According to Egyptian mythology the acacia has been associated with the tree of life, such as in the Myth of Osiris and Isis. The acacia tree is said to have been the “burning bush” that Moses encountered in the desert, and when God gave Moses the instructions for building the tabernacle, he said to "make an ark" and "a table of acacia wood" Christ's crown of thorns is thought to have been woven from acacia. It represents purity and endurance of the soul, and is used as a funerary symbol signifying resurrection and immortality. Over centuries, the acacia has shaded weary desert travellers from the scorching sun, and it can lie dormant for years of drought until finally the rains return, and it suddenly springs back to life.