maturity in the new green figs (Heb., pagh) are mentioned in connection with the flowering of the grapevines, which flowering begins about April. Hence, by the time the tree is in full leaf it should also be bearing fruit. The fig tree that Jesus Christ cursed seems to have been abnormally early with its leaves, inasmuch as it was then but the twenty-eighth day of March (Nisan 10 of the year 33 C.E.). Its appearance gave basis for hoping it might also be unseasonably early in producing fruit suitable for eating, and the record at Mark 11:12-14 indicates that Jesus approached the tree with that thought in mind even though “it was not the season of figs,” that is, the time for the fruit to be gathered. The tree’s having nothing but leaves showed it was not going to produce any crop and was, therefore, deceptive in its appearance. Jesus cursed it as unproductive, causing it to wither.—Compare Matthew 7:19; 21:43; Luke 13:6-9.

FOOD AND MEDICINAL USE

Figs were a staple source of food in Bible times and continue to be such in several Near Eastern countries. They were formed into “cakes of pressed figs [Heb., d^eve·lahʹ],” which were convenient for carrying. (1 Sam. 25:18; 30:12; 1 Chron. 12:40) Such a “cake” was used as a medicinal poultice for King Hezekiah’s boil, and is still employed in this manner today in the East. (2 Ki. 20:7) Because of its importance to the nation’s food supply, the fig tree received special mention by Jehovah’s prophets, sometimes in forecasting destruction or ruination for the land. In those times the utter failure of the fig crop was calamitous.—Jer. 5:17; 8:13; Hos. 2:12; Joel 1:7, 12; Amos 4:9; Hab. 3:17.

FIGURATIVE AND PROPHETIC USE

The fig and the vine are mentioned jointly in many texts, and Jesus’ words at Luke 13:6 show that fig trees were often planted in vineyards. (2 Ki. 18:31; Joel 2:22) Thus, the expression as to sitting ‘under one’s own vine and fig tree,’ which symbolized peaceful, prosperous, secure conditions.—1 Ki. 4:25; Mic. 4:4; Zech. 3:10.

In view of this prominence of the fig tree in the life of the people, it is understandable why it was so frequently used in prophecy; the nation of Israel itself was likened to two kinds of figs by Jehovah. (Jer. 24:1-10) To illustrate how false prophets could be recognized by their bad fruits, Jesus cited the impossibility of getting “figs from thistles.” (Matt. 7:15, 16; compare James 3:12.) The fig tree’s ‘putting forth its leaves’ toward the middle of the spring season was used by Jesus as a well-known time indicator. (Matt. 24:32-34) Finally, the ease with which the “unripe figs [Gr., o·lynʹthous]” are shaken to the ground by high winds is used as a simile by the writer of Revelation.—Rev. 6:13.

FIG-MULBERRY TREE

[Gr., sy·ko·mo·reʹa].

When short-statured Zacchaeus wanted to get a better look at Christ Jesus he “climbed a fig-mulberry tree.” (Luke 19:4) The Greek name indicates a fig tree (Gr., sy·keʹ) with leaves like those of the mulberry (Gr., mo·reʹa). The two trees are of the same family, and the fig-mulberry of Jesus’ day appears to be the same as the “sycamore” (Ficus sycomorus) of the Hebrew Scriptures.—1 Ki. 10:27; see SYCAMORE.

FILL HANDS WITH POWER

[Heb., mil·leʼʹ yadh, install, empower; literally, fill the hand].

This term, translated “consecrate” in many versions, is used with reference to putting full power in the hands of those who are to serve in a priestly office. At their installation as priests of Jehovah, Aaron and his sons had their hands filled with power to serve in that capacity. (Ex. 28:41; 29:9, 29, 33, 35; Lev. 8:33; 16:32; 21:10; Num. 3:3) To symbolize this, the ram of installation was killed and cut up and parts of it together with certain baked items from the basket of unfermented cakes were put by Moses upon the palms of Aaron and his sons, and then were waved before Jehovah. Finally the things waved were made to smoke upon the altar on top of the burnt offering.—Ex. 29:19-25; Lev. 8:22-28.

Others, too, filled the hands of their priests with power. Idolatrous Micah empowered first a son and then an unfaithful Levite to be priests for his “house of gods.” (Judg. 17:5, 12) Later, King Jeroboam, in instituting calf worship in Israel, installed his own priests from the people in general; the Aaronic priests and the Levites remained loyal to Jehovah’s worship centered at Jerusalem and were, evidently for this reason, driven out of the ten-tribe kingdom.—1 Ki. 12:31; 13:33; 2 Chron. 13:9; see ANOINTED, ANOINTING; CHRIST; INSTALLATION; PRIEST.

FINGER

As an instrument of the hand and arm, the finger has a great deal to do with the direction and finer details of the work done by an individual. Because they form part of the hand, in the Bible the fingers are sometimes used synonymously with “hand.” The two words, “fingers” and “hands,” are used in parallel statements in describing the making of idols.—Isa. 2:8.

Figuratively, God is spoken of as accomplishing work with his “finger(s),” such as writing the Ten Commandments on stone tablets (Ex. 31:18; Deut. 9:10), performing miracles (Ex. 8:18, 19) and creating the heavens. (Ps. 8:3) That God’s “fingers” employed in creative activity have reference to his holy spirit or active force is indicated by the Genesis account of creation, where it is said that God’s active force (ruʹahh, “spirit”) moved over the surface of the waters. (Gen. 1:2) However, the Christian Greek Scriptures give the key to sure understanding of this symbolic usage, Matthew’s account explaining that Jesus expelled demons by ‘God’s holy spirit’ and Luke’s telling us that it was by “God’s finger.”—Matt. 12:28; Luke 11:20.

Gestures are particularly expressive among Orientals, a small motion often having weighty significance. The Bible portrays the good-for-nothing man as “making indications with his fingers.” (Prov. 6:12, 13) Israelites would have to remove from their midst such things as the “poking out of the finger” along with the speaking of what was hurtful, if they would obtain God’s favor. (Isa. 58:9-11) Because the fingers are prominently before a person’s eyes and are vital in carrying out one’s purposes, God’s people were figuratively to ‘tie his commandments upon their fingers’ as a constant reminder and guide in everything they did.—Prov. 7:2, 3; compare Psalm 144:1.

When a delegation asked King Rehoboam for a lighter load of service than his father Solomon had laid upon them, the king was advised by his young attendants to respond that ‘his little finger would be thicker than his father’s hips,’ this metaphor meaning that he would put a much heavier burden on them. (1 Ki. 12:4, 10, 11) The Hebrew word used here for “little finger” means “small, insignificant, trivial.”

Jesus Christ used a similar figure of speech in illustrating the harsh, arrogant domination the scribes and Pharisees exercised. Showing the complete unwillingness of these religious leaders to help the burdened people in the least, Jesus said that ‘they bound heavy loads on men’s shoulders, but were themselves not willing to budge them with their finger.’ (Matt. 23:2-4) In another metaphor Jesus depicted the “rich man” as desiring to get Lazarus to do even the least thing for him (bring only water on “the tip of his finger”), this request being designed to take Lazarus away from his favored position with Abraham.—Luke 16:24.

One of the Rephaim who fought against Israel, a man of extraordinary size, was a genetic freak, having his fingers and toes in sixes, twenty-four in all.—2 Sam. 21:20; 1 Chron. 20:6.

FINGERBREADTH

The smallest linear measurement mentioned in the Bible. A fingerbreadth equaled a fourth of a handbreadth or a twenty-fourth of a cubit (c. ³⁄₄ inch; c. 1.85 centimeters). At Jeremiah 52:21 the thickness of the copper used for the pillars Jachin and Boaz is given as four fingerbreadths (c. 2.9 inches; c. 7.4 centimeters).—1 Ki. 7:15, 21.

FIRE

As today, so also in Bible times fire played an important role in man’s life. Refining, forging and casting metals, preparing food, heating homes, as well as offering sacrifices and incense, are among the things specifically mentioned in the Bible requiring the use of fire. However, because of the destructiveness of uncontrollable fire, it is described as one of the four things that have not said: “Enough!” (Prov. 30:15, 16) For the same reason James compared the tongue when used wrongly to a fire.—Jas. 3:5-8; compare Proverbs 16:27.

The first man and woman were acquainted with fire, for Jehovah, upon expelling them from the garden of Eden, posted at the E of the garden “the cherubs and the flaming blade of a sword that was turning itself continually.” (Gen. 3:24) Cain and Abel may have brought their offerings to Jehovah before the cherubs and, though it is not directly stated in the Scriptures, likely they used fire in presenting them, or they may have expected fire to come from the cherubs to consume the sacrifices. (Gen. 4:3, 4) Tubal-cain, in forging tools of copper and iron, must have employed the heat of intense fires, especially since the melting of iron requires a temperature of about 2,800° F. (c. 1,537° C.) (Gen. 4:22) After the Flood, bricks were baked with a “burning process,” although some were merely sun-dried. (Gen. 11:3) In view of the difficulty faced in kindling a fire anew, it was evidently a frequent practice to transfer fire from one place to another.—Gen. 22:6; Isa. 30:14.

USE OF FIRE IN CONNECTION WITH GOD’S PURPOSES

Jehovah’s angel appeared to Moses in a flame of fire in a burning thornbush that was not consumed. (Ex. 3:2) A pillar of fire by night guided the Israelites through the wilderness, which pillar later rested over the tabernacle, signifying Jehovah’s presence. (Ex. 13:21; 40:38) The manifestation of Jehovah’s glory in fire at the giving of the Law to Israel caused Mount Sinai to smoke.—Ex. 19:18; 24:17.

As relates to the tabernacle and the temple

Fire figured in the worship carried on at the tabernacle and then later at the temple. Each morning and between the two evenings the high priest was to burn incense on the altar of incense. (Ex. 30:7, 8) God’s law required that the fire on the altar of burnt offering be kept burning continually. (Lev. 6:12, 13) The traditional Jewish view that the altar fire was originally kindled miraculously by God, though widely accepted, is not actually supported by the Scriptures. According to Jehovah’s initial instructions to Moses, the sons of Aaron were to “put fire on the altar and set wood in order on the fire” before placing the sacrifice on the altar. (Lev. 1:7, 8) It was after the installation of the Aaronic priesthood, and therefore after the installation sacrifices had been offered, that fire from Jehovah, probably proceeding from the cloud over the tabernacle, consumed the offering then upon the altar. In view of this, the miraculous fire manifested itself, not in kindling the wood on the altar, but in “consuming the burnt offering and the fatty pieces upon the altar.” The fire that then continued to burn on the altar, of course, was likely a result of the mixture of the fire from God and the fire already on the altar. (Lev. 8:14–9:24) Likewise, miraculous fire from Jehovah consumed the sacrifices right after Solomon’s prayer at the dedication of the temple.—2 Chron. 7:1; see also Judges 6: 21; 1 Kings 18:21-39; 1 Chronicles 21:26 for other examples of Jehovah’s accepting the offerings of his servants by miraculous fire.

Legal provisions, and use in executions

The Mosaic law prohibited lighting a fire on the sabbath. (Ex. 35:3) According to the Law, if a fire got out of hand and caused a conflagration in the field of another, the one starting the fire had to make compensation. (Ex. 22:6) In the case of certain violations of God’s law the individuals were stoned to death and then their bodies were burned with fire. (Lev. 20:14; 21:9; Josh. 7:15, 25) If an Israelite city turned to apostasy, its inhabitants were to be struck down with the sword and the city and its spoil burned in the fire. (Deut. 13:12-16) Garments, the warp or the woof, or articles of skin in which a plague of leprosy developed and persisted were to be burned.—Lev. 13:53-58.

In carrying out war operations against their enemies, the Israelites consigned certain cities to the fire. (Num. 31:10; Josh. 6:24; 11:11-13) Also, the graven images and sacred poles were burned. (Deut. 7:5, 25; 12:3) In taking spoil, the Israelites passed metals through the fire, in effect sterilizing them thereby.—Num. 31:22, 23.

On numerous occasions Jehovah used literal fire in executing his judgments against wrongdoers. (Num. 11:1; 16:35; 2 Ki. 1:10-12; Jude 7) At the destruction of apostate Judah and Jerusalem by the Babylonians in 607 B.C.E., Jehovah’s anger was figuratively poured out “just like fire.” This expression of anger was accompanied by literal fire. (2 Ki. 25:9; Lam. 2:3, 4) John the Baptist warned the religious leaders of his day of a baptism with fire, which came upon Jerusalem in 70 C.E., when the Roman armies burned the city and its temple with fire.—Matt. 3:7-12.

USE BY OPPOSERS OF GOD’S WILL

Fire was also used by opposers of God’s will in threats, cruel executions and sacrifices. Angered Ephraimites threatened Jephthah: “Your very house we shall burn over you with fire.” Similarly, Samson’s thirty Philistine groomsmen threatened to burn his betrothed and her father’s house if she did not get