Original Word: שִׁקְמָה
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: shiqmah
Pronunciation: shik-MAH
Phonetic Spelling: (shaw-kawm')
KJV: sycamore (fruit, tree)
NASB: sycamore trees, sycamores, sycamore
Word Origin: [of uncertain derivation]

1. a sycamore (usually the tree)

sycamore fruit, tree

Or (feminine) shiqmah {shik-maw'}; of uncertain derivation; a sycamore (usually the tree) -- sycamore (fruit, tree).

Word Origin
of uncertain derivation
Definition
sycamore tree
NASB Translation
sycamore (1), sycamore trees (4), sycamores (2).

[שִׁקְמָה] noun feminine sycomore tree (Late Hebrew id., Aramaic שִׁיקְמָא ,, Löw^No.332; hence Greek συκάηινος mulberry Lewy ^Fremdw.23); — plural absolute שִׁקְמִים Amos 7:14 +; suffix שִׁקְמוֺתָם Psalm 78:47; — sycomore, ficus sycomorus Linn (Tristr^NHB397ff. Post^{Flora of Syria 730}; Hast. DB under the word) a common tree Isaiah 9:9, growing in the Shephela 1 Kings 10:27=2Chronicles 1:15=2 Chronicles 9:27,1 Chronicles 27:28; as property Psalm 78:47 ("" גֶּפֶן); בּוֺלֵס שִׁקְמִים Amos 7:14 a tender of sycomores (see [בַָלס]).

Botanical Description and Habitat

שִׁקְמָה designates the sycamore-fig (Ficus sycomorus), a broad-crowned tree reaching eight to fifteen meters in height, flourishing in the warm, low-lying Shephelah, the Jordan Valley, and coastal plains. It yields several crops of small figs each year; the fruit ripens only after it is gashed, a task performed by a “dresser” (Amos 7:14). Its porous but durable wood was valued for beams, coffers, and coffins, while the fruit supplied a staple food for the less affluent.

Agricultural and Economic Significance in Ancient Israel

1 Chronicles 27:28 records a royal official “over the olive and sycamore trees in the Shephelah,” indicating organized cultivation and state oversight. Because the tree thrived where the celebrated cedar would not, it provided an abundant, inexpensive building material and a dependable food source, symbolizing prosperity accessible to all classes.

Sycamore-figs in the Solomonic Golden Age

Three texts highlight the tree as a yardstick for Solomon’s unprecedented wealth:
• 1 Kings 10:27 – “The king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar as abundant as the sycamore-fig trees in the Shephelah.”
• 2 Chronicles 1:15; 9:27 echo the same comparison.

By pairing cedar (the luxury timber of Lebanon) with sycamore-fig (the commonplace timber of the lowlands), Scripture emphasizes how Solomon’s reign elevated even ordinary resources to extraordinary plenty.

A Sign of Divine Judgment

Psalm 78:47 recalls Egypt’s plagues: “He destroyed their vines with hail and their sycamore-fig trees with sleet.” When God struck the sycamore-figs, He attacked a basic food supply, underscoring the severity of His wrath.

Likewise, Isaiah 9:10 records Israel’s proud response to Assyrian invasion: “The sycamore trees have been felled, but we will replace them with cedars.” The nation vowed to rebuild with superior materials, revealing arrogance that invited further judgment.

Symbolic Contrast: Sycamore versus Cedar

Throughout Scripture the cedar represents majesty and exaltation, whereas the sycamore-fig embodies commonness and accessibility. The deliberate replacement of felled sycamores with cedars in Isaiah 9:10 dramatizes Israel’s self-reliant pride—preferring outward impressiveness over genuine repentance. Conversely, the abundance of both cedar and sycamore under Solomon testifies that true prosperity flows from covenant faithfulness rather than human ambition.

Role in Prophetic Ministry

Amos 7:14 records the prophet’s humble occupation: “I was a shepherd and a dresser of sycamore-fig trees.” His background among laborers who gashed the fruit illustrates how God chooses ordinary people to deliver extraordinary messages. The meticulous care required to make the figs edible mirrors the prophet’s task of opening hearts to receive the word of the Lord.

Theological and Spiritual Lessons

• Providence: God supplies not only the lofty cedar but also the lowland sycamore, providing for every stratum of society.
• Judgment: When basic provisions are struck, the warning is unmistakable; repentance is urgent.
• Humility: Boasting in superior materials (cedars for sycamores) exposes a heart that trusts human resourcefulness rather than divine mercy.
• Calling: Faithful service in humble tasks, like tending sycamore-figs, prepares servants for higher spiritual responsibilities.

Practical Applications for Ministry Today

1. Value common resources and ministries; God often displays His glory through the ordinary.
2. Guard against pride that seeks impressive substitutes instead of accepting the Lord’s corrective hand.
3. Encourage believers from every social setting—shepherd, farmer, or prince—to recognize their place in God’s redemptive plan.
4. Remember that abundance, like that of Solomon’s sycamore-figs, is a stewardship entrusted for God’s purposes, not self-indulgence.

וְ֝שִׁקְמוֹתָ֗ם וְהַשִּׁקְמִים֙ והשקמים ושקמותם כַּשִּׁקְמִ֥ים כשקמים שִׁקְמִ֣ים שִׁקְמִֽים׃ שקמים שקמים׃ kaš·šiq·mîm kashshikMim kaššiqmîm shikMim šiq·mîm šiqmîm vehashshikMim veshikmoTam wə·haš·šiq·mîm wə·šiq·mō·w·ṯām wəhaššiqmîm wəšiqmōwṯāmInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts