Topical Encyclopedia
Marble is a metamorphic rock that has been highly valued throughout history for its beauty, durability, and versatility. In the context of the Bible, marble is mentioned as a material used in construction and decoration, symbolizing wealth, grandeur, and artistic achievement.
Biblical References:1.
1 Chronicles 29:2 : "Now with all my ability I have made provision for the house of my God: gold for the gold articles, silver for the silver, bronze for the bronze, iron for the iron, and wood for the wood, as well as onyx, stones for settings, turquoise, stones of various colors, all kinds of precious stones, and alabaster in abundance." While marble is not explicitly mentioned in this verse, the reference to "alabaster" and "precious stones" suggests the use of luxurious materials in the construction of the temple, which could include marble.
2.
Esther 1:6 : "There were white and blue linen curtains fastened with cords of fine linen and purple material to silver rings on marble pillars. Gold and silver couches were arranged on a mosaic pavement of porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl, and other costly stones." This passage describes the opulence of King Ahasuerus' palace, where marble is used for pillars and flooring, highlighting its association with royal splendor and wealth.
3.
Song of Solomon 5:15 : "His legs are pillars of marble set on bases of pure gold. His appearance is like Lebanon, as majestic as the cedars." In this poetic description, marble is used metaphorically to convey strength, beauty, and stability, attributes associated with the beloved.
Historical and Cultural Context:In ancient times, marble was a prized material for construction and sculpture due to its fine grain and ability to be polished to a high sheen. The Greeks and Romans extensively used marble in their architecture and art, and its use continued into the periods of biblical history. The presence of marble in biblical texts reflects the influence of surrounding cultures and the trade networks that brought such materials to Israel and neighboring regions.
Symbolism and Significance:Marble's enduring qualities make it a symbol of permanence and purity. In the Bible, its use in palatial and temple settings underscores themes of divine majesty and human aspiration toward beauty and excellence. The metaphorical use of marble in the Song of Solomon further emphasizes its association with strength and aesthetic perfection.
Archaeological Insights:Archaeological discoveries in the Near East have uncovered remnants of marble used in ancient structures, providing tangible evidence of its historical use and the cultural exchanges that facilitated its distribution. These findings help to contextualize the biblical references to marble, offering a glimpse into the material culture of the time.
In summary, marble in the Bible serves as a testament to the artistic and architectural achievements of ancient civilizations, reflecting both the material wealth and the spiritual aspirations of the people who valued it.
Smith's Bible Dictionary
MarbleThe Hebrewshesh , the generic term for marble, may probably be taken to mean almost any shining stone. The so-called marble of Solomon's architectural works may thus have been limestone. There can be no doubt that Herod both in the temple and elsewhere employed Parian or other marble. The marble pillars and tesserae of various colors of the palace at Susa came doubtless from Persia. (Esther 1:8)
Easton's Bible Dictionary
As a mineral, consists of carbonate of lime, its texture varying from the highly crystalline to the compact. In
Esther 1:6 there are four Hebrew words which are rendered marble:,
(1.) Shesh, "pillars of marble." But this word probably designates dark-blue limestone rather than marble.
(2.) Dar, some regard as Parian marble. It is here rendered "white marble." But nothing is certainly known of it.
(3.) Bahat, "red marble," probably the verd-antique or half-porphyry of Egypt.
(4.) Sohareth, "black marble," probably some spotted variety of marble. "The marble pillars and tesserae of various colours of the palace at Susa came doubtless from Persia itself, where marble of various colours is found, especially in the province of Hamadan Susiana." The marble of Solomon's architectural works may have been limestone from near Jerusalem, or from Lebanon, or possibly white marble from Arabia. Herod employed Parian marble in the temple, and marble columns still exist in great abundance at Jerusalem.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (
n.) A massive, compact limestone; a variety of calcite, capable of being polished and used for architectural and ornamental purposes. The color varies from white to black, being sometimes yellow, red, and green, and frequently beautifully veined or clouded. The name is also given to other rocks of like use and appearance, as serpentine or verd antique marble, and less properly to polished porphyry, granite, etc.
2. (n.) A thing made of, or resembling, marble, as a work of art, or record, in marble; or, in the plural, a collection of such works; as, the Arundel or Arundelian marbles; the Elgin marbles.
3. (n.) A little ball of marble, or of some other hard substance, used as a plaything by children; or, in the plural, a child's game played with marbles.
4. (a.) Made of, or resembling, marble; as, a marble mantel; marble paper.
5. (a.) Cold; hard; unfeeling; as, a marble breast or heart.
6. (n.) To stain or vein like marble; to variegate in color; as, to marble the edges of a book, or the surface of paper.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
MARBLEmar'-b'-l (shayish, shesh, 'abhne shayish, "stones of marble" (1 Chronicles 29:2); ritspath bahat wa-shesh we-dhar we-cochareth, "a pavement of red, and white, and yellow, and black marble," or, according to the margin, "a pavement of porphyry, and white marble, and alabaster, and stone of blue color" (Esther 1:6); `ammudhe shesh, "pillars of marble" (Esther 1:6Songs 5:15); compare shesh, the King James Version margin "silk" or the Revised Version (British and American) "fine linen" (Genesis 41:42Exodus 25:4, etc.); shoshannim, "lilies" (Songs 2:16, etc.), apparently from a root signifying "white"; marmaros, "marble" (Revelation 18:12)): Marble is properly crystalline limestone, usually pure white or veined with black, the former being in demand for statuary, while the latter is used in architecture, especially for floors and pillars. True marble is not found in Palestine, but is obtained from Greece or Italy. Much of the stone described as marble is non-crystalline limestone capable of being smoothed and polished. White or yellow stone of this character is abundant in Palestine. Non-crystalline rocks of other colors are also sometimes called marble. In the passage from Esther cited above (compare margin), it is a question whether the reference is to marble and other stones or to marble of different colors. In1 Chronicles 29:2, "marble stones" are mentioned among the materials brought together by David for the building of the temple. InEsther 1:6, pillars and a pavement of marble are features of the palace of Ahasuerus. InSongs 5:15, the various parts of the body of the "beloved" are likened to gold, beryl, ivory, sapphire, and marble. InRevelation 18:12, marble occurs in the list of the merchandise of Babylon. All these references imply a costly stone, and therefore probably one imported from other countries, and make it likely that true crystalline marble is meant.
Alfred Ely Day
Greek
3139. marmaros -- a crystalline stone, esp.marble...marble. Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine Transliteration: marmaros Phonetic Spelling:
(mar'-mar-os) Short Definition:
marble Definition:
marble.
...4456. poroo -- to petrify, ie to harden
... 4456 (from , a kind ofmarble) -- properly, made of ; (figuratively) ; dull, as ;
calloused (hardened); ie unresponsive (dense), completely lacking sensitivity...
5171. truphao -- to live luxuriously
... living" in NT times included going to the public baths ("wash houses"), typically
decked out with ornate furnishings (eg decorated baths made ofmarble, etc....
Strong's Hebrew
923. bahat -- perhaps porphyry... red
marble. From an unused root (probably meaning to glisten); white
marble or perhaps
alabaster -- red (
marble). 922, 923. bahat. 924 . Strong's Numbers.
8336. shesh -- byssus
... Word Origin of foreign origin Definition byssus NASB Word Usage fine linen (16),
fine...linen (21), finely...linen (1). blue, fine twined linen,marble, silk....
5508. sochereth -- a stone (used in paving)
... blackmarble. Similar to cocherah; probably a (black) tile (or tessara) for laying
borders with -- blackmarble. see HEBREW cocherah. 5507, 5508....
7893. shayish -- alabaster
... Whiten, white,marble. From an unused root meaning to bleach, ie Whiten; white,
ieMarble. See shesh. see HEBREW shesh. 7892b, 7893. shayish. 7894 ....
8337b. shesh -- alabaster
... alabaster. Transliteration: shesh Short Definition:marble. Word Origin from the
same as shayish Definition alabaster NASB Word Usage alabaster (1),marble (2)....
Library
Whitewashing KilkennyMarble
... Chapter 12. Wesley's Letter to an Editor; Impositions and Declarations; the Speaking
Statue; Wesley's Pentecost Whitewashing KilkennyMarble....
His Legs are as Pillars ofMarble, Set Upon Sockets of Fine Gold...
... CHAPTER V. 15. His legs are as pillars ofmarble, set upon sockets of fine
gold; his countenance is as Lebanon, excellent as the cedars....
On Descartes' "Discourse Touching the Method of Using One's Reason...
... For example, I take up amarble, and I find it to be a red, round, hard, single
body. We call the redness, the roundness, the hardness...
Man's Life his Monument.
... its Churches. There we see carved in stone andmarble the glories of Poet
and Painter, King and Priest, Statesman and Warrior. But...
Description of Pilate's Palace and the Adjacent Buildings.
... Pilate, was built on the north-west side of the mountain on which the Temple stood,
and to reach it persons were obliged to ascend a flight ofmarble steps....
The Evening of the Third Day in Passion-Week - on the Mount of...
... Just then the western sun was pouring his golden beams on tops ofmarble cloister
and on the terrced courts, and glittering on the golden spikes on the roof of...
For the King There were Three Great Perils: the People...
... Magnificent inmarble and gold, Caesarea stood for a monument of Herodian
troubles.... Out went his hand to feel the shapelymarble....
That He who is the Pre-Eminent Cause of Everything Intelligibly...
... Bergson.) A sculptor would not accept a block of ice in place of a block ofmarble
(for ice will not carve into a statue); and yet the block ofmarble is not...
How to Use the Present Life, and the Comforts of It.
... others? Has he not given qualities to gold and silver, ivory andmarble, thereby
rendering them precious above other metals or stones?...
Those Days it was Near Twelve O'Clock by the Great Dial of History...
... Its hills were white withmarble and green with gardens, and traced and spotted
and flecked with gold; its thoroughfares were bright with color"white, purple...
Thesaurus
Marble (5 Occurrences)... In Esther 1:6 there are four Hebrew words which are rendered
marble:,. (1.)
Shesh
... than
marble. (2.) Dar, some regard as Parian
marble.
...Alabaster (6 Occurrences)
... reach the contents. This stone resemblesmarble, but is softer in its texture,
and hence very easily wrought into boxes. Mark says...
Onyx (16 Occurrences)
... wood for things of wood; onyx stones, and stones to be set, glistering stones, and
of divers colors, and all manner of precious stones, andmarble stones in...
Mother-of-pearl (1 Occurrence)
... Esther 1:6 white linen, white cotton, and blue, fastened with cords of fine linen
and purple on rings of silver, and pillars ofmarble, couches of gold, and of...
Porphyry (1 Occurrence)
... 6, the Revised Version margin has "porphyry" (the King James Version margin "porphyre")
for bahaT, English Versions of the Bible "red (marble)"; the Septuagint...
Costly (26 Occurrences)
... fine linen, purple and silk, and of scarlet stuff; all kinds of rare woods, and
all kinds of goods in ivory and in very costly wood, in bronze, steel andmarble...
Smaragdus (1 Occurrence)
... Esther 1:6 white linen, white cotton, and blue, fastened with cords of fine linen
and purple on rings of silver, and pillars ofmarble, couches of gold, and of...
Black (52 Occurrences)
... 1:5; 5:11; and Zechariah 6:2, 6. It is uncertain what the "blackmarble" of
Esther 1:6 was which formed a part of the mosaic pavement....
Byssus (40 Occurrences)
... Esther 1:6 White, green, and blue hangings were fastened with cords of byssus and
purple to silver rings and pillars of whitemarble; couches of gold and...
Yellow (6 Occurrences)
... Esther 1:6 There were hangings of white, green, and blue material, fastened with
cords of fine linen and purple to silver rings andmarble pillars....
Resources
What is an alabaster box? | GotQuestions.orgWhy is God going to give us a white stone with a new name? | GotQuestions.orgWhat is the importance of the Lord's supper / Christian Communion? | GotQuestions.orgMarble: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
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