Hewn-stones, also referred to as cut or dressed stones, are stones that have been shaped and smoothed by tools for use in construction. In biblical times, these stones were often used in the building of altars, temples, and other significant structures. The use of hewn-stones is mentioned in various contexts throughout the Bible, highlighting their importance in ancient construction and religious practices.

Biblical References:

1. Altar Construction: In the construction of altars, the use of hewn-stones was specifically prohibited by God. In Exodus 20:25 , God instructs the Israelites, "But if you make an altar of stones for Me, you must not build it with cut stones; for if you use a chisel on it, you will defile it." This command underscores the importance of using natural, unaltered stones for altars, symbolizing purity and divine creation.

2. Solomon's Temple: The construction of Solomon's Temple is a notable example of the use of hewn-stones. In 1 Kings 5:17 , it is recorded, "At the king’s command they removed from the quarry large blocks of high-grade stone to provide a foundation of dressed stone for the temple." The use of hewn-stones in the temple's foundation and structure signifies the grandeur and permanence of this sacred building.

3. City Walls and Fortifications: Hewn-stones were also used in the construction of city walls and fortifications. In Isaiah 9:10 , the people of Israel declare, "The bricks have fallen, but we will rebuild with dressed stone; the sycamores have been cut down, but we will replace them with cedars." This passage reflects the determination to rebuild with stronger and more durable materials, symbolizing resilience and strength.

4. Symbolism and Significance: The use of hewn-stones in biblical architecture often symbolizes human effort, craftsmanship, and the desire for permanence. However, the prohibition against using hewn-stones for altars serves as a reminder of the need for humility and reliance on God's creation rather than human modification.

Cultural and Historical Context:

In ancient Near Eastern cultures, the use of hewn-stones was a common practice in construction. The ability to cut and shape stones demonstrated advanced technological skills and was a mark of a developed society. The Israelites, like their neighbors, utilized these techniques in their building projects, as evidenced by archaeological findings and biblical records.

The distinction between hewn and unhewn stones in religious contexts highlights the tension between human innovation and divine command. While hewn-stones were valued for their utility and aesthetic appeal, the biblical mandate for unhewn stones in altars emphasizes a return to simplicity and divine authenticity.

Theological Implications:

The theological implications of hewn-stones in the Bible are multifaceted. On one hand, they represent human achievement and the ability to create lasting structures. On the other hand, the restrictions placed on their use in certain religious contexts serve as a reminder of the limitations of human effort in spiritual matters. The preference for unhewn stones in altars points to a theology that values divine creation over human alteration, emphasizing the need for purity and obedience in worship.

In summary, hewn-stones in the Bible are a testament to the intersection of human skill and divine instruction, reflecting both the capabilities and limitations of humanity in the pursuit of honoring God.

Whether this Sacrament Ought to be Celebrated in a House and with ...
... But in the Old Testament, which was a figure of the New, the altar was not made
of hewn stones: for, it is written (Ex.20:24): "You shall make an altar of ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether this sacrament ought to 2.htm

The Worship of the Synagogue
... That such a "synagogue" existed, and that its meeting-place was in "the hall of
hewn stones," at the south-eastern angle of the court of the priest, cannot be ...
/.../edersheim/sketches of jewish social life/chapter 17 the worship of.htm

Appendix 1 Massecheth Middoth
... 4. Those on the south: the wood-chamber, the chamber of the captivity, the chamber
of "hewn stones." The wood-chamber"said Rabbi Eliezer, the son of Jacob ...
/.../edersheim/sketches of jewish social life/appendix 1 massecheth middoth.htm

The Abiding of the Spirit the Glory of the Church
... foundations, they were ashamed. Where were those hewn stones and costly stones
which, of old, Solomon brought from far? They said within ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 32 1886/the abiding of the spirit.htm

God's Faithfulness
... He cannot begin without completing. There are no abandoned mines. There are no
half-hewn stones in His quarries, like the block at Baalbec. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture f/gods faithfulness.htm

Appendix viii. Rabbinic Traditions About Elijah, the Forerunner of ...
... on Genesis 49:19). Others describe him as a Benjamite, from Jerusalem,
one of those who sat in the Hall of Hewn Stones' (Tanch. ...
/.../appendix viii rabbinic traditions about.htm

In Jerusalem when Herod Reigned
... The latter no longer occupied the Hall of Hewn Stones, Gazith, but met in some chamber
attached to those shops,' or booths, on the Temple Mount, which belonged ...
/.../the life and times of jesus the messiah/chapter i in jerusalem when.htm

The Cleansing of the Temple - the Sign,' which is not a Sign.
... When we read that the Sanhedrin, forty years before the destruction of Jerusalem,
transferred its meeting-place from the Hall of Hewn Stones' (on the south ...
/.../the life and times of jesus the messiah/chapter v the cleansing of.htm

Thursday Night - Before Annas and Caiaphas - Peter and Jesus.
... of seventy-one, or the Great Sanhedrin, which met first in one of the Temple-Chambers,
the so-called Lishkath haGazith - or Chamber of Hewn Stones - and at the ...
/.../the life and times of jesus the messiah/chapter xiii thursday night -.htm

The Polity Settled by Moses; and How He Disappeared from among ...
... Let there also be one temple therein, and one altar, not reared of hewn stones,
but of such as you gather together at random; which stones, when they are ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 8 the polity settled.htm

Hewn-stones (1 Occurrence)
Hewn-stones. Hewn, Hewn-stones. Hews . Multi-Version Concordance
Hewn-stones (1 Occurrence). 1 Chronicles 22:2 And David ...
/h/hewn-stones.htm - 6k

Hewn (32 Occurrences)
... 1 Kings 5:17 And the king commanded, and they brought great stones, costly stones,
hewnstones, to lay the foundation of the house. (DBY JPS YLT). ...
/h/hewn.htm - 16k

Strengthen (105 Occurrences)
... 2 Kings 12:12 and to those 'repairing' the wall, and to hewers of stone, and to
buy wood and hewnstones to strengthen the breach of the house of Jehovah, and ...
/s/strengthen.htm - 37k

Quarries (4 Occurrences)
... form of pecel, "graven image" (Exodus 20:4, etc.), from pacal, "to carve." It occurs
in the story of Ehud and Eglon and refers to images or hewnstones in the ...
/q/quarries.htm - 11k

Replace (11 Occurrences)
... (DBY). Isaiah 9:10 The bricks are fallen down, but we will build with hewnstones;
the sycamore trees are cut down, but we will replace them with cedars. ...
/r/replace.htm - 10k

Repairing (12 Occurrences)
... 2 Kings 12:12 and to those 'repairing' the wall, and to hewers of stone, and to
buy wood and hewnstones to strengthen the breach of the house of Jehovah, and ...
/r/repairing.htm - 10k

Repairers (3 Occurrences)
... 2 Kings 22:6 to artificers, and to builders, and 'to repairers of' the wall,
and to buy wood and hewnstones to strengthen the house; (YLT). ...
/r/repairers.htm - 7k

Measurement (14 Occurrences)
... measure. (See NAS). 1 Kings 7:11 And above were costly stones, after the
measure of hewnstones, and cedar-wood. (See RSV). Psalms ...
/m/measurement.htm - 10k

Profaned (43 Occurrences)
... Exodus 20:25 And if thou make me an altar of stone, thou shalt not build it of hewn
stones; for if thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast polluted it. ...
/p/profaned.htm - 20k

Cedar-beams (3 Occurrences)
... 1 Kings 7:12 And the great court round about had three rows of hewnstones, and
a row of cedar-beams; and so it was for the inner court of the house of Jehovah ...
/c/cedar-beams.htm - 7k

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