Reference: Stones
Fausets
Stones, large and long, but not high, are the characteristic of Jewish architecture (Mr 13:1). Robinson mentions one 24 ft. long by six broad, and only three high (Res. 1:233, note 284). Flint stones were used as knives for circumcising (Ex 4:25; Jos 5:2-3 margin). Stones were consecrated as memorials to God by anointing, as that at Bethel (Ge 28:18). The Phoenicians similarly called "meteoric stones" baetylia, and worshipped them. Isa 57:6, "among the smooth stones of the stream is thy portion" (i.e. thy gods, Ps 16:4-5). Gesenius translated "in the bore places of the valley," but what follows confirms KJV, "even to them hast thou poured a drink offering"; compare Le 26:1, "image of stone," margin figured stone.
The "white stone" in Re 2:17 is a glistering diamond, the Urim ("light" answering to "white") borne by the high priest within the "breast-plate" (choshen) of judgment, with the twelve tribes' names on the twelve precious stones, next the heart. None but the high priest knew the name written upon it, perhaps "Jehovah." He consulted it in some divinely appointed way. In our Christian dispensation the high-priest's peculiar treasure, consultation of God's light and truth, belongs to all believers as spiritual priests. If the reference be to Greek ideas, the white conveys the idea of acquittal, the stone that of election. In Zec 12:3 "I will make Jerusalem a burdensome stone ... all that burden themselves with it shall be cut to pieces," alluding to the custom of testing youths' strength by lifting a massive stone (Mt 21:44). The Jews "fell" on Messiah "the rock of offense and were broken"; the rock shall fall on antichrist who "burdens himself with it" by his assault on the restored Jews, and "grind him to powder" (Zechariah 13; 14). Christians are "living stones" built up as a spiritual temple on Christ "the chief corner stone" (Eph 2:20-22; 1Pe 2:4-8).
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And Jacob will rise early in the morning, and take the stone which he put at his head, and will set it a pillar, and pour oil upon its head.
And Zipporah will take a stone, and will cut off the uncircumcision her son, and will come to his feet, and will say, For a spouse of bloods, thou to me.
Ye shall not make to yourselves vain things, and carving, and a pillar ye shall not set up to you, and a stone of imagery ye shall not give in your land, to worship upon it: for I Jehovah your God.
In that time Jehovah said to Joshua, Make to thee swords of stone, and turning back, circumcise the sons of Israel the second time And Joshua will make to him swords of stone and will circumcise the sons of Israel at the hill of uncircumcisions:
Their labors shall be multiplied after they hastened: I will not gather their libations of blood, and I will not lift up their names upon my lips. Jehovah the portion of my part and of my cup: thou didst hold up my lot.
In the smoothnesses of the torrent they thy portion, they thy lot; also to them thou didst pour out a libation, thou didst bring up a gift Shall I be comforted with these?
And it was in that day I will set Jerusalem a stone of burden to all peoples: all loading her, being out; shall be cut; and all the nations of the earth were gathered together against her..
And he falling upon this stone shall be crushed: but upon whomsoever it should fall, it shall winnow him.
And he going out of the temple, one of his disciples says to him, Teacher, see of what country the stones, and of what country the buildings!
Built upon the foundation of the sent, and of the prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the corner stone; In whom all the building fitted together increases into a holy temple in the Lord: read more. In whom also ye are builded together for the dwelling of God in the Spirit.
He having ears, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches; To him conquering will I give to eat from the hidden manna, and I will give him a white small stone, and upon the small stone a new name written, which none knew except he receiving.
Morish
PRECIOUS STONES were much valued in Palestine. They were used in the breastplate of the high priest, Solomon garnished the temple with them, and they also abound in the description of the New Jerusalem in the Revelation. As the most costly things on earth they are selected to typify the graces of Christ as reflected in His saints. Ex 28:17-20; 1Ch 29:2; Re 21:18-21.
MEMORIAL STONES. Large stones, or heaps of stones, were often raised to commemorate an event, or to be a witness of some compact. Ge 28:18; 31:45-46; Jos 7:26; 15:6; 1Sa 6:15; 7:12. In the exploration of Palestine many large stones have been found, which apparently had been erected as memorial stones. Heaps of stones are also found where some enemy was defeated, and if the circumstances are known to the Arabs, every passer by is expected to add a stone.
BUILDING STONES. For the foundation of the temple Solomon ordered "great stones, costly stones, and hewed stones." As Jerusalem was built on two or three hills, to obtain a level place for the temple much stonework had to be erected on the shelving rock, before any part of the temple itself could be commenced. Some of such stonework is still to be seen in situ. Some are 'great stones:' one measures 38 feet 9 inches. They are so beautifully squared that they need no cement between them; they have a narrow draft cut along the edges. There is a quarry under Jerusalem, from which much stone had anciently been taken. See JERUSALEM.
Stones were also used for other purposes. In early days they were made into weapons; circumcision was practised with sharp stones. Ex 4:25; Jos 5:2-3. The law was engraven on stones. Ex 24:12; Jos 8:32; 2Co 3:7. Stones were cast upon land to spoil it for agriculture. 2Ki 3:19,25. They were used in the punishment of stoning. Joh 10:31-33. And given as a token of approval, as the white stone in Re 2:17.
Metaphorically stones represent hardness, strength, firmness: as the 'stony heart.' Eze 11:19; 36:26. The Lord Jesus is the 'stone' which the Jewish builders refused, but He became the head stone of the corner. Mt 21:42. He is also the 'living stone,' to whom the saints come as 'living stones,' and are built up 'a spiritual house.' 1Pe 2:4-5.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And Jacob will rise early in the morning, and take the stone which he put at his head, and will set it a pillar, and pour oil upon its head.
And Jacob will take a stone and raise up a pillar. And Jacob will say to his brethren, Gather stones; and they will take stones and make a heap; and they will eat there upon the heap.
And Zipporah will take a stone, and will cut off the uncircumcision her son, and will come to his feet, and will say, For a spouse of bloods, thou to me.
And Jehovah will say to Moses, Come up to me to the mountain, and be there: and I will give to thee tablets of stone, and the law and the commands which I wrote, to teach them.
And fill in it a filling of stone, four rows of stone: the row, a ruby, topaz, and emerald, the one row. The second row, a carbuncle, sapphire, and onyx. read more. And the third row, amber, agate, and amethyst And the fourth row, a topaz, and sardonyx, and jasper: they shall be set with gold in their fillings.
In that time Jehovah said to Joshua, Make to thee swords of stone, and turning back, circumcise the sons of Israel the second time And Joshua will make to him swords of stone and will circumcise the sons of Israel at the hill of uncircumcisions:
And they will raise up upon him a great heap of stones even till this day. And Jehovah will turn back from the wrath of his anger: for this, the name of that place was called, The valley of Achor, even to this day.
And he will write there upon the stones the second of the law of Moses which he wrote before the sons of Israel.
And the bound went up to the house of Hoglah, and passed over from the north of the house of Arabah; and the bound went up to the stone of Bohan, son of Reuben:
And strike ye every fortified city and every chosen city, and every good tree ye shall cause it to fall, and all the fountains of water ye shall shut up, and every good part ye shall mar with stones.
And they will tear down the cities, and on all the good portion of Moab they will cast a man his stone, and they filled it; and they will shut up all the fountains of water, and they will cause every good tree to fall: till he left its stones in the city of potsherds, and the slingers will encompass and strike it.
And I gave to them one heart, and a new spirit I will give in the midst of you; and I turned away the heart of stone from their flesh, and I gave to them a heart of flesh:
And I gave to you a new heart, and a new spirit will I give in the midst of you: and I turned away your heart of stone from your flesh, and I gave to you an heart of flesh.
Jesus says to them, Have ye never read in the writings, The stone which the builders disapproved of, this was for the head of the corner? This was from the Lord, and it was wonderful in your eyes.
Then again lifted up the Jews stones that they might stone him. Jesus Answered them, Many good works I shewed you from my Father; for which of these works do ye stone me read more. The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and that thou, being man, makest thyself God.
To whom approaching, a living stone, truly disapproved of by men, and chosen by God, highly valued, And ye yourselves are built, as living stones, a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to bring up spiritual sacrifice; acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
He having ears, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches; To him conquering will I give to eat from the hidden manna, and I will give him a white small stone, and upon the small stone a new name written, which none knew except he receiving.
And the interior construction of her wall was a jasper: and the city pure gold, like pure crystal. And the foundations of the wall of the city adorned with every precious stone. The first foundation a jasper; the second, a sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth an emerald: read more. The fifth, a sardonyx; the sixth, a sardius; the seventh, a chrysolyte; the eighth, a beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a hyacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst. And the twelve gates twelve pearls; each one of the gates was of one pearl: and the broad way of the city pure gold, as transparent amber.
Smith
Stones.
Besides the ordinary uses to which stones were applied, we may mention that large stones were set up to commemorate any remarkable event.
Ge 28:18; 35:14; 31:45; Jos 4:9; 1Sa 7:12
Such stones were occasionally consecrated By anointing.
Heaps of stones were piled up on various occasions, as in token of a treaty,
or over the grave of some notorious offender.
The "white stone" noticed in
has been variously regarded as referring to the pebble of acquittal used in the Greek courts; to the lot cast in elections in Greece to both these combined; to the stones in the high priest's breastplate; to the tickets presented to the victor at the public games; or, lastly, to the custom of writing on stones. The notice in
of the "burdensome stone" is referred by Jerome to the custom of lifting stones as an exercise of strength, comp. Ecclus. 6:21; but it may equally well be explained of a large corner-stone as a symbol of strength.
Stones are used metaphorically to denote hardness or insensibility,
as well as firmness or strength.
The members of the Church are called "living stones," as contributing to rear that living temple in which Christ, himself "a living stone," is the chief or head of the corner.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And Jacob will rise early in the morning, and take the stone which he put at his head, and will set it a pillar, and pour oil upon its head.
And Jacob will rise early in the morning, and take the stone which he put at his head, and will set it a pillar, and pour oil upon its head.
And Laban will call it the heap of testimony, and Jacob called it the heap of witness.
And Jacob will set up a pillar in the place which God spake with him; a pillar of stone: and he will pour out upon it a libation, and he will pour out upon it oil
And his bow will dwell in strength, and the seed of his hands will be firm by the hands of the mighty one of Jacob; from whence the shepherd, the stone of Israel
And Joshua raised up twelve stones in the midst of Jordan, in the place of the standing of the feet of the priest lifting up the ark of the covenant: and they shall be there till this day.
And they will raise up upon him a great heap of stones even till this day. And Jehovah will turn back from the wrath of his anger: for this, the name of that place was called, The valley of Achor, even to this day.
And the king of Ai he hung upon the tree till the time of evening: and when the sun went down Joshua commanded and they will take down his carcass from the tree and cast it at the opening of the gate of the city, and they will set upon it a great heap of stones till this day.
And it will be in the morning in the wine coming forth from Nabal, and his wife will announce to him these words, and his heart will die in the midst of him, and he was for a stone.
For this, thus said the Lord. Jehovah, Behold me placing for a foundation in Zion a stone, a stone of trial, a corner precious, a foundation being founded: and he believing shall not hasten.
And I gave to them one heart, and a new spirit I will give in the midst of you; and I turned away the heart of stone from their flesh, and I gave to them a heart of flesh:
And I gave to you a new heart, and a new spirit will I give in the midst of you: and I turned away your heart of stone from your flesh, and I gave to you an heart of flesh.
And it was in that day I will set Jerusalem a stone of burden to all peoples: all loading her, being out; shall be cut; and all the nations of the earth were gathered together against her..
Built upon the foundation of the sent, and of the prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the corner stone; In whom all the building fitted together increases into a holy temple in the Lord: read more. In whom also ye are builded together for the dwelling of God in the Spirit.
He having ears, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches; To him conquering will I give to eat from the hidden manna, and I will give him a white small stone, and upon the small stone a new name written, which none knew except he receiving.