H1496 H1496
Hewn stone, dressed stone — cut and squared building blocks for monumental construction
The noun גָּזִית (gazit), from the root g-z-z ('to cut'), designates stone that has been hewn and dressed into regular blocks for construction, as distinct from rough fieldstone. It carries both theological and architectural weight. God commanded that no iron tool touch the altar stones (Exod 20:25), yet Solomon's Temple and palace required enormous hewn stones quarried and fitted with extraordinary precision (1 Kgs 5:17; 6:36; 7:9-12). Isaiah 9:10 uses hewn stone as a symbol of defiant self-reliance, while Amos 5:11 warns that houses of hewn stone built by oppression will never be enjoyed. Spanish 'piedra labrada,' Arabic حَجَرٌ مَنْحُوتٌ.
Senses
1. hewn stone, dressed stone — Stone that has been cut, dressed, or squared into regular blocks for building purposes, especially monumental architecture. Distinguished from rough fieldstone by the labor of quarrying and shaping. Central to Solomon's construction projects (1 Kgs 5:17; 6:36; 7:9-12), prohibited for altar construction by divine command (Exod 20:25), used as a prophetic image of prideful self-sufficiency (Isa 9:10), and of ill-gotten luxury that will go unenjoyed (Amos 5:11). Ezekiel's temple vision also features hewn stone (Ezek 40:42). 11×
AR["بِحجَارَةٍ-مَنْحُوتَةٍ", "حِجارَةٍ-مَنْحوتَةٍ", "حِجَارَةً-مَنْحُوتَةً", "مَنْحُوتَةً", "مَنْحُوتَةٍ", "وَ-حِجَارَةٌ-مَنْحُوتَةٌ"]·ben["এবং-কাটা-পাথরে", "কাটা", "কাটা-পাথর", "কাটা-পাথরের", "গৃহের", "চূনাপাথরে", "চৌকো"]·DE["[בגזית]", "[גזית]", "[וגזית]", "schneiden-Stein", "schnitt-Stein"]·EN["and-cut-stone", "cut-stone", "hewn", "hewn-stone", "with-cut-stones"]·FR["[בגזית]", "[גזית]", "[וגזית]", "coupa-pierre", "couper-pierre", "vol"]·heb["ב-גזית", "גזית", "ו-גזית"]·HI["और-गढ़े-पत्थरों-से", "गढ़े-पत्थर-की", "गढ़े-पत्थर-के", "गढ़े-हुए", "गढ़े-हुए-पत्थरों-से", "तराशा-हुआ", "तराशे-हुए"]·ID["batu-pahat", "dengan-batu-pahat", "pahat", "tetapi-batu-pahat"]·IT["[בגזית]", "[גזית]", "[וגזית]", "cut-pietra", "tagliò-pietra"]·jav["kang-dipun-tatah", "kanthi-séla-pethak", "kapahat", "nanging-watu-pahat", "pahat", "séla-tatahan", "tatahan", "watu-tatahan"]·KO["그리고-다듬은-돌로", "다듬은", "다듬은-돌로", "다듬은-돌로-지어진", "다듬은-돌의", "다듬은돌의", "잘다듬은-돌들-로"]·PT["cantaria", "com-pedras-lavradas", "cortadas", "e-pedra-lavrada", "lavrada", "lavradas", "pedras-lavradas"]·RU["из-тёсаного-камня", "но-тёсаным-камнем", "тёсаного", "тёсаные", "тёсаный", "тёсаными", "тёсаными-камнями"]·ES["cantería", "con-piedra-labrada", "labradas", "piedra-labrada", "sillería", "y-con-piedra-labrada"]·SW["kuchongwa", "kwa-mawe", "lakini-mawe-ya-kuchongwa", "mawe-ya-kuchongwa", "mawe-yaliyochongwa", "na-safu", "vipimo", "yaliyochongwa"]·TR["kesme", "ve-kesme-tas-ile", "yontma", "yontma-taş", "yontma-taşla", "yontulmuş"]·urd["اور-تراشے-ہوئے-پتھروں-سے", "تراشے ہوئے", "تراشے ہوئے پتھر کی", "تراشے-ہوئے", "تراشے-ہوئے-پتھر-کے", "تراشے-ہوئے-پتھروں-سے"]
Related Senses
H4325 1. water, waters (582×)H6965b 1. Qal: to rise, arise, get up (432×)H2091 1. gold (the metal) (389×)H0068 1. stone, rock (material/object) (267×)H5178a 1. bronze/copper as metal (131×)H6083 1. dust, dry earth, soil (108×)H8313 1. burn, set fire to (94×)H2734 1. anger was kindled (82×)G5204 1. water (80×)H2822 1. darkness, absence of light (80×)G5457 1. light (illumination) (71×)G0450 1. rise, stand up (physical) (69×)H6965b 2. Qal: to stand firm, endure, be valid (50×)H6999a 2. burn sacrifice on altar (Hifil) (45×)H5553 1. rock, cliff (physical feature) (43×)H6965b 4. Hifil: to establish, confirm (covenant/kingdom/word) (40×)H1197a 1. burn, be on fire (39×)H4306 1. rain, showers (38×)H1653 1. rain, precipitation (34×)G4655 1. darkness (30×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† גָּזִית n.f. a cutting, hewing—גָּזִית Ex 20:25 + 10 times, always abs.;—hewing, אַבְנֵי ג׳ = hewn stones (building-stones) 1 K 5:31; 1 Ch 22:2; Ez 40:42 (for tables), cf. אֲבָנִים יְקָרוֹת כְּמִדּוֹת ג׳ 1 K 7:9,11 (but Klo del. as gloss, cf. 𝔊; also without אבני = hewn stones Ex 20:25 (altar) Am 5:11 (בָּֽתֵּי ג׳) Is 9:9 (opp. לְבֵנִים); טוּרֵי ג׳ 1 K 6:36, טוּרִים ג׳ 7:12; also La 3:9 גָּדַר דַּרְכִּי בְּג׳.