Reference: Pillar
American
Sometimes means a monumental column, Ge 35:20; 2Sa 18:18; or a column of cloud or smoke, Ex 13:21; Jg 20:40. The stately column which adorns and supports the front of a temple, Jg 16:25-30; Job 9:6; 26:11, illustrates the position of prophets, Jer 1:18, apostles, Ga 2:9, believers, Re 3:12, and the church itself, respecting the truth, 1Ti 3:15.
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and Jacob setteth up a standing pillar over her grave; which is the standing pillar of Rachel's grave unto this day.
and Jehovah is going before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them in the way, and by night in a pillar of fire, to give light to them, to go by day and by night;
And it cometh to pass, when their heart is glad, that they say, 'Call for Samson, and he doth play before us;' and they call for Samson out of the prison-house, and he playeth before them, and they cause him to stand between the pillars. And Samson saith unto the young man who is keeping hold on his hand, 'Let me alone, and let me feel the pillars on which the house is established, and I lean upon them.' read more. And the house hath been full of men and of women, and thither are all the princes of the Philistines, and on the roof are about three thousand men and women, who are looking on the playing of Samson. And Samson calleth unto Jehovah, and saith, 'Lord Jehovah, remember me, I pray Thee, and strengthen me, I pray Thee, only this time, O God; and I am avenged -- vengeance at once -- because of my two eyes, on the Philistines.' And Samson turneth aside to the two middle pillars, on which the house is established, and on which it is supported, to the one with his right hand, and one with his left; and Samson saith, 'Let me die with the Philistines,' and he inclineth himself powerfully, and the house falleth on the princes, and on all the people who are in it, and the dead whom he hath put to death in his death are more than those whom he put to death in his life.
and the volume hath begun to go up from the city -- a pillar of smoke -- and Benjamin turneth behind, and lo, gone up hath the perfection of the city toward the heavens.
Who is shaking earth from its place, And its pillars move themselves.
Pillars of the heavens do tremble, And they wonder because of His rebuke.
And I, lo, I have given thee this day for a fenced city, and for an iron pillar, and for brazen walls over all the land, to the kings of Judah, to its heads, to its priests, and to the people of the land;
and having known the grace that was given to me, James, and Cephas, and John, who were esteemed to be pillars, a right hand of fellowship they did give to me, and to Barnabas, that we to the nations, and they to the circumcision may go,
and if I delay, that thou mayest know how it behoveth thee to conduct thyself in the house of God, which is an assembly of the living God -- a pillar and foundation of the truth,
He who is overcoming -- I will make him a pillar in the sanctuary of my God, and without he may not go any more, and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, that doth come down out of the heaven from my God -- also my new name.
Easton
used to support a building (Jg 16:26,29); as a trophy or memorial (Ge 28:18; 35:20; Ex 24:4; 1Sa 15:12, A.V., "place," more correctly "monument," or "trophy of victory," as in 2Sa 18:18); of fire, by which the Divine Presence was manifested (Ex 13:2). The "plain of the pillar" in JG 9:6 ought to be, as in the Revised Version, the "oak of the pillar", i.e., of the monument or stone set up by Joshua (Jos 24:26).
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And Jacob riseth early in the morning, and taketh the stone which he hath made his pillows, and maketh it a standing pillar, and poureth oil upon its top,
and Jacob setteth up a standing pillar over her grave; which is the standing pillar of Rachel's grave unto this day.
Sanctify to Me every first-born, opening any womb among the sons of Israel, among man and among beast; it is Mine.'
And Moses writeth all the words of Jehovah, and riseth early in the morning, and buildeth an altar under the hill, and twelve standing pillars for the twelve tribes of Israel;
And Joshua writeth these words in the Book of the Law of God, and taketh a great stone, and raiseth it up there under the oak which is in the sanctuary of Jehovah.
And Samson saith unto the young man who is keeping hold on his hand, 'Let me alone, and let me feel the pillars on which the house is established, and I lean upon them.'
And Samson turneth aside to the two middle pillars, on which the house is established, and on which it is supported, to the one with his right hand, and one with his left;
And Absalom hath taken, and setteth up for himself in his life, the standing-pillar that is in the king's valley, for he said, 'I have no son to cause my name to be remembered;' and he calleth the standing-pillar by his own name, and it is called 'The monument of Absalom' unto this day.
Hastings
1. With two or three unimportant exceptions, 'pillar' in OT is the rendering of two very distinct Heb. terms, 'amm
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And Jacob riseth early in the morning, and taketh the stone which he hath made his pillows, and maketh it a standing pillar, and poureth oil upon its top,
then this stone which I have made a standing pillar is a house of God, and all that Thou dost give to me -- tithing I tithe to Thee.'
then this stone which I have made a standing pillar is a house of God, and all that Thou dost give to me -- tithing I tithe to Thee.'
I am the God of Bethel where thou hast anointed a standing pillar, where thou hast vowed a vow to me; now, arise, go out from this land, and turn back unto the land of thy birth.'
and now, come, let us make a covenant, I and thou, and it hath been for a witness between me and thee.'
And Jacob setteth up a standing pillar in the place where He hath spoken with him, a standing pillar of stone, and he poureth on it an oblation, and he poureth on it oil;
And Jacob setteth up a standing pillar in the place where He hath spoken with him, a standing pillar of stone, and he poureth on it an oblation, and he poureth on it oil;
and Jacob setteth up a standing pillar over her grave; which is the standing pillar of Rachel's grave unto this day.
and Jehovah is going before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them in the way, and by night in a pillar of fire, to give light to them, to go by day and by night;
'Thou dost not bow thyself to their gods, nor serve them, nor do according to their doings, but dost utterly devote them, and thoroughly break their standing pillars.
and thou hast put it on four pillars of shittim wood, overlaid with gold, their pegs are of gold, on four sockets of silver.
for their altars ye break down, and their standing pillars ye shiver, and its shrines ye cut down;
'But thus thou dost to them: their altars ye break down, and their standing pillars ye shiver, and their shrines ye cut down, and their graven images ye burn with fire;
and ye have broken down their altars, and shivered their standing pillars, and their shrines ye burn with fire, and graven images of their gods ye cut down, and have destroyed their name out of that place.
and ye have broken down their altars, and shivered their standing pillars, and their shrines ye burn with fire, and graven images of their gods ye cut down, and have destroyed their name out of that place.
that ye have said to them, Because the waters of the Jordan were cut off, at the presence of the ark of the covenant of Jehovah; in its passing over into the Jordan were the waters of the Jordan cut off; and these stones have been for a memorial to the sons of Israel -- to the age.'
And Joshua saith unto all the people, 'Lo, this stone is against us for a witness, for it hath heard all the sayings of Jehovah which He hath spoken with us, and it hath been against you for a witness, lest ye lie against your God.'
And it cometh to pass, when their heart is glad, that they say, 'Call for Samson, and he doth play before us;' and they call for Samson out of the prison-house, and he playeth before them, and they cause him to stand between the pillars.
and the volume hath begun to go up from the city -- a pillar of smoke -- and Benjamin turneth behind, and lo, gone up hath the perfection of the city toward the heavens.
And Samuel taketh a stone, and setteth it between Mizpeh and Shen, and calleth its name Eben-Ezer, saying, 'Hitherto hath Jehovah helped us.'
And Absalom hath taken, and setteth up for himself in his life, the standing-pillar that is in the king's valley, for he said, 'I have no son to cause my name to be remembered;' and he calleth the standing-pillar by his own name, and it is called 'The monument of Absalom' unto this day.
And he buildeth the house of the forest of Lebanon; a hundred cubits is its length, and fifty cubits its breadth, and thirty cubits its height, on four rows of cedar pillars, and cedar-beams on the pillars;
And they build -- also they -- for themselves high places, and standing-pillars, and shrines, on every high height, and under every green tree;
and set up for them standing-pillars and shrines on every high height, and under every green tree,
Who is shaking earth from its place, And its pillars move themselves.
Pillars of the heavens do tremble, And they wonder because of His rebuke.
For many days remain do the sons of Israel without a king, and there is no prince, and there is no sacrifice, and there is no standing pillar, and there is no ephod and teraphim.
An empty vine is Israel, Fruit he maketh like to himself, According to the abundance of his fruit, He hath multiplied for the altars, According to the goodness of his land, They have made goodly standing-pillars.
and having known the grace that was given to me, James, and Cephas, and John, who were esteemed to be pillars, a right hand of fellowship they did give to me, and to Barnabas, that we to the nations, and they to the circumcision may go,
Salute thee do all those with me; salute those loving us in faith; the grace is with you all!
He who is overcoming -- I will make him a pillar in the sanctuary of my God, and without he may not go any more, and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, that doth come down out of the heaven from my God -- also my new name.
And I saw another strong messenger coming down out of the heaven, arrayed with a cloud, and a rainbow upon the head, and his face as the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire,
Morish
There are several Hebrew words translated 'pillar': the principal are
1. matstsebah, from 'to set, put, place;' and hence anything that is set up. It is used for the stone that Jacob had had for a pillow, which he set up, and on which he poured oil and made his vow. Also for the heap of stones he raised when Laban and he parted. Ge 28:18,22; 31:13,45-52; 35:14,20; Ex 24:4; Isa 19:19. From De 12:3 it would appear that pillars of some sort were also connected with idolatry. These may resemble the cairns often found in what were idolatrous lands. Absalom raised up for himself a pillar to keep his name in remembrance because he had no son. 2Sa 18:18.
2. The word ammud occurs many times for the pillars of the tabernacle and the temple. It is also used for the pillar of cloud and the pillar of fire; also symbolically for the pillars of the heavens and the pillars of the earth. Ex 13:21; 27:10-17; 1Ki 7:2-42; Job 9:6; 26:11; Ps 75:3; Eze 40:49; 42:6.
In the N.T. the word is ??????, 'a pillar or column.' James, Cephas and John seemed to be 'pillars' in the church at Jerusalem
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And Jacob riseth early in the morning, and taketh the stone which he hath made his pillows, and maketh it a standing pillar, and poureth oil upon its top,
then this stone which I have made a standing pillar is a house of God, and all that Thou dost give to me -- tithing I tithe to Thee.'
I am the God of Bethel where thou hast anointed a standing pillar, where thou hast vowed a vow to me; now, arise, go out from this land, and turn back unto the land of thy birth.'
And Jacob taketh a stone, and lifteth it up for a standing pillar; and Jacob saith to his brethren, 'Gather stones,' and they take stones, and make a heap; and they eat there on the heap; read more. and Laban calleth it Jegar-Sahadutha; and Jacob hath called it Galeed. And Laban saith, 'This heap is witness between me and thee to-day;' therefore hath he called its name Galeed; Mizpah also, for he said, 'Jehovah doth watch between me and thee, for we are hidden one from another; if thou afflict my daughters, or take wives beside my daughters -- there is no man with us -- see, God is witness between me and thee.' And Laban saith to Jacob, 'Lo, this heap, and lo, the standing pillar which I have cast between me and thee; this heap is witness, and the standing pillar is witness, that I do not pass over this heap unto thee, and that thou dost not pass over this heap and this standing pillar unto me -- for evil;
And Jacob setteth up a standing pillar in the place where He hath spoken with him, a standing pillar of stone, and he poureth on it an oblation, and he poureth on it oil;
and Jacob setteth up a standing pillar over her grave; which is the standing pillar of Rachel's grave unto this day.
and Jehovah is going before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them in the way, and by night in a pillar of fire, to give light to them, to go by day and by night;
And Moses writeth all the words of Jehovah, and riseth early in the morning, and buildeth an altar under the hill, and twelve standing pillars for the twelve tribes of Israel;
and its twenty pillars and their twenty sockets are of brass, the pegs of the pillars and their fillets are of silver; and so for the north side in length, hangings of a hundred cubits in length, and its twenty pillars and their twenty sockets are of brass, the pegs of the pillars and their fillets are of silver. read more. And for the breadth of the court at the west side are hangings of fifty cubits, their pillars ten, and their sockets ten. And for the breadth of the court at the east side, eastward, are fifty cubits. And the hangings at the side are fifteen cubits, their pillars three, and their sockets three. And at the second side are hangings fifteen cubits, their pillars three, and their sockets three. 'And for the gate of the court a covering of twenty cubits, blue, and purple, and scarlet, and twined linen, work of an embroiderer; their pillars four, their sockets four. All the pillars of the court round about are filleted with silver, their pegs are silver, and their sockets brass.
and ye have broken down their altars, and shivered their standing pillars, and their shrines ye burn with fire, and graven images of their gods ye cut down, and have destroyed their name out of that place.
And Absalom hath taken, and setteth up for himself in his life, the standing-pillar that is in the king's valley, for he said, 'I have no son to cause my name to be remembered;' and he calleth the standing-pillar by his own name, and it is called 'The monument of Absalom' unto this day.
Who is shaking earth from its place, And its pillars move themselves.
Pillars of the heavens do tremble, And they wonder because of His rebuke.
Melted is the earth and all its inhabitants, I -- I have pondered its pillars. Selah.
In that day there is an altar to Jehovah In the midst of the land of Egypt, And a standing pillar near its border to Jehovah,
the length of the porch twenty cubits, and the breadth eleven cubits; and by the steps whereby they go up unto it: and pillars are at the posts, one on this side, and one on that side.
for they are threefold, and they have no pillars as the pillars of the court, therefore it hath been kept back -- more than the lower and than the middle one -- from the ground.
and having known the grace that was given to me, James, and Cephas, and John, who were esteemed to be pillars, a right hand of fellowship they did give to me, and to Barnabas, that we to the nations, and they to the circumcision may go,
and if I delay, that thou mayest know how it behoveth thee to conduct thyself in the house of God, which is an assembly of the living God -- a pillar and foundation of the truth,
He who is overcoming -- I will make him a pillar in the sanctuary of my God, and without he may not go any more, and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, that doth come down out of the heaven from my God -- also my new name.
And I saw another strong messenger coming down out of the heaven, arrayed with a cloud, and a rainbow upon the head, and his face as the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire,
Smith
Pillar.
The notion of a pillar is of a shaft or isolated pile either supporting or not supporting a roof. But perhaps the earliest application of the pillar was the votive or monumental, This in early times consisted of nothing but a single stone or pile of stones.
etc. The stone Ezel,
was probably a terminal stone or a way-mark. The "place" set up by Saul
is explained by St, Jerome to be a trophy. So also Jacob set up a pillar over Rachel's grave.
The monolithic tombs and obelisks of Petra are instances of similar usage. Lastly, the figurative use of the term "pillar," in reference to the cloud and fire accompanying the Israelites on their march or as in
and Reve 10:1 is plainly derived from the notion of an isolated column not supporting a roof.
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And Jacob riseth early in the morning, and taketh the stone which he hath made his pillows, and maketh it a standing pillar, and poureth oil upon its top,
I have been thus: in the day consumed me hath drought, and frost by night, and wander doth my sleep from mine eyes.
These are sons of Seir the Horite, the inhabitants of the land: Lotan, and Shobal, and Zibeon, and Anah,
And Samuel riseth early to meet Saul in the morning, and it is declared to Samuel, saying, 'Saul hath come in to Carmel, and lo, he is setting up to himself a monument, and goeth round, and passeth over, and goeth down to Gilgal.'
and on the third day thou dost certainly come down, and hast come in unto the place where thou wast hidden in the day of the work, and hast remained near the stone Ezel.
Who is this coming up from the wilderness, Like palm-trees of smoke, Perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, From every powder of the merchant?
Watsons
PILLAR properly means a column raised to support a building; but in Scripture the term mostly occurs in a metaphorical or figurative sense. Thus we have a pillar of cloud, a pillar of fire, a pillar of smoke, &c; signifying a cloud, a fire, a smoke raised up toward heaven in the form or shape of a pillar, Ex 13:21; Jg 20:40. Job speaks of the pillars of heaven and the pillars of the earth, Job 9:6; 26:11; which are strong metaphorical expressions, that suppose the heavens and the earth to be an edifice raised by the hand of the almighty Creator, and founded upon its basis. St. Paul speaks of the Christian church under the similitude of a pillar or column on which the truth, or doctrine of the glorious Gospel is inscribed, 1Ti 3:15.
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and Jehovah is going before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them in the way, and by night in a pillar of fire, to give light to them, to go by day and by night;
and the volume hath begun to go up from the city -- a pillar of smoke -- and Benjamin turneth behind, and lo, gone up hath the perfection of the city toward the heavens.
Who is shaking earth from its place, And its pillars move themselves.
Pillars of the heavens do tremble, And they wonder because of His rebuke.
and if I delay, that thou mayest know how it behoveth thee to conduct thyself in the house of God, which is an assembly of the living God -- a pillar and foundation of the truth,