In biblical literature, the term "boulder" is not explicitly mentioned; however, the concept of large stones or rocks is prevalent throughout the Scriptures. These stones often serve as significant symbols and play crucial roles in various narratives and teachings.

Symbolism and Usage

1. Foundation and Strength: Large stones or boulders are frequently used as metaphors for strength and stability. In Matthew 7:24-25 , Jesus speaks of the wise man who builds his house on the rock, symbolizing a firm foundation in His teachings: "Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain fell, the torrents raged, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because its foundation was on the rock."

2. Memorials and Witnesses: Boulders or large stones were often set up as memorials or witnesses to significant events. In Joshua 4:20-24 , the Israelites set up twelve stones taken from the Jordan River as a memorial to their crossing: "And Joshua set up at Gilgal the twelve stones they had taken from the Jordan. He said to the Israelites, 'In the future, when your descendants ask their fathers, "What do these stones mean?" tell them, "Israel crossed the Jordan on dry ground."'"

3. Obstacles and Challenges: In some contexts, large stones represent obstacles or challenges that must be overcome. In 1 Samuel 17:49 , David uses a stone to defeat Goliath, symbolizing the overcoming of seemingly insurmountable challenges through faith: "Then David reached into his bag, took out a stone, and slung it, striking the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell facedown on the ground."

4. Judgment and Punishment: Stones were also used in the context of judgment and punishment. In John 8:7 , when the Pharisees bring a woman caught in adultery to Jesus, He responds, "Let him who is without sin among you be the first to cast a stone at her." This highlights the theme of mercy and the recognition of one's own sinfulness before judging others.

5. Christ as the Cornerstone: The New Testament frequently refers to Jesus Christ as the cornerstone, a critical stone in the foundation of a building. In 1 Peter 2:6 , it is written, "See, I lay in Zion a stone, a chosen and precious cornerstone; and the one who believes in Him will never be put to shame." This metaphor emphasizes Christ's foundational role in the faith and the church.

Cultural and Historical Context

In the ancient Near East, stones and boulders were abundant and served various practical purposes, from construction to tools and weapons. Their presence in biblical narratives often reflects their everyday significance in the lives of the people. The use of stones as memorials or altars also underscores the importance of physical reminders in a largely oral culture.

Theological Implications

The imagery of stones and boulders in the Bible carries deep theological implications. They remind believers of God's strength, the importance of a firm foundation in faith, and the call to overcome obstacles through divine assistance. The metaphor of Christ as the cornerstone serves as a central tenet of Christian belief, affirming His role as the essential foundation of the church and the believer's life.1. (n.) Same as Bowlder.

2. (n.) A large stone, worn smooth or rounded by the action of water; a large pebble.

3. (n.) A mass of any rock, whether rounded or not, that has been transported by natural agencies from its native bed. See Drift.

4074. Petros -- "a stone" or "a boulder," Peter, one of the twelve ...
... 4073, 4074. Petros. 4075 . "a stone" or "a boulder," Peter, one of the twelve ...
4074 ("small stone") then stands in contrast to 4073 ("cliff, boulder," ). ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4074.htm - 7k

4073. petra -- a (large mass of) rock
... cave, stony ground. 4073 (a feminine noun) -- "a ," which is distinct from
4074 () which is "a stone or boulder" (). 4073 () is a ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4073.htm - 7k

6697. tsur -- rock, cliff
... Or tsur {tsoor}; from tsuwr; properly, a cliff (or sharp rock, as compressed);
generally, a rock or boulder; figuratively, a refuge; also an edge (as ...
/hebrew/6697.htm - 6k

The Northern Mountains
... To this degrading influence of mere rain and air must be attributed, I think, those
vast deposits of boulder which encumber the mouths of all the southern glens ...
//christianbookshelf.org/kingsley/at last/chapter xi the northern mountains.htm

On a Piece of Chalk. A Lecture to Working Men.
... relics of long vanished generations of men the greatest age that can possibly be
claimed for them, they are not older than the drift, or boulder clay, which ...
/.../huxley/lay sermons addresses and reviews/ix on a piece of.htm

Editor's Preface
... At Elephantine, I found, a short time since, on a granite boulder, an inscription
of Khufuankh"whose sarcophagus of red granite is one of the most beautiful ...
/.../history of egypt chaldaea syria babylonia and assyria v 1/editors preface.htm

Naparima and Montserrat
... against it; which even, after the Age of Ice, thrust up the Isle of Moen in Denmark
and the Isle of Ely in Cambridgeshire, entangling the boulder clay among ...
//christianbookshelf.org/kingsley/at last/chapter x naparima and montserrat.htm

By the Wayside
... But the Maccabee climbed out of the roadway and, finding a sheltered spot behind
a boulder, kicked together some of the dead weeds and twigs and set fire to ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/miller/the city of delight/chapter v by the wayside.htm

Hymn for Christmas-Day
... Sweet honey from the boulder leaps: The sere and leafless oak-bough weeps A strange
rich attar: tamarisks too Of balsam pure distil the dew. ...
/.../prudentius/the hymns of prudentius/xi hymn for christmas-day.htm

Ripe for Gathering
... pains, come between. The stream of Amos's prophecy flows on, uninterrupted
by the boulder which had tried to dam it up. Some courage ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture a/ripe for gathering.htm

One Saying with Two Meanings
... As surely as the roots of a mountain-ash growing on the top of a boulder feel down
the side of the rock till they reach the soil; as surely as the stork ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture i/one saying with two meanings.htm

In the Desert
... place he had made. Next he undid his belt and fastened Anubis to a boulder,
too heavy for the ape to move. The animal resented the ...
//christianbookshelf.org/miller/the yoke/chapter xix in the desert.htm

The Shepherd of Pella
... There was a red circle of fire in the sandy bottom of the dry wady, and beside it
was a flat boulder at the foot of which were prints of the shepherd's sandals ...
/.../miller/the city of delight/chapter iii the shepherd of.htm

Boulder (1 Occurrence)
... natural agencies from its native bed. See Drift. Multi-Version Concordance
Boulder (1 Occurrence). Revelation 18:21 A mighty angel ...
/b/boulder.htm - 7k

Bought (66 Occurrences)

/b/bought.htm - 28k

House (20110 Occurrences)
... (1) Corner-stone: Corner-stone (pinnah, Isaiah 28:16 Jeremiah 51:26; lithos
akrogoniaios, 1 Peter 2:6).-In the construction of rude boulder walls, more ...
/h/house.htm - 39k

Bound (175 Occurrences)

/b/bound.htm - 41k

What is the rock in Matthew 16:18? | GotQuestions.org

What is the Gospel of Thomas? | GotQuestions.org

Is Jesus dead? | GotQuestions.org

Boulder: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus