4 or 5 ft. deep, and as great in diameter, from which millstones have been quarried (Merrill, E. of Jordan, p. 25).
A few references to stone are of a symbolic character. Jeremiah was directed to hide some great stones in the clay of a brick-kiln at the entrance to Pharaoh's house at Tahpanhes, to be a foundation for the throne of Nebuchadnezzar, which would be set up in that place (Jer 43"- '"). In Zee 3' a stone with seven eyes (or facets) is set before Joshua the high priest, and an inscription is to be placed upon it. This stone has been vari- ously understood as referring to the foundation stone of the temple, the ' head stone' of Zee 4', a jewel in the high priest's breastplate, or in Zerub- babel's crown, or the finished temple as a whole (see G. A. Smith, Twelve Prophets, ii. 296). The white stone with a new name written on it (Rev 2'") is likewise an obscure symbol. From the reference in the same verse to the ' hidden ni.anna ' the 'white stone' has been connected with the Roman tessera hospitalis — the token divided be- tween two friends who had entered into hospitium, and handed down to their descendants, so as to secure perpetual mutual hospitality ; or with the tessera frumentaria — the token in exchange for which a free grant of corn was given to the poorer citizens of Rome. Putting aside the reference to the manna, a possible explanation may be found in the texsera gladiatoria, an oblong token of ivory given to a gladiator when he had passed success- fully through a certain number 01 contests. It had inscribed on it the name of the combatant ant)
STONES, PKECIOUS
STONES, PRECIOUS
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tliat of his trainer, the date of his first victorj' and the letters SI' (-ipectutus). In Uev IS-' the de- etruction of ' Babylon ' is symbolized by an angel casting a great stone into the sea.
The various properties of stone give rise to numerous comparisons. The Egyptians sank in the sea like a stone (Ex 1.5', Neh t)''). Eear made the enemies of Israel still as a stone {Ex 13'"). Nabal became as a stone before his death (1 S 25^). The heart of leviathan is linn as a stone (Job 4r-''). The strength of stone is also alluded to in Joii 6''. Ice is compared to stone (Job 3S™). Other figura- tive usages are frequent. The dcadness and sterility of stone gives point to the Baptist's say- ing in'Mt 3° II; so with its dumbness (Hab 2'', Lk I9«), and inedibility (Mt 4» 7" ||). Its weight suggests what Jerusalem will be to the nations (Zee 12^), and what wisdom is to the unlearned (Sir 6^'). Its hardness supplies a metaphor for hardness of heart (Ezk 11"' 30-"). As a contr.ist to this, Ezekiel's figure is combined with an allu- Bion to the inscribed tables of the Law in 2 Co 3'. The new name IHrpot given to Simon (Jn 1*-) denoted the firmness of his character in the future. A slothful man is compared to a 'defiled stone' (Sir 22' I. God is called ' tlie stone of Israel ' (Gn 49^). The Messiah's kingdom is represented in Du 2** as a stone cut out of the mountain without hands, wliich breaks in pieces the composite image symbolizing the kingdoms of this world. Christ uses a similar figure regarding Himself (Mt 21" TR, Lk 20"). Isaiah describes the Deliverer of Judah as a 'foundation' and a 'corner stone.' Christ applies Ps 1I8-- to Himself (Mt 21« |l), and similar applications are found in Ac 4", 1 P 2*"'. In the latter passage Chri-st is called a 'living stone,' and Ciiristians are also called ' living stones.' The same ideas of Christ as the corner stone and Christians as forming a building along with Him, appear in Epli 2-""--.
2. .Vnatoniical— a testicle, Lv 21*' {t4<<), T>t 2P (in a free tr. of n-ri'i^p), Job 40" (i-j, RV ' thigh ').
James Patuick.
STONES, PRECIOUS. —This subject is both obscure and complex, and one on which no help is to be gained by relying on modem traditional results. The only satisfactory way to treat it is as a series of quite independent stages of re- search : — i. The actual stones known to {a) the ancient Egyptians, (6) the early Greeks, (»•) the Roman writers, ii. The equivalence of Hebrew and Greek names, iii. The substances designated by the Greek names, iv. The sidolightson the sub- ject from («) the Arabic or other versions, (i) the colour arrangement, (c) beliefs about stones, etc.
i. It is obviously useless to attempt to identify gems wliicli were unknown before the lioman age witli any of the earlier names, and hence the diamond and the sappliire are outside of the question. It is also (juite useless to e-xpcct the same distinctions between stones tliat we now make by chemical and crystallograpliic classifica- tion. DiHerent materials, if of the same a|)pear- ance, were doubtless classed under the same name, such as beryl and green felspar, or camclian and fleshy felspar. On the other hand, the same material, under dill'erent appearances, would have dillerent names, such as the many difiercnt aspects of quartz, in rock-crystal, amethyst, clial(ciiony,car- nchan, red jasper, green jasper, and yellow jasper.