אֶבֶן
ʼeben · H68 · Hebrew · 272 occurrences
Thing
- Stone weightsCommerce10 verses
Meanings
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stone as a substance
A hard, heavy and strong material, very commonly found in nature, which a craftsman can hew into different shapes
ExamplesGenesis 35:14 So Jacob set up a memorial stone in the place where He had spoken with him, a memorial of stone, and he poured out a drink offering on it; he also poured oil on it.
Exodus 7:19 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Take your staff and extend your hand over the waters of Egypt, over their rivers, over their streams, over their pools, and over all their reservoirs of water, so that they may become blood; and there will be blood through all the land of Egypt, both in containers of wood and in containers of stone.’”
Exodus 24:12 Now the LORD said to Moses, “Come up to Me on the mountain and stay there, and I will give you the stone tablets with the Law and the commandments which I have written for their instruction.”
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stone as an object
An object of stone, usually found in nature and used for throwing and building crude constructions, sometimes shaped as a memorial or religious symbol, and regarded as common and easily available but also strong, hard and unflexible
ExamplesGenesis 28:11 And he happened upon a particular place and spent the night there, because the sun had set; and he took one of the stones of the place and made it a support for his head, and lay down in that place.
Genesis 28:18 So Jacob got up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had placed as a support for his head, and set it up as a memorial stone, and poured oil on its top.
Genesis 28:22 “And this stone, which I have set up as a memorial stone, will be God’s house, and of everything that You give me I will assuredly give a tenth to You.”
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stone of Israel or Rock of Israel
God described as an unmoveable stone, signifying that he is dependable and able to protect against the enemy
ExamplesGenesis 49:24 But his bow remained firm, And his arms were agile, From the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob (From there is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel),
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a stumbling stone
God described as a stone over which one may stumble, signifying that he will punish those who do not honor him
ExamplesIsaiah 8:14 “Then He will become a sanctuary; But to both houses of Israel, He will be a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense, And a snare and a trap for the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
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to go to the stones of the pit > to die
Literally: to descend to the stones of the pit; hence: to die and go to the world of the dead, depicted as a deep rocky pit
ExamplesIsaiah 14:19 “But you have been hurled out of your tomb Like a rejected branch, Clothed with those killed who have been pierced with a sword, Who go down to the stones of the pit Like a trampled corpse.
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Literally: to stretch out the plummet of chaos over something; hence: to reduce a land to destruction, as if it were meticulously planned and methodologically executed with the help of a plummet (to stretch the plummet of chaos over (something) > to reduce (something) to chaos)
ExamplesIsaiah 34:11 But pelican and hedgehog will possess it, And owl and raven will dwell in it; And He will stretch over it the line of desolation And the plumb line of emptiness.
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Literally: (one's) heart is hard as stone; hence: state of not being easily frightened (to be hard as stone (of one's heart) > to not be easily frightened)
ExamplesJob 41:24 “His heart is as firm as a stone, And as firm as a lower millstone.
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stone
A block of stone, whether fully square or not, found in nature or hewn from a quarry and used for building houses, walls and other constructions
ExamplesGenesis 11:3 Then they said to one another, “Come, let’s make bricks and fire them thoroughly.” And they used brick for stone, and they used tar for mortar.
Leviticus 14:40 the priest shall order them to pull out the stones with the spot on them and throw them away at an unclean place outside the city.
Leviticus 14:42 “Then they shall take other stones and replace the discarded stones, and he shall take other plaster and replaster the house.
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a precious stone
A small object made of a variety of stone considered precious for its beauty and scarcity, used as ornament or decoration and associated with honor, majesty and glory
ExamplesGenesis 2:12 The gold of that land is good; the bdellium and the onyx stone are there as well.
Exodus 25:7 onyx stones and setting stones for the ephod and for the breastpiece.
Exodus 28:9 “And you shall take two onyx stones and engrave on them the names of the sons of Israel,
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a hailstone
An object similar to a small stone in shape and hardness, made of frozen rain, falling from the sky in showers and often associated with a punishment from God
ExamplesJoshua 10:11 And as they fled from Israel, while they were at the descent of Beth-horon, the LORD hurled large stones from heaven on them as far as Azekah, and they died; there were more who died from the hailstones than those whom the sons of Israel killed with the sword.
Ezekiel 13:11 so tell those who plaster it over with whitewash, that it will fall. A flooding rain will come, and you, hailstones, will fall, and a violent wind will break out.
Ezekiel 13:13 Therefore, this is what the Lord GOD says: “I will make a violent wind break out in My wrath. There will also be in My anger a flooding rain and hailstones to consume it in wrath.
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cover, lid
Literally: leaden stone; hence: a flat object used to cover a container in the same way as a stone can be used to cover a well
ExamplesZechariah 5:8 Then he said, “This is Wickedness!” And he thrust her into the middle of the ephah and threw the lead weight on its opening.
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heart of stone, unwillingness, unresponsiveness, stubbornness
Literally: heart of stone; hence: state of being unwilling to listen to advice from others, especially from God, in the same way as stone is hard and unyielding as opposed to flesh
ExamplesEzekiel 11:19 “And I will give them one heart, and put a new spirit within them. And I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh,
Ezekiel 36:26 “Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.
How it’s used In 10 roles
Every occurrence, grouped by the words it is grammatically related to.
the word studied the word it goes with
Whose, or of whatGenitive or possessive
78 occurrences in 49 groups
- שֹׁהַםonyx 7
- הּher 5
- מִלֻּאsetting 4
- הוּhis 4
- גָּזִיתhewn stone 3
- אֶלְגָּבִישׁhailstones 3
- Other words · 41 groups that occur once or twice (49) 49
Words describing itAdjectives, demonstratives, participles
68 occurrences in 21 groups
- יָקָרprecious 18
- גָּדוֹלgreat, large 14
- שְׁנַיִםtwo 8
- אֶחָדone 6
- אֵלֶּהthese 6
- שָׁלֵםwhole, wholehearted 5
- Other words · 15 groups that occur once or twice (19) 19
Named alongside itApposition
23 occurrences in 15 groups
- אֶבֶןstone 10
- אֱלֹהִיםGod, gods 3
- Other words · 13 groups that occur once or twice (16) 16
What it doesIt is the subject
17 occurrences in 9 groups
- הָיָהto be, to become 9
- Other words · 8 groups that occur once or twice (8) 8
What is done to itIt is the object
85 occurrences in 41 groups
- לָקַחto take, to receive 13
- גָּלַלto roll 6
- נָשָׂאto lift up, to carry, to bear 6
- שׂוּםto put, to set, to place 5
- קוּםto arise 4
- שָׁלַךְto cast, to throw 4
- Other words · 31 groups that occur once or twice (34) 34
Second object ofSecond object
3 occurrences in 1 groups
- שׂוּםto put, to set, to place 3
What it is said to bePredicate
15 occurrences in 12 groups
- Other words · 12 groups that occur once or twice (15) 15
What is said to be itIt is the predicate
6 occurrences in 6 groups
- בְּרִיתcovenant, treaty 1
- הֵםthey, them 1
- אֵלֶּהthese 1
- עַיִןeye, sight 1
- שַׁחַדpresent 1
- שֻׁלְחָןtable 1
After prepositionsPrepositional phrases
67 occurrences in 10 groups
- בin/on/with 52
- כlike/as 13
- לto/for 12
- עַלon, upon, over, against 11
- אֵלto, toward 7
- כְּמוֹas, like 4
- Other words · 3 groups that occur once or twice (6) 6
In phrases “… of it”It is the genitive
41 occurrences in 20 groups
- לוּחַtablet, board 13
- גַּלwave 3
- חָרָשׁcraftsman 3
- מִזְבֵּחַaltar 3
- Other words · 16 groups that occur once or twice (19) 19
When two words share a role, as in “Paul and Barnabas said”, the verse appears under each, so a section’s counts can add up to more than the number of occurrences.
MACULA Greek Linguistic Datasets, available at https://github.com/Clear-Bible/macula-greek/, licensed CC BY 4.0; MACULA Hebrew Linguistic Datasets © 2022-2024 by Biblica, Inc., CC BY 4.0. Westminster Leningrad Codex (tanach.us). OpenScriptures Hebrew Bible morphology (hb.openscriptures.org), CC BY 4.0.
Near synonyms 1 word
- כֵּף kêph · H3710 · rock
- The target lexeme is a high-frequency word for stone with a broad range of extended senses, while כֵף is a very rare, focused term for rock. The two are near-synonyms, both denoting rock or stone.
In the other Testament 2 words
- λίθος líthos · G3037 · stone
- Greek λίθος (‘a stone, literally or figuratively’) is the standard Septuagint rendering of Hebrew אֶבֶן, both denoting stone in its literal sense (building material, natural rock, hewn block) and in figurative extensions (a weight, a memorial, or a metaphor for hardness or permanence).
- λίθινος líthinos · G3035 · stone, made out of stone
- Greek λίθινος is the adjectival form 'made of stone/stony' derived from the noun λίθος 'stone', whereas Hebrew אֶבֶן is the concrete noun 'stone' itself; λίθινος serves as the natural Greek equivalent when rendering Hebrew constructs describing objects made of or characterized by stone.
Semantic domains 11 entries
- Stone001002005016
- אֶבֶן is the ordinary word for stone in its physical material sense, as the onyx stone found in the land of Havilah (Genesis 2:12).
- Titles003001017
- The word can serve figuratively as a title, as when Israel's shepherd is called “the Stone of Israel” (Genesis 49:24).
- Dead002001001018
- A “heart of stone” describes a deathly, lifeless heaviness of spirit contrasted with a heart of flesh (Ezekiel 11:19).
- Non-Exist002002002006
- The word is used of something being brought to nothing, as enemies likened to stones sinking into the depths (Exodus 15:5).
- Confident002001002003
- A heart of stone likewise describes an unyielding hardness contrasted with a heart of flesh God promises to give in its place (Ezekiel 36:26).
- Constructions001003002
- אֶבֶן names stone as a building material, as when the people said, “Let's make bricks… and they used brick for stone” in an ironic reversal at Babel (Genesis 11:3).
- Gemstones001003001001009
- The word covers precious or engraved stones, such as those onyx stones set in the ephod for the priestly breastpiece (Exodus 28:9).
- Rain001002005011
- אֶבֶן is used of hailstones, as the LORD casting large stones from heaven upon the fleeing Amorites (Joshua 10:11).
- Containers001003001001003
- The word can denote a stone weight used in commerce, as the command to have a full and just weight (Deuteronomy 25:15).
- Unwilling002001002031
- A stony or unresponsive disposition is described using this term, as the wicked whose heart is as unyielding as stone (1 Samuel 25:37, of Nabal's heart becoming like a stone).
- Names of Landforms003001008
- אֶבֶן forms part of place names built on notable stones, such as Ebenezer, “stone of help” (1 Samuel 7:12).
Word family 17 words
Words formed from the same root. They share a form, not always a meaning.
Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon H68. eben אֶ֫בֶן274 noun feminineGen 29:2 (masculine1Sa 17:40 ?) stone (Assyrian abnu, =…
אֶ֫בֶן274 noun feminineGen 29:2 (masculine1Sa 17:40 ?) stone (Assyrian abnu, = the sharp, projecting ? see DlW, Pr 107; Phoenician אבן; Aramaic אֶבֶן, ; Ethiopic Sabean [ם]אבנ DHMZMG 1883, 341) — ׳א absolute Gen 28:22 +; אָ֑בֶן Gen 11:3 +; construct Gen 49:24 +; suffix אַבְנוֺ 2Ki 3:25; אֲבָנִים Gen 31:46 +, etc.; — a stone (large or small).
1 in natural state, used as pillow Gen 28:11, Gen 28:18 (E); seat Exo 17:12 (E); cover of well Gen 29:2-3,(twice in verse); Gen 29:8, Gen 29:10 (J); causing one to stumble Isa 8:14; marring good ground 2Ki 3:19, 2Ki 3:25; hand-missle Exo 21:18 (JE) Num 35:17, Num 35:23 (P) 2Sa 16:6, 2Sa 16:13, especially in judicial stoning, with verb רָגַם Lev 20:2, Lev 20:27; Lev 24:23; Num 14:10; Num 15:35-36, Jos 7:25 a (all P), so also Deu 21:21; 2Ch 24:21; Eze 16:40; Eze 23:47; compare 1Ki 12:18 2Ch 10:18; with verb סָקַל Deu 13:11; Deu 17:5; Deu 22:21, Deu 22:24; 1Ki 21:13; also Jos 7:25b (J E or D); sling-stones Jdg 20:16; 1Sa 17:40, 1Sa 17:49 (twice in verse); 1Sa 17:50; 2Ch 26:14; hurled by engines 2Ch 26:15; set up for inscribing law Deu 27:2, Deu 27:4, Deu 27:8; Jos 8:32 (all D); as memorial Jos 4:3, Jos 4:5, Jos 4:6, Jos 4:7, Jos 4:8, Jos 4:9, Jos 4:20, Jos 4:21 (J E D) 1Sa 7:12; as sacred pillar (מַצֵּבָה) Gen 28:18; Gen 35:14 (anointed with oil), Gen 28:22 (= בֵּיתאֵל) compare יִשְׂרָאֵל א ׳(רֹעֶה) Gen 49:24 (see Di); as witness Gen 31:45 compare Jos 24:26-27, (all J E); plural gathered into heap (גַּל) over dead, Jos 7:26 (see Di) Jos 8:29; compare Jos 10:18, Jos 10:27 (JE) 2Sa 18:17; גַּל on which meal was eaten, in a compact Gen 31:46 (twice in verse) (JE); built into altar Exo 20:25; Deu 27:5-6, (J E D) Jos 8:31; 1Ki 18:31-32, 1Ki 18:38; compare 2Ki 23:15 ᵐ5 Klo (for הבמה); of figured stone (forbidden) ׳א מַשְׂכִּית Lev 26:1 (H) ;׳א גדולה where ark rested 1Sa 6:14-15, also 1Sa 6:18 (ᵑ0 אבל q. v.); (see for other note-worthy stones 9 below
2 stone, as material, of tablets Exo 24:12; Exo 31:18; Exo 34:1 (plural) Exo 34:4; Exo 34:4 (JE) Deu 4:13; Deu 5:19; Deu 9:9-10, Deu 9:11; Deu 10:1, Deu 10:3; of vessels, hence probably Exo 7:19 (P; ׳א = vessels of stone || עצים) see Di; idols (|| עץ) Deu 4:28; Deu 28:36, Deu 28:64; Deu 29:16; 2Ki 19:18 = Isa 37:19; also Jer 3:9; Eze 20:32; pavement 2Ki 16:17; edifice 1Ki 6:7 compare Gen 11:3; also 2Sa 5:11; 2Ki 12:13; 1Ch 22:15; often plural of (worked) stones Lev 14:40, Lev 14:42 (twice in verse); Lev 14:43, Lev 14:45 (P; in wall of house) 2Ki 22:6 +, compare of city-wall Nehemiah 3:35; of (ruined) city 1Ki 15:22; Nehemiah 3:34; tomb Isa 14:19; יְקָרוֺת אֲבָנִים (costly building-stones) 1 Kings 5:31; 1Ki 7:9-10, 1Ki 7:11 (see also below
3); שַׁיִשׁ אַבְנֵיֿ = marble (see ᵐ5) 1Ch 29:2; גָזִית אַבְנֵי = hewn stones 1 Kings 5:31; 1Ch 22:2; Eze 40:42 (for altar-tables), — compare גָּזִית; ׳א מַחְצֵב 2Ki 12:13; 2Ki 22:6; 2Ch 34:11; foundation-stone, corner-stone Isa 28:16; Jer 51:26; Job 38:6; Psa 118:22; cap-stone, completing the building, ׳הָא הָרִאשֹׁנָה Zec 4:7 (but see מִּנָּה רֹאשׁ Psa 118:22 as above), Zec 3:9 upon one stone seven eyes, probably refers to this cap- or head-stone; the eyes are symbol of God's watchfulness; perhaps explaining cup-stones found in Orient, see GutheZPV 1890, 129; stone-cutters א ׳חָרָשֵׁי 2Sa 5:11; 1Ch 22:15; הָא ׳חֹצְבֵי 2Ki 12:13 compare 1Ch 22:2. 3 precious stones, Generally with modifying word ׳א יְקָרָה collective 2Sa 12:30; 1Ki 10:2 + often (see 2); ׳א הַשֹּׁהַם Gen 2:12 (J) compare Exo 25:7; Exo 28:9; Exo 35:9, Exo 35:27; Exo 39:6 (P) 1Ch 29:2; ׳א מִלֻּאִים Exo 25:7; Exo 35:9, Exo 35:27 compare 1Ch 29:2; ׳א סַמִּיר Eze 1:26; Eze 10:1; אֶקְדָּח אַבְנֵי Isa 54:12; ׳א חֵפֶץ ib.; וְרִקְמָה פוּח אַבְנֵי 1Ch 29:2; ׳א חֵן Pro 17:8; on אֵשׁ אַבְנֵי (stones of fire) Eze 28:14, Eze 28:16 as precious stones = Assyrian aban išâti (?) see DlPa 118 & W 40; but Sm and others thunderbolts; also without distinctive modifier Exo 25:7; Exo 35:9; א ׳חָרַשׁ engraver in stone Exo 28:11; compare Exo 31:5; Exo 35:33 (P).
4 stones containing metal, = ore, Deu 8:9 (see Di) Job 28:2 compare Job 28:3.
5 a weight, originally stone (see Pro 27:3 compare English weight stone = 14 lb) אַבְנֵיכִֿיס Pro 16:11 (compare Assyrian DlW 38); ׳א הַמֶּלֶח 2Sa 14:26 (i.e. accusative to royal standard; compare COTGen 23:16); ׳א ׳וָא Deu 25:13; Pro 20:10, Pro 20:23 (i.e. different weights, for dishonest use); מִרְמָה אַבְנֵי כִּיס Mic 6:11; just weights אַבְנֵיצֶֿדֶק Lev 19:36; ׳א שְׁלֵמָה Pro 11:1; hence also heavy mass of metal (lead) Zec 5:8.
6 plummet Isa 34:11 (stones of devastation, or emptiness, compare on sense 2Ki 21:13; Amo 7:7-8,); also made of metal ׳הא הַבְּדִּיל Zec 4:10 (conversely plummet from plumbum).
7 objects like stones; particle hail, explicitly, הַבָּרָד אַבְנֵי Jos 10:11 compare Isa 30:30; ׳א אֶלְגָּבִישׁ Eze 13:11, Eze 13:18; Eze 38:22; but also גְּדֹלוֺת אֲבָנִים Jos 10:11 (E) (compare Assyrian DlW 38); lime-stones אַבְנֵיגִֿר Isa 27:9.
8 in simile (mostly poetry) of sinking in water Exo 15:5 = Neh 9:11; motionlessness Exo 15:16; strength Job 6:12; firmness Job 41:16; solidity (of ice) Job 38:30; in prose, of commonness 1Ki 10:27; 2Ch 1:15; also metaphor of one in fear 1Sa 25:37 (i.e. 653petrified with terror, compare Exo 15:16 above); הָא ׳לֵב = perverse, hard heart Eze 11:19; Eze 36:26; אַבְנֵינֵֿזֶר Zec 9:16 (of ransomed Israel) — ׳א personified Hab 2:11 compare Hab 2:19; compare Eze 13:11 (see 7 above)
9 In topographic terms (nearly = proper name); בֹּהַן אֶבֶן Jos 15:6; Jos 18:17; ׳א הָעֶזֶר 1Sa 5:1; compare 1Sa 7:12, also 1Sa 4:1 (We Dr); הָאָ֑זֶל ׳הָא 1Sa 20:19, read הַלָּאז הָאַרְגָּב see ᵐ5 here & 1Sa 20:41 (We Dr Klo); ׳א הַזֹּחֶלֶת 1Ki 1:9 (where WeSkizzen III, 171 compare Arabic Zuhal = Saturn).
אַרְגָּב noun masculine heap, mound (probably); — so read 1Sa 20:19 (for אבן), 1Sa 20:41 (for ננב), ᵐ5 (αρ σαβ, ερσαβ), Th We Klo Dr Kit Bu HPS.
אֶ֫בֶן noun feminineDan 2:34 stone (Biblical Hebrew id.); — absolute׳א Dan 2:34 +; emphatic אַבְנָא Dan 2:35; —
1 a (the) stone Dan 2:34-35, Dan 2:45; Dan 6:18.
2 stone, material of idols Dan 5:4, Dan 5:23; of buildings Ezr 5:8; Ezr 6:4.
Brown, Driver and Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (1906), public domain
Topical studies with this word 11 entries
Meanings adapted from the UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament, © United Bible Societies, CC BY-SA 4.0 and the UBS Dictionary of Biblical Hebrew (from the Semantic Dictionary of Biblical Hebrew), © United Bible Societies, CC BY-SA 4.0; MACULA Greek Linguistic Datasets, available at https://github.com/Clear-Bible/macula-greek/, licensed CC BY 4.0; MACULA Hebrew Linguistic Datasets © 2022-2024 by Biblica, Inc., CC BY 4.0. Westminster Leningrad Codex (tanach.us). OpenScriptures Hebrew Bible morphology (hb.openscriptures.org), CC BY 4.0.
Sources
eRhema lexical overview, based on the UBS Dictionary of Biblical Hebrew and the UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament (© United Bible Societies, CC BY-SA 4.0) and Macula Hebrew and Greek (Clear Bible, CC BY 4.0); released under CC BY-SA 4.0
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