Original Word: אָע
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: a`
Pronunciation: af-see
Phonetic Spelling: (aw)
KJV: timber, wood
NASB: wood, beams, timber, timbers
Word Origin: [(Aramaic) corresponding to H6086 (עֵץ - wood)]

1. a tree or wood

timber, wood

(Aramaic) corresponding to ets; a tree or wood -- timber, wood.

see HEBREW ets

Word Origin
(Aramaic) corresponding to ets
Definition
wood
NASB Translation
beams (1), timber (1), timbers (1), wood (2).

אָע noun masculine^{Ezra 5:8} wood (so ᵑ7, for עָע; Egyptian Aramaic עק S-C^H5; Biblical Hebrew עֵץ, √ II. עצה); —

1 absolute ׳א timber, for building Ezra 5:8; Ezra 6:4; beam Ezra 6:11.

2 emphatic אָעָא wood, material of idols Daniel 5:4,23.

Term Overview

Strong’s Hebrew 636 designates a wooden structural element—variously rendered “timber,” “beam,” or “wood.” In Scripture the word appears exclusively in exilic and post-exilic literature, highlighting both practical and symbolic roles that wood played in Israel’s restoration period and in the prophetic critique of paganism.

Occurrences and Contexts

Ezra 5:8 and Ezra 6:4 record the use of beams in rebuilding the Second Temple; Ezra 6:11 invokes a house-beam as an instrument of royal justice; Daniel 5:4 and Daniel 5:23 list wood among the lifeless materials of Babylonian idols.

Architectural Use in Rebuilding the Temple

The Persian officials report: “It is being rebuilt with large stones, and timber is being set in the walls” (Ezra 5:8). The imperial decree confirms the plan: “with three layers of large stones and one of timber” (Ezra 6:4). The beam therefore represents royal endorsement of Israel’s worship, demonstrates meticulous planning (stone for permanence, wood for flexibility), and underscores God’s provision through Gentile authority. The specification of just one wooden course framed by stone safeguarded the sanctuary from the fires that had consumed Solomon’s Temple, evidencing lessons learned through judgment and mercy.

Instrument of Judgment

Darius warns, “If anyone defies this edict, a beam is to be pulled from his house and raised up; he is to be impaled on it” (Ezra 6:11). The very material granted for edification can, when misused, become an instrument of retribution. The verse illustrates the divine principle that blessings turned to rebellion lead to self-destruction (compare Proverbs 1:31).

Contrast with Idolatry

Belshazzar “praised their gods of gold and silver, bronze and iron, wood and stone” (Daniel 5:4, 23). Here the beam is stripped of constructive value and reduced to a component of lifeless idols. The contrast between the Temple’s sanctified beams and Babylon’s impotent wooden deities exposes the folly of idolatry and magnifies the sovereignty of the “God in whose hand is your breath” (Daniel 5:23).

Theological Reflections

1. Creation materials are morally neutral; their purpose is sanctified or profaned by human allegiance.
2. The beam’s dual appearance—as building block of worship and stake of execution—anticipates the paradox of the cross, where the “stone the builders rejected” (Psalm 118:22) is exalted through a wooden instrument of death turned to salvation.
3. Wood in the Temple signifies accessible, renewable provision; stone speaks of enduring foundation. Together they mirror the union of Christ’s humanity and deity in forming a dwelling place for God among His people.

Ministry Applications

• Builders in every generation must align resources, skills, and political permissions with God’s revealed design, lest their efforts become idolatrous monuments rather than sanctuaries of His presence.
• Leaders are accountable for stewarding blessings; beams that support the house may also testify against its owner when justice is breached (Ezra 6:11; Habakkuk 2:11).
• Worshipers should evaluate whether created things—wood, technology, finances—serve the living God or subtly receive the honor due Him alone.

Historical Background

Persian construction policy often combined stone foundations with cedar or cypress beams imported from Lebanon, facilitating rapid yet durable projects. The threat of impalement on a confiscated house-beam reflects Near Eastern legal practice, deterring sedition by tying punishment to personal property. Babylonian idolatry, conversely, manufactured wooden cult statues overlaid with precious metals, a practice decried by Hebrew prophets (Isaiah 44:14–20; Jeremiah 10:3–5).

Summary

Strong’s 636 offers more than a carpentry note; it frames a theology of materials where wood can uphold holy worship, execute righteous judgment, or expose dead religion. In Christ, the ultimate Temple and the ultimate beam converge, turning timber once marked by curse into the emblem of redemption.

אָ֣ע אָע֙ אָעָ֣א אָעָ֥א אע אעא וְאָ֖ע ואע ’ā‘ ’ā‘ā ’ā·‘ā a aA veA wə’ā‘ wə·’ā‘Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts