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 up early in the morning, and took the stone which he had put at his head, and set it as a memorial pillar, and poured oil on the top of it.
And Zipporah took a sharp stone, and cut off the foreskin of her son, and threw it at his feet, and said, Surely a bloody husband you are to me.
You shall make no idols to yourselves; and you shall not set up for yourselves graven images, or a memorial pillar. And you shall not set up any image of stone in your land in order to bow down to it. For I am Jehovah your God.
At that time Jehovah said to Joshua, Make sharp knives for yourselves and circumcise the sons of Israel again, the second time. And Joshua made sharp knives and circumcised the sons of Israel at the hill of the foreskins.
Their sorrows shall be multiplied who run after another god. I will not pour out their drink offerings of blood; and I will not take their names on my lips. Jehovah is the portion of my inheritance, and of my cup; You shall uphold my lot.
Among the smooth stones of the stream is your portion; they, even they, are your lot; even to them you have poured a drink offering, you have offered a food offering. Should I be consoled over these?
And in that day I will make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all peoples. All who lift it shall be slashed, and all the nations of the earth will be gathered against it.
And he who falls on this Stone shall be broken, but on whomever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.
And as He went out of the temple, one of His disciples said to Him, Master, see! What stones and what buildings!
and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom every building having been fitly framed together, grows into a holy sanctuary in the Lord; read more. in whom you also are built together for a dwelling place of God through the Spirit.
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give to him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knows except he 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 up early in the morning, and took the stone which he had put at his head, and set it as a memorial pillar, and poured oil on the top of it.
And Jacob took a stone and set it up as a memorial pillar. And Jacob said to his brothers, Gather stones. And they took stones and made a heap. And they ate there upon the heap.
And Zipporah took a sharp stone, and cut off the foreskin of her son, and threw it at his feet, and said, Surely a bloody husband you are to me.
And Jehovah said to Moses, Come up to Me in the mountain, and be there. And I will give you tablets of stone, and the Law, and commandments which I have written, so that you may teach them.
And you shall set in it settings of stones, four rows of stones. The first row shall be a ruby, topaz, and carbuncle in the row. And the second row: an emerald, a sapphire. and a diamond. read more. And the third row: an jacinth, an agate, and an amethyst. And the fourth row: a chrysolite, and an onyx, and a jasper. They shall be set in gold in their fillings.
At that time Jehovah said to Joshua, Make sharp knives for yourselves and circumcise the sons of Israel again, the second time. And Joshua made sharp knives and circumcised the sons of Israel at the hill of the foreskins.
And they raised over him a great heap of stones to this day. And Jehovah turned from the greatness of His anger. Therefore, the name of that valley is called, The Valley of Grief, to this day.
And he wrote there on the stones a copy of the Law of Moses, which he wrote in the presence of the sons of Israel.
And the border went up to Beth-hoglah, and passed along by the north of Beth-arabah. And the border went up to the stone of Bohan the son of Reuben;
And you shall strike every fortified city, and every choice city. And you shall cut down every good tree and stop all wells of water, and mar every good piece of land with stones.
And they beat down the cities, and each man cast his stone on every good piece of land, and filled it. And they stopped all the wells of water, and cut down all the good trees. Only in Kir-haraseth did they leave the stones of it. But the slingers surrounded it and struck it.
And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you. And I will remove the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them a heart of flesh,
And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit within you. And I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh.
Jesus said to them, Did you never read in the Scriptures, "The stone which the builders rejected, this One has become the head of the corner; this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes?"
Then the Jews took up stones again to stone Him. Jesus answered them, I have shown you many good works from My Father; for which of these do you stone Me? read more. The Jews answered Him, saying, We do not stone you for a good work, but for blasphemy, and because you, being a man, make yourself God.
For having been drawn to Him, a living Stone, indeed rejected by men, but elect, precious with God; you also as living stones are built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give to him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knows except he who receives it .
And the foundation of its wall was jasper; and the city was pure gold, like clear glass. And the foundations of the wall of the city had been adorned with every precious stone. The first foundation, jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, chalcedony; the fourth, emerald; read more. the fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, topaz; the tenth, chrysoprasus; the eleventh, hyacinth; the twelfth, amethyst. And the twelve gates were twelve pearls. Respectively, each one of the gates was one pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, as 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 up early in the morning, and took the stone which he had put at his head, and set it as a memorial pillar, and poured oil on the top of it.
And Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone which he had put at his head, and set it as a memorial pillar, and poured oil on the top of it.
And Laban called it in Syrian, Heap of the Testimony, and Jacob called it in Hebrew, Heap of Testimony.
And Jacob set up a pillar in the place where He talked with him, a pillar of stone. And he poured a drink offering on it, and he poured oil on it.
But his bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob (from the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel);
even the twelve stones Joshua lifted up in the middle of Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests who carried the ark of the covenant, stood. And they are there to this day.
And they raised over him a great heap of stones to this day. And Jehovah turned from the greatness of His anger. Therefore, the name of that valley is called, The Valley of Grief, to this day.
And he hanged the king of Ai on a tree until evening. And as soon as the sun was down, Joshua commanded that they should take his body down from the tree and throw it down at the entrance to the gate of the city, and raise on it a great heap of stones, to this day.
And it happened in the morning, when the wine had gone out of Nabal and his wife had told him these things, his heart died within him and he became like a stone.
therefore so says the Lord Jehovah, Behold, I place in Zion a Stone for a foundation, a tried Stone, a precious Cornerstone, a sure Foundation; he who believes shall not hurry.
And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you. And I will remove the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them a heart of flesh,
And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit within you. And I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh.
And in that day I will make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all peoples. All who lift it shall be slashed, and all the nations of the earth will be gathered against it.
and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom every building having been fitly framed together, grows into a holy sanctuary in the Lord; read more. in whom you also are built together for a dwelling place of God through the Spirit.
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give to him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knows except he who receives it .