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).
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And Jacob rose early in the morning, and he took the stone that he had put under his head and set it up [as] a stone pillar, and poured oil on top of it.
But Zipporah took a flint [knife], and she cut off the foreskin of her son, and she touched his feet, and she said, "Yes, you [are] a bridegroom of blood to me."
" 'You shall not make for yourselves idols and divine images, and you shall not raise up stone pillars for yourselves, and you shall not put a sculptured stone in your land in order to worship before it, because I [am] Yahweh your God.
At that time Yahweh said to Joshua, "Make for yourself knives of flint, and circumcise the {Israelites} a second time." So Joshua made knives of flint, and he circumcised the {Israelites} at the hill of the foreskins.
Those [who] hurry [after] another [god] increase their sorrows. I will not pour out their drink offerings of blood, nor take up their names on my lips. Yahweh [is] the portion [which is] my share and my cup. You hold my lot.
Your portion [is] among [the] smooth [stones] of [the] valley; they, they [are] your lot; indeed, to them you have poured out a drink offering, you have brought a food offering. Shall I relent concerning these [things]?
{And then} on that day I will make Jerusalem a stone weight for all the peoples. All those lifting it up will grievously hurt themselves, and all the nations of the earth will assemble against it.
And the one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, and [the one] on whom it falls--it will crush him!"
And [as] he was going out of the temple [courts], one of his disciples said to him, "Teacher, look! What great stones and what wonderful buildings!"
built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole building, joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, read more. in whom you also are built up together into a dwelling place of God in [the] Spirit.
The one who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers, I will give to him [some] of the hidden manna, and I will give to him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written, that no one knows except the one who receives [it].'
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.
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And Jacob rose early in the morning, and he took the stone that he had put under his head and set it up [as] a stone pillar, and poured oil on top of it.
And Jacob took a stone and set it up [as] a stone pillar. And Jacob said to his kinsmen, "Gather stones." And they took stones and made a pile of stones, and they ate there by the pile of stones.
But Zipporah took a flint [knife], and she cut off the foreskin of her son, and she touched his feet, and she said, "Yes, you [are] a bridegroom of blood to me."
And Yahweh said to Moses, "Come up to me [on] the mountain, and be there, and I will give you the tablets of stone and the law and the commandments that I have written to instruct them."
And you will fill it [with] stone mounting, four rows [of] stone, a row of carnelian, topaz, and emerald [is] the first row; and the second row [is] a malachite, a sapphire, and a moonstone; read more. and the third row [is] a jacinth, an agate, and an amethyst; and the fourth row [is] a turquoise and an onyx and a jasper. Their settings will be woven [with] gold.
At that time Yahweh said to Joshua, "Make for yourself knives of flint, and circumcise the {Israelites} a second time." So Joshua made knives of flint, and he circumcised the {Israelites} at the hill of the foreskins.
Then {they placed} on top of him a great pile of stones [that remains] to this day. And Yahweh {turned from his burning anger}, and thus the name of that place to this day is called the valley of Achor.
And there Joshua wrote on the stones copy of the law of Moses, which he had written, in the presence of the {Israelites}.
the border goes up to Beth-hoglah and passes [along] north of Beth Arabah; and the border goes up the stone of Bohan son of Reuben;
and you shall defeat every fortified city, every choice city, and you shall fell every good tree. All of the springs of water you shall stop up, and every tract of good land you shall ruin with the stones."
The cities they tore down, [on] every good tract of land they threw stones until it was filled up, every spring of water they stopped up, and every good tree they felled. They let the stone walls at Kir Hareseth remain, but the slingers surrounded and attacked it.
And I will give to them one heart, and a new spirit I will give in their inner parts. And I will remove their heart of stone from their body, and I will give to them a heart of flesh,
And I will give a new heart to you, and a new spirit I will give into your inner parts, and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh, and I will give to you a heart of flesh.
Jesus said to them, "Have you never read in the scriptures, 'The stone which the builders rejected, this has become {the cornerstone}. This came about from the Lord, and it is marvelous in our eyes'?
Then the Jews picked up stones again so that they could stone him. Jesus answered them, "I have shown you many good deeds from the Father. For which one of them are you going to stone me?" read more. The Jews answered him, "We are not going to stone you concerning a good deed, but concerning blasphemy, and because you, [although you] are a man, make yourself [to be] God!"
in which also you once lived, when you used to live in them.
to whom you are drawing near, a living stone rejected by men but chosen [and] precious in the sight of God. And [you] yourselves, as living stones, are being built up [as] a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
The one who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers, I will give to him [some] of the hidden manna, and I will give to him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written, that no one knows except the one who receives [it].'
And the material of its wall [is] jasper, and the city [is] pure gold, similar in appearance to pure glass. The foundations of the wall of the city are adorned with every kind of precious stone: the first foundation jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald, read more. the fifth sardonyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst. And the twelve gates [are] twelve pearls, each one of the gates was from a single pearl. And the street of the city [is] pure gold, like transparent glass.
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 rose early in the morning, and he took the stone that he had put under his head and set it up [as] a stone pillar, and poured oil on top of it.
And Jacob rose early in the morning, and he took the stone that he had put under his head and set it up [as] a stone pillar, and poured oil on top of it.
And Jacob set up a pillar at the place where God had spoken with him, a pillar of stone. And he poured out a drink offering upon it, and poured oil on it.
But his bow remained in a steady position; {his arms} were made agile by the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob. From there [is] the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel.
Then Joshua set up twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests carrying the ark of the covenant [stood], and they are there to this day.
Then {they placed} on top of him a great pile of stones [that remains] to this day. And Yahweh {turned from his burning anger}, and thus the name of that place to this day is called the valley of Achor.
The king of Ai he hanged on a tree until the time of evening, and as the sun went down Joshua commanded [them], and they brought down his dead body from the tree. Then they threw it at the entrance of the gate of the city, and they raised over it a great heap of stones [that remains] to this day.
{And then} in the morning when the wine had gone out of Nabal, his wife told him these words. Then his heart died {within him}, and he became like a stone.
Therefore the Lord Yahweh says this: "Look! I [am] laying a stone in Zion, a {tested} stone, a precious cornerstone, a founded foundation: 'The one who trusts will not {panic}.'
And I will give to them one heart, and a new spirit I will give in their inner parts. And I will remove their heart of stone from their body, and I will give to them a heart of flesh,
And I will give a new heart to you, and a new spirit I will give into your inner parts, and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh, and I will give to you a heart of flesh.
{And then} on that day I will make Jerusalem a stone weight for all the peoples. All those lifting it up will grievously hurt themselves, and all the nations of the earth will assemble against it.
built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole building, joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, read more. in whom you also are built up together into a dwelling place of God in [the] Spirit.
The one who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers, I will give to him [some] of the hidden manna, and I will give to him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written, that no one knows except the one who receives [it].'