In biblical literature, pebbles are small stones that are often mentioned in various contexts, symbolizing different spiritual and practical themes. While the term "pebbles" itself is not frequently used in most English translations of the Bible, the concept of small stones appears in several passages, illustrating their significance in biblical narratives and teachings.

Symbolism and Usage

1. David and Goliath: One of the most well-known biblical accounts involving small stones is the account of David and Goliath. In 1 Samuel 17, David selects five smooth stones from a brook to use with his sling against the Philistine giant, Goliath. The choice of stones highlights David's reliance on God's guidance and his skill rather than conventional weaponry. The text states, "Then he took his staff in his hand, selected five smooth stones from the brook, and put them in the pouch of his shepherd’s bag. And with his sling in hand, he approached the Philistine" (1 Samuel 17:40). The smooth stones, akin to pebbles, symbolize faith, preparation, and divine providence.

2. Casting Lots: In ancient Israel, casting lots was a common practice for making decisions or discerning God's will. While the Bible does not explicitly mention pebbles in this context, small stones or similar objects were likely used as lots. Proverbs 16:33 states, "The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD" . This practice underscores the belief in God's sovereignty over human affairs.

3. Stoning as Punishment: In the Old Testament, stoning was a method of capital punishment for certain transgressions. While larger stones were typically used, the act of stoning involved a communal participation where individuals would throw stones at the condemned. This practice is mentioned in several passages, such as Leviticus 20:2, which prescribes stoning for certain offenses. The use of stones in this context reflects the seriousness of sin and the communal responsibility for upholding God's law.

4. Building and Memorials: Small stones were also used in constructing altars and memorials. In Joshua 4, the Israelites set up twelve stones taken from the Jordan River as a memorial to commemorate their crossing into the Promised Land. "These stones are to be a memorial to the people of Israel forever" (Joshua 4:7). Such use of stones signifies remembrance and the importance of marking God's faithfulness and acts in history.

5. Metaphorical Use: In the New Testament, stones are used metaphorically to describe believers and their role in the spiritual house of God. 1 Peter 2:5 states, "you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ" . Here, the imagery of stones, though not specifically pebbles, conveys the idea of believers being integral parts of the Church, each contributing to the whole.

Cultural and Historical Context

In the ancient Near East, pebbles and small stones were abundant and served various practical purposes, from tools and weapons to building materials. Their availability and versatility made them a common feature in daily life and religious practices. The biblical use of stones, whether in narratives or laws, reflects their cultural significance and the theological themes they represent.

Overall, while pebbles themselves are not a primary focus in biblical texts, their presence in the form of small stones carries rich symbolic meaning, illustrating themes of faith, judgment, remembrance, and community within the biblical narrative.5585. psephizo -- to count, calculate
... to count up, calculate. From psephos; to use pebbles in enumeration, ie (generally)
to compute -- count. see GREEK psephos. (psephizei) -- 1 Occurrence. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5585.htm - 6k

Concerning the Monks of Thebais: Apollos, Dorotheus; Concerning ...
... He placed three hundred pebbles in his bosom, for fear of omitting any of these
prayers; and, at the conclusion of each, he took away one of the pebbles. ...
/.../chapter xxix concerning the monks of.htm

Against the Arians, and Concerning Himself.
... who measure Godhead, [3754] and weigh the people in the balance, who honour the
sand, and despise the luminaries of heaven; who treasure pebbles and overlook ...
/.../cyril/lectures of s cyril of jerusalem/oration xxxiii against the arians.htm

The victory of Unarmed Faith
... In the centre is 'a deep trench or gulley, the sides and bed of which are strewn
with rounded and water- worn pebbles.' This is the 'valley,' or rather 'ravine ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture f/the victory of unarmed faith.htm

By the Sea of Galilee - the Final Call of the First Disciples, and ...
... 2248] and they stood by the shore, or in the boats drawn up on the beach, casting
in their nets to wash' them [2249] of the sand and pebbles, with which such a ...
/.../edersheim/the life and times of jesus the messiah/chapter xiii by the sea.htm

Moral Insanity.
... Suppose you see a man excited about straws and pebbles"taking unwearied pains to
gather them into heaps, and store them away as treasures; yet, when a fire ...
//christianbookshelf.org/finney/sermons on gospel themes/ix moral insanity.htm

Songs in the Night
... Yet even night hath its songs. Have you never stood by the seaside at night,
and heard the pebbles sing, and the waves chant God's glories? ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 44 1898/songs in the night.htm

The Temples and the Gods of Chaldaea
... The soil of the marshes or of the plains, separated from the pebbles and foreign
substances which it contained, mixed with grass or chopped straw, moistened ...
/.../chapter iithe temples and the.htm

History of Public Speaking
... These faults were remedied, as is well-known, by earnest daily practise in declaiming
on the sea-shore, with pebbles in the mouth, walking up and down hill ...
/.../kleiser/successful methods of public speaking/history of public speaking.htm

God's Will and Man's Will
... to stimulate her exertions. The pebbles in the living stream of truth
are worn smooth and round by friction. Who among us would ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 8 1863/gods will and mans will.htm

Spurgeon -- Songs in the Night
... Yet even night hath its songs. Have you never stood by the seaside at night,
and heard the pebbles sing, and the waves chant God's glories? ...
/.../kleiser/the worlds great sermons volume 8/spurgeon songs in the.htm

Pebbles (1 Occurrence)
... Multi-Version Concordance Pebbles (1 Occurrence). Psalms 147:17 He hurls down
his hail like pebbles. Who can stand before his cold? (WEB NIV). ...
/p/pebbles.htm - 6k

Peck (3 Occurrences)

/p/peck.htm - 8k

Writing (194 Occurrences)
... however, by no means exhaust the list of signs which have been used for record or
message purposes; eg colored flags for signaling, pebbles, cairns, pillars ...
/w/writing.htm - 70k

Gravel (3 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (n.) Small stones, or fragments of stone; very
small pebbles, often intermixed with particles of sand. ...
/g/gravel.htm - 9k

Pebble (2 Occurrences)

/p/pebble.htm - 7k

Beach (7 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (n.) Pebbles, collectively; shingle. 2. (n.)
The shore of the sea, or of a lake, which is washed by ...
/b/beach.htm - 9k

Bake (13 Occurrences)
... 11). Common ovens were generally used; at other times a jar was half-filled
with hot pebbles, and the dough was spread over them. ...
/b/bake.htm - 12k

Count (85 Occurrences)
... New Testament the arithmetical computation is less prominent, except in the sense
of "calculate," psephizo, sumpsephizo, "to reckon with pebbles," each pebble ...
/c/count.htm - 33k

Stone (290 Occurrences)
... 1. (n.) Concreted earthy or mineral matter; also, any particular mass of such matter;
as, a house built of stone; the boy threw a stone; pebbles are rounded ...
/s/stone.htm - 54k

Cold (25 Occurrences)
... (BBE). Psalms 147:17 He hurls down his hail like pebbles. Who can stand
before his cold? (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV). ...
/c/cold.htm - 18k

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