The Olive Harvest

Biblical Academia
Oct 18
20 min read

The Olive Harvest

Introduction

Next in a series of Harvests & Celebrations studies is The Olive Harvest. Similar to the grape harvest, the details concerning the olive harvest directly correspond to Yom Teruah and Yom Kippur. Understanding the agricultural terms for olives will provide a better understanding of the prophecies that use their terminology and what role they play in God’s plan for his people.

Climate & Harvest Time

By Elul (August/September), with clear skies and hot temperatures, the full grape harvest begins, olives begin emerging, and any remainder of wheat is threshed. By the 17th of Elul, olives become just ripe, but are left to mature. Olives do not mature as quickly as grapes and therefore olives continue to slowly ripen while grapes are being harvested. Figs would be put out to dry and pomegranates and dates would ripen as well.

Before the feast of Sukkot on the 15th of Tishrei, the winnowed cereal grains are brought into the store house, grapes are thrown in the winepress, and olives are harvested.

Recall how harvests overlap during a bountiful year. As the summer grapes are being cut from the vine, wheat is undergoing heat and pressure on the threshing floor.

Leviticus 26:5 KJV - "And your threshing shall reach unto the vintage, and the vintage shall reach unto the sowing time: and ye shall eat your bread to the full, and dwell in your land safely."

Choice olives are preserved whole and others are thrown into a press. Some grapes begin to undergo the process of becoming raisins and syrup. Gleaning grapes and olive berries that were too young to harvest are left in their branches. All harvesting would typically be completed by Sukkot and processing would continue until the former rains came. The northbound winds would then bring in the rain that would soften the ground and plowing would begin. The olive harvest is the last major crop to be harvested and was one of the most important crops to be harvested in the Middle East.

Harvest Terms

Oliveyard, Orchard

Simply, an olive yard. A yard of olive producing trees.

As Oliveyard:

Strong's Hebrew 2132- זַיִת zayith; probably from an unused root (akin to 2099); an olive (as yielding illuminating oil), the tree, the branch or the berry

As Orchard:

Strong's Hebrew 6508 - פַּרְדֵּס pardêç; of foreign origin; a park

Exodus 23:11 KJV - "But the seventh year thou shalt let it rest and lie still; that the poor of thy people may eat: and what they leave the beasts of the field shall eat. In like manner thou shalt deal with thy vineyard, and with thy oliveyard."

(oliveyard H2132)

Ecclesiastes 2:5 KJV - "I made me gardens and orchards, and I planted trees in them of all kind of fruits:"

(orchard H6508)

Olive Tree

Simply, a tree that produces the olive fruit.

Singularly:

Strong's Hebrew 2132- זַיִת zayith; probably from an unused root (akin to 2099); an olive (as yielding illuminating oil), the tree, the branch or the berry
Strong's Greek 1636 - ἐλαία ělaia; feminine of a presumed derivative from an obsolete primary; an olive (the tree or the fruit)
Strong's Greek 2565 - καλλιέλαιος kalliělaiŏs; from the base of 2566 and 1636; a cultivated olive tree, i.e. a domesticated or improved one

As a compound (used together):

Strong's Hebrew 8081 - שֶׁמֶן shemen; from 8080; grease, especially liquid (as from the olive, often perfumed); figuratively, richness
Strong's Hebrew 6086 - עֵץ ʻêts; from 6095; a tree (from its firmness); hence, wood (plural sticks)

Hosea 14:6 KJV - "His branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olive tree, and his smell as Lebanon."

(olive tree H2132)

Isaiah 41:19 KJV - "I will plant in the wilderness the cedar, the shittah tree, and the myrtle, and the oil tree; I will set in the desert the fir tree, and the pine, and the box tree together:"

(olive H8081 tree H6086)

The olive tree can produce 50 to 200, and even upward to above 1800 pounds of olives. Each olive varies by weight. It is possible for an olive tree to produce more than 12,000 olives. The olive tree is also symbolic for peace and stability.

Roots

Roots are known as the organ of a plant that facilitates stability and nourishment.

The olive tree has an expansive root system that allows it to reach far for water and nutrients. This makes the tree drought tolerant and capable of growing in many kinds of soil.

Soil that is too fertile leads to excessively tall trees with little fruit, and makes them susceptible to pestilence and disease.

Weeds and pests can rob olive tress of the water and nutrients it needs, resulting in stunted growth and fruit production.

If an olive tree is cut down, the roots will promote continued to grow and life for thousands of years.

As an olive tree matures, the circumference of its trunk increases in size and the inside of the trunk hollows.

As nouns:

Strong's Hebrew 8328 - שֶׁרֶשׁ sheresh; from 8327; a root (literally or figuratively)
Strong's Greek 4491 - ῥίζα rhiza; apparently a primary word; a "root" (literally or figuratively)

Jeremiah 17:8 KJV - "For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit." (also Matthew 3:10; Luke 3:9)

(root H8328)

Romans 11:18 KJV - "Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee."

(root G4491)

Bough, Bough-Branches

Boughs are the large branches that grow from the trunk of the tree.

As bough:

Strong's H2793 - חֹרֶשׁ chôresh; from H2790; a forest (perhaps as furnishing the material for fabric) :—bough, forest, shroud, wood.
Strong's H6529 - פְּרִי pᵉrîy; from H6509; fruit (literally or figuratively):—bough, (first-)fruit(-ful), reward
Strong's H7730 - שׂוֹבֶךְ sôwbek; for H5441; a thicket, i.e. interlaced branches (thick bough)
Strong's H7754 - שׂוֹךְ sôwk; or (feminine) שׂוֹכָה sôwkâh; from H7753; a branch (as interleaved)

Judges 9:48 KJV - "And Abimelech gat him up to mount Zalmon, he and all the people that were with him; and Abimelech took an axe in his hand, and cut down a bough from the trees, and took it, and laid it on his shoulder, and said unto the people that were with him, What ye have seen me do, make haste, and do as I have done."

(bough H7754)

Boughs can also refer to the entire fruit bearing limb known as the branch. Branches are smaller in size and produce both leaves and fruit. In scripture, each of the following Hebrew words are translated as bough and or branch.

As bough branches (with all it's leaves & fruit):

Strong's Hebrew 534 - אָמִיר ʼâmîyr; apparently from 559 (in the sense of self-exaltation); a summit (of a tree or mountain)
Strong's Hebrew1808 - דָּלִיָּה dâlîyâh; from 1802; something dangling, i.e. a bough
Strong's Hebrew 5585 - סָעִיף çâʻîyph; from 5586; a fissure (of rocks); also a bough (as subdivided)
Strong's Hebrew 5589 - סְעַפָּה çᵉʻappâh; feminine of 5585; a twig: - bough, branch. Compare 5634
Strong's Hebrew 5688 - עֲבֹת ʻăbôth; or עֲבוֹת ʻăbôwth; or (feminine) עֲבֹתָה ʻăbôthâh; the same as 5687; something intwined, i.e. a string, wreath or foliage
Strong's Hebrew 6057 - עָנָף ʻânâph; from an unused root meaning to cover; a twig (as covering the limbs) [Same in Aramaic: H6056]
Strong's Hebrew 6288 - פְּאֹרָה pᵉʼôrâh; or פֹּרָאה pôrâʼh; or פֻּארָה puʼrâh; from 6286; properly, ornamentation, i.e. (plural) foliage (including the limbs) as bright green
Strong's Hebrew 7105 - קָצִיר qâtsîyr; from 7114; severed, i.e. harvest (as reaped), the crop, the time, the reaper, or figuratively; also a limb (of a tree, or simply foliage)
Strong's Greek 2798 - κλάδος kladŏs; from 2806; a twig or bough (as if broken off

As Bough (including ends and sprouts):

Strong's Hebrew 5634 - סַרְעַפָּה çarʻappâh; for 5589; a twig: - bough
Strong's Hebrew 5577 - סַנְסִן çançîn; from an unused root meaning to be pointed; a twig (as tapering) [associated with date palm]

Branches will taper at the end or produce new sprouts.

As Olive Branches & Sprouts/Twigs

Strong’s Hebrew 5929 - עָלֶה ʻâleh; from 5927; a leaf (as coming up on a tree); collectively, foliage:—branch, leaf.
Strong’s Hebrew 7641 - שִׁבֹּל shibbôl; or (feminine) שִׁבֹּלֶת shibbôleth; from the same as 7640; a stream (as flowing); also an ear of grain (as growing out); by analogy, a branch
Strong’s Hebrew 3127 - יוֹנֶקֶת yôwneqeth; feminine of 3126; a sprout

Isaiah 17:6 KJV - "Yet gleaning grapes shall be left in it, as the shaking of an olive tree, two or three berries in the top of the uppermost bough, four or five in the outmost fruitful branches thereof, saith the LORD God of Israel."

(bough H534, branches H5585)

Job 14:9 KJV - " Yet through the scent of water it will bud, and bring forth boughs like a plant."

(boughs H7105)

Flowers

The branches, of an olive tree will produce flowers. When the flowers are cast off new fruit emerges.

Strong's Hebrew 5328 - נִצָּה nitstsâh; feminine of 5322; a blossom

Job 15:33 KJV - "He shall shake off his unripe grape as the vine, and shall cast off his flower as the olive."

(flower H5328)

Two kinds of flowers are found on an olive tree; a perfect flower and a staminate flower.

A perfect flower is able to self-pollinate and produce fruit because it contains both the male and female structures. They are also able to cross pollinate with other flowers on the same tree or with flowers of another olive tree by means of animals, insects, or wind.

In contrast, staminate flowers will never produce fruit because they only contain the male structure. New trees can sprout when a seed is transported.

Berries

The olives that emerge from an olive tree are also called berries.

Strong's Hebrew 1620 - גַּרְגַּר gargar; by reduplication from 1641; a berry (as if a pellet of rumination)
Strong's Greek 1636 - ἐλαία ělaia; feminine of a presumed derivative from an obsolete primary; an olive (the tree or the fruit)

Isaiah 17:6 KJV - "Yet gleaning grapes shall be left in it, as the shaking of an olive tree, two or three berries in the top of the uppermost bough, four or five in the outmost fruitful branches thereof, saith the LORD God of Israel."

(berries H1620)

James 3:12 KJV - "Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh."

(olive berries G1636)

By lowering the number of buds on a branch, the vine spends more energy and nutrients in other areas; thus the quality of fruit production is increased.

There are a variety of olive trees; each one producing its own type of olive. Each variety ripens at different times. Temperature affects the time it takes for the crop to become harvest ready. Hotter temperatures cause olives to ripen sooner. Colder temperatures promote a longer harvest period.

There are ten growth stages of olives. Olives are visible at stage seven. The olive grows in stage eight to 50% of it’s full size and the pit hardens. In stage nine, the olive reaches full size and Veraison (originally a French word meaning, “change of color of the grape berries") begins: where olives begin to change color and darken as they ripen. By Stage 10, olives are fully ripe and dark.

STAGE 7

STAGE 8

STAGE 9

STAGE 10

As olive trees begin to bring forth fruit, the olives first appear green. As the olives mature, they become a green yellow color, then a red purple color, before finally turning black. Olives are typically harvested when they become green and just ripe. As the olives ripen through each stage, they become sweeter and contain more oil.

Casting (Fruit)

Olive trees can drop their leaves and fruit too early if they do not receive proportionate water and sunlight or if strong winds cause them to break off.

Strong's Hebrew 5394 - נָשַׁל nâshal; a primitive root; to pluck off, i.e. divest, eject or drop

Deuteronomy 28:40 KJV - "Thou shalt have olive trees throughout all thy coasts, but thou shalt not anoint thyself with the oil; for thine olive shall cast his fruit."

(cast H5394)

Cultivated Olive Treen

A cultivated olive tree is planted, nurtured, and tended to by an orchardman. A cultivated olive tree, is one that will produce edible berries, and is known as a good olive tree.

Strong's Greek 2565 - καλλιέλαιος kalliělaiǒs; from the base of 2566 and 1636; a cultivated olive tree, i.e. a domesticated or improved one: - good olive tree

Romans 11:24 KJV - "For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert graffed contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be graffed into their own olive tree?"

(good olive tree G2565)

Cultivated olive trees are reared to bear more fruit with increased quality. Olive trees grow wild by nature, though not all olive trees are wild in characteristic.

Wild Olive Tree

A wild olive tree is also known as an oleaster; that is, according to botany, a plant species part of the Oleaster and Elaeagnaceae family.

Strong's Greek 65 - ἀγριέλαιος agriělaiǒs; from 66 and 1636; an oleaster:—olive tree (which is) wild

Romans 11:17 KJV - "And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree;" (also Romans 11:24)
(wild olive tree G65)

There are at least 90 different varieties of wild olive trees. Their fruits come in different sizes and colors.

A well known type of wild olive tree is the Russian olive tree, also called a silverberry due to the silvery colored leaves and fruit.

Wild olive trees typically produce smaller fruit and are known to bear more fruit than good olive trees.

The quality of their fruit is often poor. Not all wild olives are edible raw because of their toxicity. While hardly harvested for food, wild olives are often harvested for medicinal purposes.

Pruning

Pruning an olive tree is the cutting off of excess branches. Pruning is done to reduce the thickness of the branches; which allows more sunlight to get through to better nourish the tree.

Strong's Hebrew 5586 - סָעַף çâʻaph; a primitive root; properly, to divide up; but used only as denominative from 5585, to disbranch (a tree)

Isaiah 10:33 KJV - "Behold, the Lord, the LORD of hosts, shall lop the bough with terror: and the high ones of stature shall be hewn down, and the haughty shall be humbled."

(lop H5586)

Pruning is often done after winter to prevent damage from the cold.

Grafting

Grafting replaces an unfruitful branch of a good olive tree, with a branch from a wild olive tree that is capable of producing more fruit.

As a cut bough:

Strong's Greek 2798 - κλάδος kladŏs; from 2806; a twig or bough (as if broken off)
Thayer's Greek Lexicon (kladŏs): “properly, a young, tender shoot, broken off for grafting.”

As to cut or break off or out:

Strong's Greek1575 - ἐκκλάω ěkkláō; from 1537 and 2806; to exscind
Strong's Greek 1581 - ἐκκόπτω ěkkǒptō; from 1537 and 2875; to exscind; figuratively, to frustrate

As grafted in:

Strong's Greek 1461 - ἐγκεντρίζω ěnkěntrízō; from 1722 and a derivative of 2759; to prick in, i.e. in-graft

A wild olive branch also carries over it’s greater resistance against disease.

Romans 11:17 KJV - "And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree;

(broken off G1575, graffed G1461)

Romans 11:24 KJV - "For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert graffed contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be graffed into their own olive tree?"

(cut G1581, graffed G1461)

When a branch is cut from a good olive tree, the remaining portion is called the rootstock. The wild olive branch that is grafted in is referred to as a scion or cion. There are several different methods for grafting.

When grafted properly, their cambium under their bark will be aligned and bind together to become one.

Along side grafting is budding, also called bud grafting and chip grafting. Though not shown in scripture, budding holds the same purpose as grafting but specifically applies to transferring a bud from a wild olive tree into a branch on a good olive tree. There are several different methods for budding as well.

When a cultivated olive tree propagates (spreads seeds to sprout new trees), the new trees will be wild.

Beating, Shaking (Threshing Olives)

Harvesting olives requires shaking olive trees. Historically, shaking an olive tree was performed by shaking a branch by hand or by using a rod to beat branches that were out of reach.

As beating:

Strong's Hebrew 2251 - חָבַט châbaṭ; a primitive root; to knock out or off

As shaking:

Strong's Hebrew 5363 - נֹקֶף nôqeph; from 5362; a threshing (of olives)
Strong's Hebrew 6286 - פָּאַר pâʼar; a primitive root to gleam, i.e. (causatively) embellish; figuratively, to boast; also to explain (i.e. make clear) oneself; denominative from 6288, to shake a tree

When an olive tree is shaken or beaten, ripe olives will fall to the ground.

Harvesters began using nets to soften the impact of the falling olives, so as to avoid bruising them. This also made gathering the olives easier.

Most olives are harvested before they turn black and ripe. Many of the black olives found in stores today contain ingredients that give them a black artificial color.

Deuteronomy 24:20 KJV - "When thou beatest thine olive tree, thou shalt not go over the boughs again: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow."

(beating H2251, over the boughs H6286)

Isaiah 24:13 KJV - "When thus it shall be in the midst of the land among the people, there shall be as the shaking of an olive tree, and as the gleaning grapes when the vintage is done." (also Isaiah 17:6)

(shaking H5363)

Gleanings

Since not all olives ripen at the same time, not all olives are harvested the first time through. Olives that are not ripe during harvest are left in the tree: these are referred to as gleaning berries.

As a noun:

Strong's Hebrew 3951 - לֶקֶט leqeṭ; from 3950; the gleaning
Strong's Hebrew 5955 - עֹלֵלָה ʻôlêlâh; feminine active participle of 5953; only in plural gleanings; by extension gleaning-time

As a verb:

Strong's Hebrew 3950 - לָקַט lâqaṭ; a primitive root; properly, to pick up, i.e. (generally) to gather; specifically, to glean
Strong's Hebrew 5953 - עָלַל ʻâlal; a primitive root; to effect thoroughly; specifically to glean (also figuratively); by implication (in a bad sense) to overdo, i.e. maltreat, be saucy to, pain, impose (also literally)
Gesenius Hebrew Lexicon (ʻâlal): “to glean a vineyard … Tropically of a people, to be utterly cut off.

The term gleaning is used for the harvesting of other crops; historically God instructed that they be left as a gracious provision for the poor and stranger.

Glean is also used as an idiom in different cultures. In Hebrew, to glean someone is to mistreat and harm them.

Isaiah 17:6 KJV - "Yet gleaning grapes shall be left in it, as the shaking of an olive tree, two or three berries in the top of the uppermost bough, four or five in the outmost fruitful branches thereof, saith the LORD God of Israel."

(gleaning H5955)

Deuteronomy 24:20 KJV - "When thou beatest thine olive tree, thou shalt not go over the boughs again: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow."

Leviticus 19:9 KJV - "And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not wholly reap the corners of thy field, neither shalt thou gather the gleanings of thy harvest." (also Leviticus 23:22)

(gleanings H3951)

Mill

The olive mill is the place where gathered olives are taken to undergo the next step in the harvesting process.

Strong's Greek 3459 - μύλων mulōn; from 3458; a mill-house
Matthew 24:41 KJV - "Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left."
(mill G3459)

The mill, contained tools to grind, press, and store crop yields.

Millstone, Upper, Nether (grinding Olives)

The Millstone is one of the tools used to grind olives. It consists of an upper stone, also called a rider, and a nether stone underneath.

Referencing Whole Millstone:

Strong’s Greek 3458 - μύλος mulǒs; probably ultimately from the base of 3433 (through the idea of hardship); a "mill", i.e. (by implication), a grinder (millstone)

Referencing Upper Stone:

Strong's Hebrew 7393 - רֶכֶב rekeb; from 7392; a vehicle; by implication, a team; by extension, cavalry; by analogy a rider, i.e. the upper millstone:

Referencing Nether Stone:

Strong's Hebrew 8482- תַּחְתִּי tachtîy; from 8478; lowermost; as noun (feminine plural) the depths (figuratively, a pit, the womb)

Referencing Either or Both Stones:

Strong’s Hebrew 7347 - רֵחֶה rêcheh; from an unused root meaning to pulverize; a mill-stone:—mill (stone)
Strong's Greek 3037 - λίθος líthǒs; apparently a primary word; a stone (literally or figuratively)

Paired With:

Strong's Hebrew 6400 -פֶּלַח pelach; from 6398; a slice:—piece
Strong's Greek 3684 -ὀνικός ǒnikǒs; from 3688; belonging to an ass, i.e. large (so as to be turned by an ass):—millstone
Strong's Greek 3457 -μυλικός mylikǒs; from 3458; belonging to a mill:—mill(-stone)

Revelation 18:22 KJV - "And the voice of harpers, and musicians, and of pipers, and trumpeters, shall be heard no more at all in thee; and no craftsman, of whatsoever craft he be, shall be found any more in thee; and the sound of a millstone shall be heard no more at all in thee;"

(millstone G3458)

Deuteronomy 24:6 KJV - "No man shall take the nether or the upper millstone to pledge: for he taketh a man's life to pledge."

(nether H7347, upper millstone H7393)

The round upper stone contains a hole in the center for a piece of timber to pass through. The timber is used to rotate the upper stone around the perimeter of the circular nether stone underneath it; which was performed by two people or by use of an animal: particularly the donkey. This grinding/crushing method is known as the first pressing for extracting oil from olives.

Oil Press (Pressing Olives)

The oil press is an apparatus used for the second step in harvesting oil from olives.

Strong's Hebrew 6671 - צָהַר tsâhar; a primitive root; to glisten; used only as denominative from 3323, to press out oil

Job 24:11 KJV - "Which make oil within their walls, and tread their winepresses, and suffer thirst."

(make oil H6671)

Crushed pulp from the millstone was put into woven baskets, also called mats.

They were stacked together on a flat stone and pressed down upon by weight and added pressure using the oil press apparatus. Any additional olive oil from the pulp would flow into a collection vat.

Hot water was poured onto the baskets to wash away residue and collect as much oil as possible.

This step is known as the second pressing and yields a lower quality grade of oil than the first press.

An oil press is also referenced in scripture as the name of the garden where an olive yard and oil press was located.

Strong's Greek 1068 - Γεθσημανῆ Gěthsēmanē; of Chaldean origin (compare [Hebrew] 1660 and 8081); oil-press; Gethsemane, a garden near Jerusalem

Matthew 26:36 KJV - "Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder." (also 1 Timothy 3:3)

(Gethsemane G1068)

Beaten (Mortar & Pestle)

The mortar and pestle was used as a method of beating out oil from small amounts of olives.

Beaten:

Strong's Hebrew 3795 - כָּתִית kâthîyth; from 3807; beaten, i.e. pure (oil)

Mortar:

Strong’s Hebrew 4085 - מְדֹכָה mᵉdôkâh; from 1743; a mortar
Strong's Hebrew 4388 - מַכְתֵּשׁ maktêsh; from 3806; a mortar; by analogy, a socket (of a tooth)

Pestle:

Strong's Hebrew 5940 - עֱלִי ʻ ělîy; from 5927; a pestle (as lifted)

The larger piece is the mortar, where small ingredients are placed and “beaten".

The smaller piece is the pestle. It is held in the hand and used to “beat” ingredients in the mortar.

Beating was used to extract the purest form of oil, commanded by God. (Exodus 27:20, 29:40, Leviticus 24:2, and Numbers 28:5.)

Scripture only references the mortar and the pestle specifically to make an analogy.

Numbers 28:5 KJV - "And a tenth part of an ephah of flour for a meat offering, mingled with the fourth part of an hin of beaten oil."

(beaten H3795)

Proverbs 27:22 KJV - "Though thou shouldest bray a fool in a mortar among wheat with a pestle, yet will not his foolishness depart from him." (also Numbers 11:8)

(mortar H4388, pestle H5940)

Tread

An ancient method of extracting oil from olives is treading.

Strong's Hebrew 1869 - דָּרַךְ dârak; a primitive root; to tread; by implication, to walk; also to string a bow (by treading on it in bending)

Micah 6:15 KJV - "Thou shalt sow, but thou shalt not reap; thou shalt tread the olives, but thou shalt not anoint thee with oil; and sweet wine, but shalt not drink wine."

(tread H1869)

Before the use of millstones and presses, and for those who did not have access to them, soft olives were treaded under feet like grapes.

Oil

Olives are highly valued for their oil that is full antioxidants, vitamin E, and monounsaturated omega-9 fatty acids.

As oil:

Strong's Hebrew 8081 - שֶׁמֶן shemen; from 8080; grease, especially liquid (as from the olive, often perfumed); figuratively, richness
Strong's Hebrew 3323 - יִצְהָר yitshâr; from 6671; oil (as producing light); figuratively, anointing
Strong's Hebrew 4887 - מְשַׁח mᵉshach; (Chaldean) from a root corresponding to 4886; oil
Strong's Greek 1637 - ἔλαιον ělaiǒn; neuter of the same as 1636; olive oil

As like oil (golden color) :

Strong's Hebrew 2091 - זָהָב zâhâb; from an unused root meaning to shimmer; gold, figuratively, something gold-colored (i.e. yellow), as oil, a clear sky

Deuteronomy 8:8 KJV - "A land of wheat, and barley, and vines, and fig trees, and pomegranates; a land of oil olive, and honey;"

(oil H8081)

Newly ripe olives produce more oil than mature olives and thus are used to extract oil from.

The finest and highest quality oil is extracted from olives the moment they become just ripe enough to harvest. The riper the olives, the poorer the quality of oil produced.

It takes anywhere from 5200 to 8000 olives to make one liter of olive oil. Extra virgin olive oil only contains oil that comes from the first pressing; where as pure virgin olive oil includes oil that comes from the second pressing.

Uses (Oil, Olives, Olive Tree Wood)

There are several uses for olives and the options vary depending on the ripeness of the olive.

As new oil:

Strong's Hebrew 3323 - יִצְהָר yitshâr; from 6671; oil (as producing light); figuratively, anointing
Gesenius Hebrew Lexicon (yitshâr): “oil, especially new and of this year’s growth”

Zechariah 4:14 KJV - "Then said he, These are the two anointed ones, that stand by the Lord of the whole earth."

(anointed H3323)

While beating olives with a pestle in a mortar yielded the purest olive oil, only the purest oil from the "new" first ripe olive berries were used for lighting, anointing, sanctifying, and offerings.

View examples here in scripture.

Exodus 27:20 KJV - "And thou shalt command the children of Israel, that they bring thee pure oil olive beaten for the light, to cause the lamp to burn always."

Exodus 29:2, 7, 21 KJV - "2 And unleavened bread, and cakes unleavened tempered with oil, and wafers unleavened anointed with oil: of wheaten flour shalt thou make them. ... 7 Then shalt thou take the anointing oil, and pour it upon his head, and anoint him. ... 21 And thou shalt take of the blood that is upon the altar, and of the anointing oil, and sprinkle it upon Aaron, and upon his garments, and upon his sons, and upon the garments of his sons with him: and he shall be hallowed, and his garments, and his sons, and his sons' garments with him."

Exodus 30:25-33 KJV - "25 And thou shalt make it an oil of holy ointment, an ointment compound after the art of the apothecary: it shall be an holy anointing oil. 26 And thou shalt anoint the tabernacle of the congregation therewith, and the ark of the testimony, 27 And the table and all his vessels, and the candlestick and his vessels, and the altar of incense, 28 And the altar of burnt offering with all his vessels, and the laver and his foot. 29 And thou shalt sanctify them, that they may be most holy: whatsoever toucheth them shall be holy. 30 And thou shalt anoint Aaron and his sons, and consecrate them, that they may minister unto me in the priest's office. 31 And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying, This shall be an holy anointing oil unto me throughout your generations. 32 Upon man's flesh shall it not be poured, neither shall ye make any other like it, after the composition of it: it is holy, and it shall be holy unto you. 33 Whosoever compoundeth any like it, or whosoever putteth any of it upon a stranger, shall even be cut off from his people."

Mature olives are prepared to consume whole. Whole olives are also referred to as table olives.

Olives naturally contain a bitter compound called oleuropein. To rid the bitterness, olives are cured in salt and or soaked in water or oil. They can be marinated with added herbs and spices.

Wood from an olive tree is treated and carved for a variety of uses. Scripture shows that it was used when constructing the first temple.

1 Kings 6:23 KJV - "And within the oracle he made two cherubims of olive tree, each ten cubits high.

1 Kings 6:32 KJV - "The two doors also were of olive tree; and he carved upon them carvings of cherubims and palm trees and open flowers, and overlaid them with gold, and spread gold upon the cherubims, and upon the palm trees." (also 1 Kings 6:31)

1 Kings 6:33 KJV - "So also made he for the door of the temple posts of olive tree, a fourth part of the wall."