I love discovering opaque references in the Bible.

When describing the border of the territory reserved for the tribe of Naphtali, the legal description begins with, Their boundary went from Heleph and the large tree in Zaanannim...(Joshua 19:33). Along with cities and rivers, a tree was used to mark the boundry.

This same tree is later mentioned in the book of Judges. Must have been quite a tree.

I have both heard and used such a phrase myself when giving directions. Head down the road a ways, turn left on the first dirt road by that big ol’ tree, and you can’t miss their house.” or something like that.

Randomness in descriptions often points to authenticity. It means that a regular person, using the references of their day, wrote these words. It’s a little thing, but it helps me trust the writers of this book I hold with such importance.

Week fourteen of reading the Bible cover to cover