Plane Tree
Archimandrite Nikifor’s Biblical Encyclopedia
(Gen. 30:37; Isa. 41:19; Sir. 24:14)—a large tree growing across western Asia, Turkey, Greece, and the Caucasus, with a strong, straight trunk useful for carpentry and capable of attaining great height and girth. The source groups the biblical terms under the Oriental plane or chenar. Modern translations vary: Genesis 30:37 commonly has poplar, Isaiah 41:19 may refer to cypress, pine, or plane, and Sirach 24:14 explicitly compares Wisdom with a plane tree. The several Hebrew and Greek terms should not be assumed to denote one species in every passage.