Olive

The fruit of the olive-tree. This tree yielded oil which was highly valued. The best oil was from olives that were plucked before being fully ripe, and then beaten or squeezed (Deut 24:20; Isa 17:6; 24:13). It was called “beaten,” or “fresh oil” (Exod 27:20). There were also oil-presses, in which the oil was trodden out by the feet (Mic 6:15). James (3:12) calls the fruit “olive berries.” The phrase “vineyards and olives” (Judg 15:5, A.V.) should be simply “olive-yard,” or “olive-garden,” as in the Revised Version.