2 Kings 6:5 - "But as one was felling a log, his axe head fell into the water; and he cried out, ‘Alas, my master! It was borrowed.’ "

Biblical loggers chopped trees to specified lengths, lashed the trunks together, and floated them down waterways when necessary and possible. Wood of various trees was widely used for the construction of royal palaces, carts, idols, boats, farm implements, and many other things. And, of course, much wood was used in the construction of the Temple.

Because forests in ancient Palestine were not extensive, it was necessary that woods be imported. So, we find that Hiram, king of Tyre, sent cedar, cypress, and algum wood, presumably in the form of logs tied together as rafts. These were sent to Solomon by sea and were used in building the Temple.

In the New Testament, the translation is "beam," rather than "lag," a beam being a long, shaped piece of lumber. There is an interesting parallel in the Babylonian Talmud to Jesus’ comment in Matthew 7:3-5. The Talmud says, "Rabbi Tarfon (@A.D. 120) said: ‘I wonder whether there is anyone in this generation who would accept reproof. If one said, "Take the mote from between your eyes," he would answer, "Take the beam from between your eyes." ’ "

Today’s logger is becoming a vanishing man. New and improved methods of sending wood to the sawmills are eliminating the last remnants of a once glamorous, although dangerous, profession. We all grew up on stories of Paul Bunyan and the other mighty men of the forests. Lumberjacks there still are, but the day of river logging is almost done. But, we still need great quantities of lumber in our every day lives, and so the men who work with the trees will be needed for a long time yet.