אֶבֶן (H69) — Hebrew Lexicon

אֶבֶן

𐤀𐤁𐤍

ʼeben

H69 noun

SILEX Entry

Root אבן stone, rock

Definition

A stone or piece of rock, typically referring to a hard, solid, naturally occurring mineral fragment, used in a variety of physical, symbolic, and ritual contexts. The basic sense is a piece of rock, whether large or small, naturally occurring or quarried, but also extends to an object made or shaped from stone (e.g., a pillar, altar, or tool). The word carries secondary senses such as a unit of construction (building stone), a tool or implement made of stone, and metaphorical or poetic uses (e.g., as a symbol of strength, endurance, or an object of remembrance).

Semantic Range

natural stone, quarried stone, building stone, stone object (pillar, altar), tool or implement of stone, inscribed or memorial stone, symbolic or metaphorical stone (e.g. strength, permanence), unit in construction, figurative uses

Root / Etymology

Root: אבן. The underlying root אבן appears to convey the idea of 'stone' or 'rock.' The precise base meaning of the root itself is debated—some propose a relation to strength or building, but in practice the noun functions as the core lexeme for 'stone.' The term appears in both Hebrew and Aramaic with essentially the same meaning, indicating it is a longstanding Northwest Semitic root likely not derived from a verb, but existing as a primitive noun.

Historical & Contextual Notes

אֶבֶן is the common term for 'stone' across Northwest Semitic languages. It appears over 270 times in the Hebrew Bible, from the earliest layers (e.g., patriarchal narratives: Gen 28:11, Jacob's pillow-stone) through monarchic (e.g., stone altars, built structures) and exilic/post-exilic contexts. Used for natural stones, carved objects (pillars, altars), and in construction (temple stones, city walls). It is also used figuratively—for permanence, reliability, or as monuments (witness stones, e.g., Josh 24:26–27). The term overlaps with related words like סֶלַע (large rock, crag, cliff) and צוּר (rock, bedrock), though סֶלַע and צוּר usually refer to larger geological features. In poetic literature, אֶבֶן may symbolize lasting legacy, divine help ('stone of help'—even ha-ezer), or hard-heartedness. In post-biblical Hebrew and Aramaic, the semantic range expands to cover gems and precious stones more specifically. Translation as 'stone' in many English Bibles is accurate in most contexts, but specific uses as an inscribed marker, tool, or architectural element may warrant more specialized renderings. The Aramaic usage (e.g., Dan 2:34, 45) is identical to the Hebrew, reflecting continuity in material culture and language.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

(Aramaic) corresponding to אֶבֶן; {a stone}; stone.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

בנה (b-n-h) — to build, construct, establish

Strong's	Lemma	SIBI-P1
H1004	בַּיִת	in the houses
H1005	בַּיִת	the built-house
H1006	בַּיִת	the house
H1007	בֵּית אָוֶן	house-of
H1008	בֵּית־אֵל	in house of
H1009	בֵּית אַרְבֵּאל	house of
H1010	בֵּית בַּעַל מְעוֹן	house-of
H1011	בֵּית בִּרְאִי	and in the house of
H1012	בֵּית בָּרָה	house of
H1013	בֵּית־גָּדֵר	house-of
H1014	בֵּית גָּמוּל	house of
H1015	בֵּית דִּבְלָתַיִם	house-of
H1016	בֵּית־דָּגוֹן	house-of
H1017	בֵּית הָאֱלִי	house of
H1018	בֵּית הָאֵצֶל	house of
H1020	בֵּית הַיְשִׁימוֹת	house-of
H1021	בֵּית הַכֶּרֶם	house-of
H1022	בֵּית הַלַּחְמִי	house of
H1023	בֵּית הַמֶּרְחָק	house-of
H1024	בֵּית הַמַּרְכָּבוֹת	and house of
H1025	בֵּית הָעֵמֶק	house of
H1026	בֵּית הָעֲרָבָה	house-of
H1027	בֵּית הָרָם	house-of
H1028	בֵּית הָרָן	house of
H1029	בֵּית הַשִּׁטָּה	house-of
H1030	בֵּית הַשִּׁמְשִׁי	house-of
H1031	בֵּית חׇגְלָה	house of
H1032	בֵּית חוֹרוֹן	house-of
H1033	בֵּית כַּר	to the built-house of
H1034	בֵּית לְבָאוֹת	and house-of
H1035	בֵּית לֶחֶם	in the house of
H1036	בֵּית לְעַפְרָה	in the built-house of
H1038	בֵּית מַעֲכָה	house of
H1039	בֵּית נִמְרָה	house of
H1041	בֵּית עַזְמָוֶת	house of
H1042	בֵּית עֲנוֹת	and house of
H1043	בֵּית עֲנָת	and house-of
H1044	בֵּית עֵקֶד	house-of
H1046	בֵּית פֶּלֶט	and house of
H1047	בֵּית פְּעוֹר	house of
H1048	בֵּית פַּצֵּץ	and house-of
H1049	בֵּית צוּר	house of
H1050	בֵּית רְחוֹב	house-of
H1051	בֵּית רָפָא	house of
H1052	בֵּית שְׁאָן	in the built-house of
H1053	בֵּית שֶׁמֶשׁ	in the built-house of
H1054	בֵּית תַּפּוּחַ	and house of
H1121	בֵּן	sons
H1122	בֵּן	son
H1123	בֵּן	sons of
H1124	בְּנָא	the ones building
H1125	בֶּן־אֲבִינָדָב	son
H1126	בֶּן־אוֹנִי	son
H1127	בֶּן־גֶּבֶר	son
H1128	בֶּן־דֶּקֶר	son
H1129	בָּנָה	he built
H1130	בֶּן־הֲדַד	son
H1131	בִּנּוּי	Built-Up One
H1132	בֶּן־זוֹחֵת	and son of
H1133	בֶּן־חוּר	son
H1134	בֶּן־חַיִל	to a son of
H1135	בֶּן־חָנָן	son
H1136	בֶּן־חֶסֶד	son
H1137	בָּנִי	Built-one
H1138	בֻּנִּי	Built One
H1139	בְּנֵי־בְּרַק	and sons of
H1140	בִּנְיָה	and the built-structure
H1141	בְּנָיָה	Yahweh has built
H1142	בְּנֵי יַעֲקָן	among sons of
H1145	בֶּן־יְמִינִי	son
H1146	בִּנְיָן	constructed structure
H1147	בִּנְיָן	the built structure
H1151	בֶּן־עַמִּי	son
H1323	בַּת	daughters
H1324	בַּת	daughter of
H1337	בַּת רַבִּים	daughter of
H1339	בַּת־שֶׁבַע	daughter of
H1340	בַּת־שׁוּעַ	to a daughter of
H205	אָוֶן	and building-stone
H2995	יַבְנְאֵל	and God-Builds
H2996	יַבְנֶה	Yabneh, Building-place
H2997	יִבְנְיָה	Yah Has Built
H2998	יִבְנִיָּה	Yah Builds
H358	אֵילוֹן בֵּית חָנָן	house of
H3845	לִבְנִי	to my son
H4011	מִבְנֶה	like the built-structure of
H4012	מְבֻנַּי	Built-Up One
H4996	נֹא	his son
H5524	סֻכּוֹת בְּנוֹת	daughters of
H5854	עַטְרוֹת בֵּית יוֹאָב	house of
H62	אָבֵל בֵּית־מֲעַכָה	house of
H68	אֶבֶן	your building-stones
H72	אֶבֶן הָעֵזֶר	building-stone of
H8401	תֶּבֶן	the straw residue
H8403	תַּבְנִית	in building-pattern of
H885	בְּאֵרֹת בְּנֵי־יַעֲקַן	sons of
H935	בּוֹא	daughter of
H956	בּוּת	and daughter of
H995	בִּין	son of
H996	בֵּין	son

Word Forms

2 distinct forms

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	Occurrences
`H69-01`	אֶ֨בֶן֙	even	`ANcfsa`	stone	building-stone of	5
`H69-02`	וְ/אַבְנָ֣/א	veavena	`AC/Ncfsd/Td`	and of stone	and the stone	3

Occurrences in Scripture

8 total occurrences

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1
`H69-01`	Daniel 2:34	אֶ֨בֶן֙	even	`ANcfsa`	a stone	building-stone of
`H69-02`	Daniel 2:35	וְ/אַבְנָ֣/א	veavena	`AC/Ncfsd/Td`	and the stone	and the stone
`H69-01`	Daniel 2:45	אֶ֜בֶן	even	`ANcfsa`	stone	building-stone of
`H69-02`	Daniel 5:4	וְ/אַבְנָֽ/א	veavena	`AC/Ncfsd/Td`	and of stone	and the stone
`H69-02`	Daniel 5:23	וְ/אַבְנָ֗/א	veavena	`AC/Ncfsd/Td`	and stone	and the stone
`H69-01`	Daniel 6:18	אֶ֣בֶן	even	`ANcfsa`	stone	building-stone of
`H69-01`	Ezra 5:8	אֶ֣בֶן	even	`ANcfsc`	stone	building-stone of
`H69-01`	Ezra 6:4	אֶ֤בֶן	even	`ANcfsc`	stones	building-stone of

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