and the number 144, like the number 12000, and 12, from which both arise, denotes all. The measure is said to be the measure of a man, that is, of an angel, because the church on earth consisting of men, and the church in heaven consisting of angels, are regarded by the Lord as one church, being formed of the same principles of divine love and divine wisdom, though received in different degrees by each respectively. By a man is signified intelligence and wisdom derived from the Word, whether it be in an individual or in a society; and by an angel is signified divine truth, also a heavenly society, and an individual of such a society, receptive of divine truth from the Lord, who is the sole fountain thereof. Thus it appears that the dimensions of the New Jerusalem are not to be regarded as the dimensions of a great city, according to the natural idea suggested by the terms used, but that they are to be wholly referred to the spiritual things of heaven and the church, particularly to the doctrine of divine truth and good derived from the Word, and now revealed by the Lord through the instrumentality of a chosen servant.-See A. R. 904 to 910. Ap. Ex. 629. A. C. 9603.

Conclusion.

From the preceding view, limited and imperfect as it is, of the spiritual signification of numbers, weights and measures in the Word throughout, it is evident that without a knowledge of this most ancient science, according to which the things relating to heaven and the church are constantly described, the true and genuine sense of divine revelation must in a great measure remain buried in obscurity. Many passages indeed are to be found, especially in the historical parts both of the Old and the New Testament, in which the necessity of having recourse to a spiritual sense distinct from that of the letter, is not so obvious as it is in some which have been brought forward in this small treatise. Yet when we consider that the Word was dictated by Jehovah himself, that it descended through all the heavens to man, and consequently that in its origin it is holy and divine; then it must be acknowledged that it contains an internal as well as an external sense, and that the former pervades every part of the latter. If so, it follows that numbers, weights and measures, as expressed in the literal sense, must in all cases form the basis of another more interior sense, which may be regarded as wine in comparison with water, John ii. 7 to 10; as a soul in comparison with its body of flesh, John vi. 63; or as heaven itself in comparison with the earth, Isa. lv. 9.

PRECIOUS AND COMMON STONES,

AND

THEIR MEANING IN SCRIPTURE.*

CHAPTER VI.

A GENERAL ACCOUNT OF THE STONES MENTIONED IN THE SACRED SCRIPTURES, THE PURPOSES TO WHICH THEY WERE APPLIED, AND THEIR VARIOUS SIGNIFICATIONS.

IN

N the Sacred Scriptures mention is frequently made of rocks and stones, rough or unwrought stones, wrought or hewn stones, artificial stones or bricks, corner-stones, mill-stones, chalk-stones, and also of precious stones, gems, and pearls; by which are spiritually understood either genuine truths, apparent truths, or perverted truths, which latter are more properly called falsities. And it is from the use or application of the expressions, that we learn to know when to refer them to one signification and when to another. For it is to be well observed, not only with respect to stones, but to many other substances in nature, that the same term carries with it, on different occasions, very different meanings; and that, in some cases, it bears a sense directly the reverse of what it elsewhere conveys, which is always determined by the nature of the subject treated of. For example; when the Lord himself is called a Rock, as in Ps. xviii. 2, 31, 46; or a Stone, as in Matt. xxi. 42; Ps. cxviii. 22; Isa. viii. 14; it is plain, that the term is to be understood in its genuine sense, as significative of divine truth. But when, on the other hand, mention is made of the Rock of the perverted Church, as in Deut. xxxii. 31, 32; the dumb stone, as in Hab. ii. 19; or of committing adultery with stones, as in Jer. iii. 19; or of taking up stones to stone Jesus, as in John x. 31; it is equally plain, that the term, in such cases, denotes false principles of doctrine and of life, which are entirely opposed to the divine truth of the Word.

* By Robert Hindmarsh. First published in London, 1851.

Among the various purposes to which stones, both common and precious, are assigned in the Sacred Scriptures, in consequence of the signification which they obtained in the earliest ages of the world, the following are particularly distinguishable, viz. :—

1. Stones for altars, pillars, witnesses and memorials.

2. Tables of Stone for the Ten Commandments.

3. Stones for temples and other buildings.

4. Stones for idols, etc.

5. Precious stones for the breast-plate of Aaron, and for the foundations of the New Jerusalem.

Hence we read in different parts of the Word,

1. Of the Stone of Israel.

2. Of the Rock of Israel.

Gen. xlix. 24.

2 Sam. xxiii. 3.

3. Of the Rock of salvation. Deut. xxxii. 15; 2 Sam. xxii. 47; Ps. xviii. 2, 31, 46.

4. Of a stone rejected by the builders, which yet became the headstone of the corner, on which whosoever falleth, shall be broken; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder. Ps. cxviii. 22; Matt. xxi. 42, 44; Mark xii. 10, 11; Luke xx. 17, 18.

5. Of a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, over which both the houses of Israel and the inhabitants of Jerusalem shall stumble, and fall, and be broken. Isa. viii. 14, 15.

6. Of a stone cut out of a mountain without hands, which smote the image of Nebuchadnezzar, and brake it in pieces, and which afterwards became a great mountain (or rock), and filled the whole earth. Dan. ii. 34, 35, 45.

7. Of a stone with seven eyes, said to be the eyes of Jehovah, which run to and fro through the whole earth. Zech. iii. 9; iv. 10.

8. Of the head-stone of the temple, which shall be brought forth with shoutings, while the cry of grace, grace, is raised unto it. Zech. iv. 7.

9. Of great stones, costly stones, and hewed stones, for the foundation of the house or temple of Jehovah, and for other parts of the building. 1 Kings v. 17, 18; vi. 7, 36; Hag. ii. 15, 18; Matt. xxiv. 1, 2; Mark xiii. 2; Luke xxi. 5, 6.

10. Of the same for Solomon's house, and for the house of Pharaoh's daughter. 1 Kings vii. 8-12.

11. Of the stones of Zion, in which her children take delight. Ps. cii. 14.

12. Of the two tables of testimony, tables of stone, on which the

commandments were first written with the finger of God, and afterwards broken by Moses. Ex. xxiv. 12; xxxi. 18; xxxii. 15, 16, 19; Deut. iv. 13; v. 22; ix. 9–17.

13. Of the two tables of stone, which were renewed by Moses. Ex. xxxiv. 1, 4, 27-29; Deut. x. 1-5; 1 Kings viii. 9.

14. Of altars of stone, and rocks, for the worship of Jehovah. Ex. xx. 24, 25; Deut. xxvii. 5, 6; Josh. viii. 30, 31; Judg. vi. 20, 21; xiii. 19, 20; 1 Kings xviii. 31, 32, 38.

15. Of the stones of the altar becoming as chalk-stones. Isa. xxvii. 9.

16. Of stones and heaps of stones for pillows, pillars, memorials and witnesses. Gen. xxviii. 18, 22; xxxi. 45-48, 52; xxxv. 14, 20; Ex. xxiv. 4; Josh. iv. 1-9, 20-24; vii. 26; viii. 29; xxii. 10-34; xxiv. 26, 27; 1 Sam. vii. 12; 2 Sam. xviii. 18.

17. Of stones for land-marks. Deut. xix. 14; xxvii. 17.

18. Of twelve stones, which the Israelites took out of the midst of Jordan, when they passed over it, for a memorial. Josh. iv. 2-8, 2024.

19. Of other twelve stones, which Joshua set up in the midst of Jordan, where the feet of the priests stood, who bare the ark of the covenant. Josh. iv. 9.

20. Of great stones plastered with plaster, on which the words of the law were to be written. Deut. xxvii. 2–4.

21. Of Moses sitting upon a stone, with his hands lifted up, while the Israelites and the Amalekites were engaged in battle. Ex. xvii.

12.

22. Of Moses being put into a clift of the rock, and covered with the hand of Jehovah, while his glory passed by. Ex. xxxiii. 21, 22.

23. Of Moses smiting the rock, on which Jehovah stood, with his rod, so that water came out of it in abundance. Ex. xvii. 6; Num. xx. 10, 11; Ps. lxxviii. 15, 16, 20; cv. 41; cxiv. 8; Isa. xlviii. 21. 24. Of speaking to the rock, that it may give forth water. Num. xx. 8.

25. Of sucking honey out of the rock, and oil out of the flinty rock. Deut. xxxii. 13.

26. Of great stones for covering the mouth of wells. Gen. xxix. 2, 3, 8, 10.

27. Of brick, instead of stone, for building the city and the towers of Babel. Gen. xi. 3.

28. Of altars of brick. Isa. lxv. 3.

29. Of the stones of the sanctuary. Lam. iv. 1.
30. Of stones of fire. Ezek. xxviii. 14, 16.
31. Of stones of emptiness. Isa. xxxiv. 11.
32. Of gravel-stones. Lam. iii. 16.

33. Of smooth stones of the stream. Isa. lvii. 6.
34. Of stones for bread.

35. Of the dumb stone.

Matt. iv. 3; vi. 9; Luke iv. 3; xi. 11.
Hab. ii. 19.

36. Of the stone crying out of the wall, and the beam out of the timber answering it. Hab. ii. 11.

37. Of committing adultery with stones, and with stocks. Jer.

iii. 9.

38. Of a stony heart. Ezek. xi. 19; xxxvi. 26.

39. Of seed falling on stony places. Matt. xiii. 5, 20; Mark iv. 5, 16; Luke viii. 6, 13.

40. Of raising up children to Abraham out of stones. Matt. iii. 9; Luke iii. 8.

41. Of the stones being ready to cry out, in case the disciples of Jesus had been silent on the occasion of his entry into Jerusalem. Luke xix. 40.

42. Of building the church upon a rock. Matt. xvi. 18.

43. Of a stone laid in Zion, a tried stone, a precious corner-stone, a sure foundation. Isa. xxviii. 16.

44. Of a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth, save he that receiveth it. Apoc. ii. 17. 45. Of five smooth stones, which David took out of a brook, and with one of which he smote Goliath the Philistine in his forehead, and then slew him. 1 Sam. xvii. 40, 49, 50.

46. Of sharp stones for circumcision. Ex. iv. 25.

47. Of hail-stones, great stones cast down from heaven. Ex. ix. 23, etc.; Josh. x. 11; Ezek. xiii. 11, 13; Ps. xviii. 12, 13; Apoc. xvi.

21.

48. Of mill-stones.

Deut. xxiv. 6; Isa. xlvii. 2; Jer. xxv. 10;

Matt. xviii. 6; Luke xvii. 2; Apoc. xviii. 21, 22.

49. Of stoning men with stones. Ex. xvii. 4; Lev. xxiv. 10-16; Num. xiv. 10; xv. 32-36; Deut. xiii. 10; xvii. 5; xxi. 18-21; Josh. vii. 25; 1 Sam. xxx. 6; 1 Kings xii. 18; xxi. 10, 13-15; Ezek. xvi. 40; xxiii. 47; Matt. xxi. 35; xxiii. 37; Mark xii. 4; Luke xiii. 34; xx. 6; John viii. 5–7; x. 31-33.

50. Of dashing the foot against a stone. Ps. xci. 12; Matt. iv. 6; Luke iv. 11.