WOOD, Lignum. These Terms are often put for Trees. The Wood of Knowledge, of Life, for the Tree of Knowledge, of Life. ‘Tis said also, Cursed is he that is hanged on Wood, or on the Gallows. And, Deut.
xxi. Ye shall not serve Gods, the work of mens
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hands, wood and stone; that is, Idols that Deut. are made of Wood or Stone. iv.
There is often Mention made in Scripture of Woods or Groves, wherein a thousand infamous things were committed in honour of false Deities;1 He sacrificed and burnt incense on the high places, and on hills, and under every green tree; Sub ligno frondoso.
Exod. xv. 25. Exod. ix. 5. 1 Sam. iii. 11.Moses sweetened the Waters in the Desart, by casting into them some of the Wood called Alva. See Alva, before.
Jeremiah,2 speaking of our Saviour’s Passion, describes the Rage of his Enemies in these Terms; Mittamus lignum in panem ejus, &c. “Let us cast Wood into his “Bread, let us destroy him from off the “Land of the Living; and let his Name “be known there no longer.” Several Senses are affixed to this Passage. The Hebrew says, literally, “Let us corrupt “Wood in his Bread:” Let us put poisonous Wood, let us grate some mortal Root in his Food, that may cause him to die, or that may poison him. Louis de Dieu translates it, Let us break Wood upon his Flesh. The Hebrew Word that signifies Bread, sometimes also stands for Flesh. Glassius, Let us corrupt Wood in his Bread; or let us corrupt his Bread in the Wood; let us poison the Kneading-trough, in which he kneads his Bread.
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