Reference: Marble
Easton
as a mineral, consists of carbonate of lime, its texture varying from the highly crystalline to the compact. In Es 1:6 there are four Hebrew words which are rendered marble:, (1.) Shesh, "pillars of marble." But this word probably designates dark-blue limestone rather than marble. (2.) Dar, some regard as Parian marble. It is here rendered "white marble." But nothing is certainly known of it. (3.) Bahat, "red marble," probably the verd-antique or half-porphyry of Egypt. (4.) Sohareth, "black marble," probably some spotted variety of marble. "The marble pillars and tesserae of various colours of the palace at Susa came doubtless from Persia itself, where marble of various colours is found, especially in the province of Hamadan Susiana." The marble of Solomon's architectural works may have been limestone from near Jerusalem, or from Lebanon, or possibly white marble from Arabia. Herod employed Parian marble in the temple, and marble columns still exist in great abundance at Jerusalem.
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Hastings
Morish
The well-known stone that takes a high polish. It was used in Solomon's temple, and there were pillars of marble in the Persian palace. Babylon, or Papal Rome, in her luxury imported marble. 1Ch 29:2; Es 1:6; Cant. 5:15; Re 18:12.
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Smith
Marble.
The Hebrew shesh, the generic term for marble, may probably be taken to mean almost any shining stone. The so-called marble of Solomon's architectural works may thus have been limestone. There can be no doubt that Herod both in the temple and elsewhere employed Parian or other marble. The marble pillars and tesserae of various colors of the palace at Susa came doubtless from Persia.
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Watsons
MARBLE, ???, 1Ch 29:2; Es 1:6; Song 5:15; a valuable kind of stone, of a texture so hard and compact, and of a grain so fine, as readily to take a beautiful polish. It is dug out of quarries in large masses, and is much used in buildings, ornamental pillars, &c. Marble is of different colours, black, white, &c; and is sometimes elegantly clouded and variegated. The stone mentioned in the places cited above is called the stone of sis or sish: the LXX and Vulgate render it "Parian stone," which was remarkable for its bright white colour. Probably the cliff Ziz, 2Ch 20:16, was so called from being a marble crag: the place was afterward called Petra. The variety of stones, ???, ???, ??, ????, mentioned in the pavement of Ahasuerus, might be marble of different colours. The ancients sometimes made pavements wherein were set very valuable stones.