לְ/אָ֔בֶן
𐤋/𐤀𐤁𐤍
ʼeben
instead of stone
A solid piece of mineral matter, 'stone' in a physical or symbolic sense. Commonly refers to naturally occurring stones used in construction, markers, tools, or cultic contexts. In the Hebrew Bible, 'אֶבֶן' functions as a general term for a stone or rock, but also carries extended meanings, including a precious stone, an object for weighing (weight), or a term for a building component. In poetic and metaphorical contexts, can denote firmness, durability, or foundational quality. The word is also used idiomatically (e.g., 'stone of stumbling').
Genesis 11:3 · Word #13
Lexicon H68
| Lemma | אֶבֶן |
| Lemma (Paleo) | 𐤀𐤁𐤍 |
| Transliteration | ʼeben |
| Strong's | H68 |
| Definition | A solid piece of mineral matter, 'stone' in a physical or symbolic sense. Commonly refers to naturally occurring stones used in construction, markers, tools, or cultic contexts. In the Hebrew Bible, 'אֶבֶן' functions as a general term for a stone or rock, but also carries extended meanings, including a precious stone, an object for weighing (weight), or a term for a building component. In poetic and metaphorical contexts, can denote firmness, durability, or foundational quality. The word is also used idiomatically (e.g., 'stone of stumbling'). |
Morphology HR/Ncfsa
All morphology codes
| Part of Speech | N — Noun — A person, place, thing, or idea |
| Subtype | c — Common — Common noun |
| Gender | f — Feminine — Feminine |
| Number | s — Singular — Singular |
| State | a — Absolute — The noun stands independently |
Common Translation
| Phrase | instead of stone |
SIBI-P1 Translation H68-23
building-stone
| Morphological Notes | Noun, common feminine singular absolute. |
| Rendering Rationale | The noun derives from the root בנה ('to build'), denoting a stone as a fundamental unit of construction. Rendering it as 'building-stone' preserves both the concrete sense of a stone and its etymological link to building and establishing. |
View full lexicon entry for H68 →
SILEX v2
SIBI-P2 (Context-Aware)
for stone
| Same as P1 | No — adjusted for context |
| Rationale | P1 'building-stone' is technically correct, but the prepositional לְ indicates a substitution (one thing for another) in this context; 'for stone' better reflects the intended meaning of 'instead of stone.' |