eben (eh'-ben) [68]

Meaning
From the root of 1129 through the meaning to build.

1. Primarily, a construction material:

• Covers for wells. Genesis 29:3, "And thither were all the flocks gathered: and they rolled the stone from the well's mouth, and watered the sheep, and put the stone again upon the well's mouth in his place."
• Storage containers. Exodus 7:19, "And the Lord spake unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Take thy rod, and stretch out thine hand upon the waters of Egypt, upon their streams, upon their rivers, and upon their ponds, and upon all their pools of water, that they may become blood; and that there may be blood throughout all the land of Egypt, both in vessels of wood, and in vessels of stone."
• Weights. Deuteronomy 25:13, "Thou shalt not have in thy bag divers weights, a great and a small." and Proverbs 11:1, "A false balance is abomination to the Lord: but a just weight is his delight."
• Slingstones. 1 Samuel 17:49, "And David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead, that the stone sunk into his forehead; and he fell upon his face to the earth."
• Plumblines were suspended stones. Isaiah 34:11, "But the cormorant and the bittern shall possess it; the owl also and the raven shall dwell in it: and he shall stretch out upon it the line of confusion, and the stones of emptiness."
• Pavement. 2 Kings 16:17, "And king Ahaz cut off the borders of the bases, and removed the laver from off them; and took down the sea from off the brasen oxen that were under it, and put it upon the pavement of stones."
• Hailstones. Joshua 10:11, "And it came to pass, as they fled from before Israel, and were in the going down to Bethhoron, that the Lord cast down great stones from heaven upon them unto Azekah, and they died: they were more which died with hailstones than they whom the children of Israel slew with the sword." and Ezekiel 13:11, "Say unto them which daub it with untempered morter, that it shall fall: there shall be an overflowing shower; and ye, O great hailstones, shall fall; and a stormy wind shall rend it."
• Tombs. Isaiah 14:19, "But thou art cast out of thy grave like an abominable branch, and as the raiment of those that are slain, thrust through with a sword, that go down to the stones of the pit; as a carcase trodden under feet."
• Bodies heaped with stones. Joshua 7:26, "And they raised over him a great heap of stones unto this day. So the Lord turned from the fierceness of his anger. Wherefore the name of that place was called, The valley of Achor, unto this day." and Joshua 8:29, "And the king of Ai he hanged on a tree until eventide: and as soon as the sun was down, Joshua commanded that they should take his carcase down from the tree, and cast it at the entering of the gate of the city, and raise thereon a great heap of stones, that remaineth unto this day." and 2 Samuel 18:17, "And they took Absalom, and cast him into a great pit in the wood, and laid a very great heap of stones upon him: and all Israel fled every one to his tent."
• Altars and memorials made of unhewn "stones".  Genesis 28:18, "And Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put for his pillows, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon the top of it.", Genesis 31:45, "And Jacob took a stone, and set it up for a pillar." and Joshua 4:5, "And Joshua said unto them, Pass over before the ark of the Lord your God into the midst of Jordan, and take you up every man of you a stone upon his shoulder, according unto the number of the tribes of the children of Israel:" and Joshua 24:26-27, "And Joshua wrote these words in the book of the law of God, and took a great stone, and set it up there under an oak, that was by the sanctuary of the Lord. And Joshua said unto all the people, Behold, this stone shall be a witness unto us; for it hath heard all the words of the Lord which he spake unto us: it shall be therefore a witness unto you, lest ye deny your God."

NB: Hewn stone speaks of the manger, where baby Jesus was born and the tomb for the burial of Jesus the Christ.

2.  Worship of the carved "stone" figurines strictly forbidden to Israel. Leviticus 26:1, "Ye shall make you no idols nor graven image, neither rear you up a standing image, neither shall ye set up any image of stone in your land, to bow down unto it: for I am the Lord your God."

3. Precious "stones":

• Onxy. Genesis 2:12, "And the gold of that land is good: there is bdellium and the onyx stone."
• Sapphire. Ezekiel 1:26, "And above the firmament that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone: and upon the likeness of the throne was the likeness as the appearance of a man above upon it."

4. God is called the "stone of Israel". Genesis 49:24, "But his bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob; (from thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel:)"

Messianic Verses
The following verses are viewed as messianic:

Genesis 28:18, "And Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put for his pillows, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon the top of it."

Psalm 118:22, "The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner."

Isaiah 8:14, "And he shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem."

Isaiah 28:16, "Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste."

Daniel 2:34, "Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces."

Zechariah 4:7, "Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it."

NB: The Ten Commandments were hewn from two tablets of stones. Since stones speak of the Messiah, He is the beginning and the end of the Law (hence two tablets of stones). He is the Law. 

Matthew 5:17, "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil."

John 8:6, "This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not."

Syn: Eben is used almost exclusively for movable stones (s), Sela [5553] a large immovable rock and Sur [6697] a cliff.