Lexical Definition

‎אֶבֶן‎ ʼeben (eh'-ben) stone ^H:N-F
from the root of ‎בָּנָה‎ through the meaning to build

[phrase] carbuncle, [phrase] mason, [phrase] plummet, (chalk-, hail-, head-, sling-) stone(-ny), (divers) weight(-s).

• a stone

1) stone (large or small)
1a) common stone (in natural state)
1b) stone, as material
1b1) of tablets
1b2) marble, hewn stones
1c) precious stones, stones of fire
1d) stones containing metal (ore), tool for work or weapon
1e) weight
1f) plummet (stones of destruction) also made of metal
1g) stonelike objects, eg hailstones, stony heart, ice
1h) sacred object, as memorial Samuel set up to mark where God helped Israel to defeat the Philistines
1i) (simile)
1i1) sinking in water, motionlessness
1i2) strength, firmness, solidity
1i3) commonness
1j) (metaph)
1j1) petrified with terror
1j2) perverse, hard heart

See Greek: κατισχύω · λίθινος · λίθος · μικρός · χάλαζα

Extended Information

meaning of: אֶבֶן

• : stone

Brown-Driver-Briggs

Aramaic form: אֶבֶן
‎אֶ֫בֶן‎₂₇₄ noun feminine^{Gen 29:2} (masculine^{1Sam 17:40} ?) stone (Assyrian abnu, = the sharp, projecting ? see Dl^{W, Pr 107}; Phoenician ‎אבן‎; Aramaic ‎אֶבֶן‎, ; Ethiopic Sabean [‎ ם‎]‎אבנ‎ DHM^{ZMG 1883, 341}) — ‎׳‎‎א‎ absolute Gen 28:22 +; ‎אָ֑בֶן‎ Gen 11:3 +; construct Gen 49:24 +; suffix ‎אַבְנוֺ‎ 2Kgs 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 Exod 17:12 (E); cover of well Gen 29:2; Gen 29:3 (twice in verse); Gen 29:8; Gen 29:10 (J); causing one to stumble Isa 8:14 marring good ground 2Kgs 3:19; 2Kgs 3:25 hand-missle Exod 21:18 (JE) Num 35:17; Num 35:23 (P) 2Sam 16:6; 2Sam 16:13, especially in judicial stoning, with verb ‎רָגַם‎ Lev 20:2; Lev 20:27; Lev 24:23; Num 14:10; Num 15:35; Num 15:36; Josh 7:25 a (all P), so also Deut 21:21; 2Chr 24:21; Ezek 16:40; Ezek 23:47 compare 1Kgs 12:18 = 2Chr 10:18 with verb ‎סָקַל‎ Deut 13:11*; Deut 17:5; Deut 22:21; Deut 22:24; Deut 1:13 also Josh 7:25b (J E or D); sling-stones Judg 20:16; 1Sam 17:40; 1Sam 17:49 (twice in verse); 1Sam 17:50; 2Chr 26:14 hurled by engines 2Chr 26:15 set up for inscribing law Deut 27:2; Deut 27:4; Deut 27:8; Josh 8:32 (all D); as memorial Josh 4:3; Josh 4:5; Josh 4:6; Josh 4:7; Josh 4:8; Josh 4:9; Josh 4:20; Josh 4:21 (J E D) 1Sam 7:12 as sacred pillar (‎מַצֵּבָה‎) Gen 28:18; Gen 35:14 (anointed with oil), Gen 28:22 (= ‎בֵּיתאֵל‎) compare ‎׳‎‎(רֹעֶה) א‎ ‎יִשְׂרָאֵל‎ Gen 49:24 (see Di); as witness Gen 31:45 compare Josh 24:26; Josh 24:27 (all J E); plural gathered into heap (‎גַּל‎) over dead, Josh 7:26 (see Di) Josh 8:29 compare Josh 10:18; Josh 10:27 (JE) 2Sam 18:17 ‎גַּל‎ on which meal was eaten, in a compact Gen 31:46 (twice in verse) (JE); built into altar Exod 20:25; Deut 27:5; Deut 27:6 (J E D) Josh 8:31; 1Kgs 18:31; 1Kgs 18:32; 1Kgs 18:38 compare 2Kgs 23:15 ᵐ5 Klo (for ‎הבמה‎); of figured stone (forbidden) ‎מַשְׂכִּית‎ ‎׳‎‎א‎ Lev 26:1 (H) ;‎גדולה‎ ‎׳‎‎א‎ where ark rested 1Sam 6:14; 1Sam 6:15 also v1Sam 6:18 (ᵑ0 ‎אבל‎ q. v.); (see for other note-worthy stones 9 below.)

2. stone, as material, of tablets Exod 24:12; Exod 31:18; Exod 34:1 (plural) vExod 34:4 vExod 34:4 (JE) Deut 4:13; Deut 5:19; Deut 9:9; Deut 9:10; Deut 9:11; Deut 10:1; Deut 10:3 of vessels, hence probably Exod 7:19 (P; ‎׳‎‎א‎ = vessels of stone || ‎עצים‎) see Di; idols (|| ‎עץ‎) Deut 4:28; Deut 28:36; Deut 28:64; Deut 29:16*; 2Kgs 19:18 = Isa 37:19 also Jer 3:9; Ezek 20:32 pavement 2Kgs 16:17 edifice 1Kgs 6:7 compare Gen 11:3 also 2Sam 5:11; 2Kgs 12:13*; 1Chr 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) 2Kgs 22:6 +, compare of city-wall Neh 3:35* of (ruined) city 1Kgs 15:22; Neh 3:34* tomb Isa 14:19 ‎אֲבָנִים יְקָרוֺת‎ (costly building-stones) 1Kgs 5:31*; 1Kgs 7:9; 1Kgs 7:10; 1Kgs 7:11 (see also below 3); ‎אַבְנֵיֿ‎ ‎שַׁיִשׁ‎ = marble (see ᵐ5) 1Chr 29:2 ‎אַבְנֵי גָזִית‎ = hewn stones 1Kgs 5:31*; 1Chr 22:2; Ezek 40:42 (for altar-tables), — compare ‎גָּזִית‎; ‎מַחְצֵב‎ ‎׳‎‎א‎ 2Kgs 12:13*; 2Kgs 22:6; 2Kgs 2:11 foundation-stone, corner-stone Isa 28:16; Jer 51:26; Job 38:6; Ps 118:22 cap-stone, completing the building, ‎הָרִאשֹׁנָה‎ ‎׳‎‎הָא‎ Zech 4:7 (but see ‎רֹאשׁ פִּנָּה‎ Ps 118:22 as above), Zech 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 Guthe^{ZPV 1890, 129}; stone-cutters ‎׳‎‎חָרָשֵׁי א‎ 2Sam 5:11; 1Chr 22:15 ‎׳‎‎חֹצְבֵי הָא‎ 2Kgs 12:13* compare 1Chr 22:2.

3. precious stones, generally with modifying word ‎יְקָרָה‎ ‎׳‎‎א‎ collective 2Sam 12:30; 1Kgs 10:2 + often (see 2); ‎הַשֹּׁהַם‎ ‎׳‎‎א‎ Gen 2:12 (J) compare Exod 25:7; Exod 28:9; Exod 35:9; Exod 35:27; Exod 39:6 (P) 1Chr 29:2 ‎מִלֻּאִים‎ ‎׳‎‎א‎ Exod 25:7; Exod 35:9; Exod 35:27 compare 1Chr 29:2 ‎סַפִּיר‎ ‎׳‎‎א‎ Ezek 1:26; Ezek 10:1 ‎אַבְנֵי אֶקְדָּח‎ Isa 54:12 ‎חֵפֶץ‎ ‎׳‎‎א‎ ib.; ‎אַבְנֵי פוּח וְרִקְמָה‎ 1Chr 29:2 ‎חֵן‎ ‎׳‎‎א‎ Prov 17:8 on ‎אַבְנֵי אֵשׁ‎ (stones of fire) Ezek 28:14; Ezek 28:16 as precious stones = Assyrian aban išâti (?) see Dl^{Pa 118 & W 40}; but Sm and others thunderbolts; also without distinctive modifier Exod 25:7; Exod 35:9 ‎׳‎‎חָרַשׁ א‎ engraver in stone Exod 28:11 compare Exod 31:5; Exod 35:33 (P).

4. stones containing metal, = ore, Deut 8:9 (see Di) Job 28:2 compare vJob 28:3.

5. a weight, originally stone (see Prov 27:3 compare English weight stone = 14 lb) ‎אַבְנֵיכִֿיס‎ Prov 16:11 (compare Assyrian Dl^{W 38}); ‎הַמֶּלֶח‎ ‎׳‎‎א‎ 2Sam 14:26 (i.e. accusative to royal standard; compare COT^{Gen 23:16}); ‎׳‎‎וָא‎ ‎׳‎‎א‎ Deut 25:13; Prov 20:10; Prov 20:23 (i.e. different weights, for dishonest use); ‎כִּיס אַבְנֵי מִרְמָה‎ Mic 6:11 just weights ‎אַבְנֵיצֶֿדֶק‎ Lev 19:36 ‎שְׁלֵמָה‎ ‎׳‎‎א‎ Prov 11:1 hence also heavy mass of metal (lead) Zech 5:8.

6. plummet Isa 34:11 (stones of devastation, or emptiness, compare on sense 2Kgs 21:13; Amos 7:7; Amos 7:8); also made of metal ‎הַבְּדִּיל‎ ‎׳‎‎הא‎ Zech 4:10 (conversely plummet from plumbum).

7. objects like stones; particle hail, explicitly, ‎אַבְנֵי הַבָּרָד‎ Josh 10:11 compare Isa 30:30 ‎אֶלְגָּבִישׁ‎ ‎׳‎‎א‎ Ezek 13:11; Ezek 13:18; Ezek 38:22 but also ‎אֲבָנִים‎ ‎גְּדֹלוֺת‎ Josh 10:11 (E) (compare Assyrian Dl^{W 38}); lime-stones ‎אַבְנֵיגִֿר‎ Isa 27:9.

8. in simile (mostly poetry) of sinking in water Exod 15:5 = Neh 9:11 motionlessness Exod 15:16 strength Job 6:12 firmness Job 41:16* solidity (of ice) Job 38:30 in prose, of commonness 1Kgs 10:27; 2Chr 1:15 also metaphor of one in fear 1Sam 25:37 (i.e. petrified with terror, compare Exod 15:16 above); ‎׳‎‎לֵב הָא‎ = perverse, hard heart Ezek 11:19; Ezek 36:26 ‎אַבְנֵינֵֿזֶר‎ Zech 9:16 (of ransomed Israel) — ‎׳‎‎א‎ personified Hab 2:11 compare vHab 2:19 compare Ezek 13:11 (see 7 above)

9. In topographic terms (nearly = proper name); ‎אֶבֶן בֹּהַן‎ Josh 15:6; Josh 18:17 ‎הָעֶזֶר‎ ‎׳‎‎א‎ 1Sam 5:1 compare 1Sam 7:12, also 1Sam 4:1 (We Dr); ‎׳‎‎הָא‎ ‎הָאָ֑זֶל‎ 1Sam 20:19, read ‎הָאַרְגָּב הַלָּאז‎ see ᵐ5 here & v1Sam 20:41 (We Dr Klo); ‎הַזֹּחֶלֶת‎ ‎׳‎‎א‎ 1Kgs 1:9 (where We^{Skizzen III, 171} compare Arabic Zuhal = Saturn).

Also see: נֶגֶב

‎אַרְגָּב‎ noun masculine heap, mound (probably); — so read 1Sam 20:19 (for ‎אבן‎), v1Sam 20:41 (for ‎ננב‎), ᵐ5 (αρ σαβ, ερσαβ), Th We Klo Dr Kit Bu HPS.

Brown-Driver-Briggs References