A word referring to animal fat will not normally be appropriate. Many languages have a separate word for a refined petroleum product. Such a product was unknown in the ancient world, and the word for it should never be used.
The Hebrew word yitshar represents a higher quality of oil that was extracted with the first pressing. In all the passages listed above, the word probably refers to oil used for food.
The Hebrew word shemen refers to a food in 1KI 5:25; 1KI 17:12; 1KI 17:14; 1KI 17:16; 2KI 4:2; 2KI 4:6; 2KI 4:7; 1CH 12:41 and other places.
The Greek word elaion refers to a food in LUK 16:6; REV 6:6; REV 18:13; JDT 10:5; JDT 11:13; SIR 39:26; 1ES 6:29.