Zev Radovan/www.biblelandpictures.com

The Cedar of Lebanon (classified by scientists as Cedrus libani) was much sought after throughout the ancient world as an excellent source of timber. The wood’s high quality, pleasant scent and resistance to both rot and insects made it a popular building material for both temples and palaces. The Bible says that the Phoenician king Hiram of Tyre (located in present-day Lebanon) sent Cedars of Lebanon, carpenters and masons to Jerusalem to build a palace for King David (2 Samuel 5:11; 1 Chronicles 14:1). Likewise, Hiram provided cedars and artisans to King Solomon for the construction of his own palace as well as the Temple in Jerusalem (2 Chronicles 2:3, 7 [verse 8 in English]; 1 Kings 5:20 [verse 6 in English]).