In biblical times, plaster was a common material used for construction and decoration, serving both practical and symbolic purposes. The use of plaster is mentioned in various contexts throughout the Bible, reflecting its significance in ancient Near Eastern culture.

Construction and Decoration

Plaster was primarily used in the construction of buildings, particularly for coating walls and ceilings. It provided a smooth surface that could be painted or inscribed. In the book of Leviticus, the process of inspecting houses for mold or mildew includes scraping the walls and re-plastering them if necessary: "He shall have the house scraped all around inside, and the plaster that is scraped off must be dumped into an unclean place outside the city" (Leviticus 14:41). This indicates the importance of maintaining cleanliness and purity in living spaces, as well as the practical use of plaster in building maintenance.

Symbolic and Religious Significance

Plaster also held symbolic significance in religious contexts. In Deuteronomy, Moses instructs the Israelites to set up large stones and coat them with plaster upon crossing the Jordan River: "And on the day you cross the Jordan into the land the LORD your God is giving you, you are to set up large stones and coat them with plaster" (Deuteronomy 27:2). These plastered stones were then inscribed with the words of the law, serving as a permanent reminder of the covenant between God and His people. The use of plaster in this context underscores the importance of the law and the need for it to be visibly and permanently displayed.

Prophetic Imagery

In the prophetic books, plaster is sometimes used metaphorically to describe false security or superficiality. Ezekiel condemns the false prophets of Israel for whitewashing flimsy walls, giving a false sense of security: "Because they have led My people astray, saying, ‘Peace,’ when there is no peace, and because when a flimsy wall is built, they plaster it with whitewash" (Ezekiel 13:10). This imagery highlights the danger of relying on appearances rather than true spiritual integrity.

Cultural Context

The use of plaster in ancient Israel was consistent with broader practices in the ancient Near East, where plaster was a common building material. It was made from lime or gypsum and was valued for its durability and versatility. The biblical references to plaster reflect its widespread use and the cultural practices of the time.

In summary, plaster in the Bible is associated with construction, religious symbolism, and prophetic imagery. Its use in various contexts highlights both its practical applications and its deeper spiritual meanings, serving as a reminder of the importance of purity, the permanence of God's law, and the dangers of superficiality.1. (n.) An external application of a consistency harder than ointment, prepared for use by spreading it on linen, leather, silk, or other material. It is adhesive at the ordinary temperature of the body, and is used, according to its composition, to produce a medicinal effect, to bind parts together, etc.; as, a porous plaster; sticking plaster.

2. (n.) A composition of lime, water, and sand, with or without hair as a bond, for coating walls, ceilings, and partitions of houses. See Mortar.

3. (n.) Calcined gypsum, or plaster of Paris, especially when ground, as used for making ornaments, figures, moldings, etc.; or calcined gypsum used as a fertilizer.

4. (v. t.) To cover with a plaster, as a wound or sore.

5. (v. t.) To overlay or cover with plaster, as the ceilings and walls of a house.

6. (v. t.) Fig.: To smooth over; to cover or conceal the defects of; to hide, as with a covering of plaster.

PLASTER (1)

plas'-ter (sidh): In Egypt, now as in ancient times, the buildings are plastered inside and out. The poor quality of the stone commonly used makes this necessary if a smooth attractive surface is desired. Among the poorer classes, clay mixed with straw is used. In Palestine and Syria, where there is a rainy season, the coating on the outside walls, if made of clay, must be frequently renewed. In Egypt burnt gypsum, and in Palestine and Syria burnt limestone (lime) are the commonest materials for making mortar. For the first coat of plastering the lime is mixed with "fat" red sand or with the ash from the bathhouse fires, and the finishing coat is composed of white sand and slaked lime with or without chopped flax straw. The plaster on some of the ancient Egyptian ruins seems to indicate that milk or some similar substance was added to the mortar to give a better surface.

The ancients preferred plastered surfaces for decorating, and even the finest granite was covered with stucco on which to paint or carve the decorations (Deuteronomy 27:2 Daniel 5:5). Columns were often first stuccoed and then painted.

The Arabic word for mortar is Tin, which really means "clay." The Hebrew sidh, literally, "to boil up," refers to the boiling of the water with which the lime is slaked, because of the heat generated during the slaking process. In Daniel 5:5 occurs gir, i.e. "burned in a kiln," which might mean either lime or gypsum. In Leviticus 14:42 occurs Tuach, "to smear."

James A. Patch

PLASTER (2)

plas'-ter (marach): Only used in Isaiah 38:21 of the application of the cake of figs to the boil from which Hezekiah suffered. In Papyrus Ebers, figs are used as the ingredient in a plaster (xxxv, lxxix, lxxxiii). Dioscorides also recommends figs with other substances as a poultice in some skin diseases.

2867. koniao -- to plaster over
... to plaster over. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: koniao Phonetic Spelling:
(kon-ee-ah'-o) Short Definition: I whitewash Definition: I whitewash, plaster ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2867.htm - 6k

1813. exaleipho -- to wipe out, erase, obliterate
... Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: exaleipho Phonetic Spelling: (ex-al-i'-fo)
Short Definition: I wipe away, obliterate Definition: I plaster, wash over; I ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1813.htm - 7k

2854. kollourion -- eye salve.
... of kollura (a cake; prob akin to the base of kollao); properly, a poultice (as made
of or in the form of crackers), ie (by analogy) a plaster -- eyesalve. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2854.htm - 6k

1528. gir -- chalk, plaster
... 1527, 1528. gir. 1529 . chalk, plaster. Transliteration: gir Phonetic Spelling:
(gheer) Short Definition: plaster. Word Origin (Aramaic ...
/hebrew/1528.htm - 6k

2950. taphal -- to smear, plaster over, stick, glue
... taphal. 2951 . to smear, plaster over, stick, glue. Transliteration: taphal Phonetic
Spelling: (taw-fal') Short Definition: forged. Word Origin a prim. ...
/hebrew/2950.htm - 6k

2915. tiach -- a coating
... 2914, 2915. tiach. 2916 . a coating. Transliteration: tiach Phonetic Spelling:
(tee'akh) Short Definition: plaster. ... Of) tuwach; mortar or plaster -- daubing ...
/hebrew/2915.htm - 6k

2902. tuach -- to overspread, overlay, coat, besmear
... root Definition to overspread, overlay, coat, besmear NASB Word Usage overlay (1),
plaster it over (2), plastered (1), plastered it over (1), plastered over (1 ...
/hebrew/2902.htm - 6k

8602. taphel -- tasteless, unseasoned
... From an unused root meaning to smear; plaster (as gummy) or slime; (figuratively)
frivolity -- foolish things, unsavoury, untempered. 8601, 8602. ...
/hebrew/8602.htm - 5k

7874. sid -- to whitewash
... plaister. A primitive root probably meaning to boil up (compare shuwd); used only
as denominative from siyd; to plaster -- plaister. see HEBREW shuwd. ...
/hebrew/7874.htm - 6k

7875. sid -- lime, whitewash
... Word Origin from an unused word Definition lime, whitewash NASB Word Usage lime
(4). lime, plaster. From siyd; lime (as boiling when slacked) -- lime, plaister. ...
/hebrew/7875.htm - 6k

6083. aphar -- dry earth, dust
... NASB Word Usage ashes (2), debris (2), dirt (1), dry soil (1), dust (91), dusty
(1), earth (5), ground (1), heap (2), loose earth (1), plaster (3), rubbish (1 ...
/hebrew/6083.htm - 6k

8585. t'alah -- a watercourse
... From alah; a channel (into which water is raised for irrigation); also a bandage
or plaster (as placed upon a wound) -- conduit, cured, healing, little river ...
/hebrew/8585.htm - 5k

4799. marach -- to rub
... lay for a plaster. A primitive root; properly, to soften by rubbing or pressure;
hence (medicinally) to apply as an emollient -- lay for a plaister. ...
/hebrew/4799.htm - 5k

On Contrition
... Let us suppose the plaster in your house fell down, and you found that it fell because
there was a leak in the water-pipe above, and the water coming through ...
/.../kinkead/baltimore catechism no 4/lesson 18 on contrition.htm

Exhortations.
... troublesome. Every kind of wound is not healed with the same plaster. ... troublesome.
Every kind of wound is not healed with the same plaster. ...
/.../chapter ii exhortations.htm

Gilgal, in Deuteronomy 11:30 what the Place Was.
... from those words of Moses, Deuteronomy 27:2, "In the day, wherein thou shalt pass
over Jordan, thou shalt set thee up great stones, and shalt plaster them with ...
/.../lightfoot/from the talmud and hebraica/chapter 88 gilgal in deuteronomy.htm

The Relation of the Sunday School to Community Organizations
... would help the whole organization. It surely takes more than plaster to make
a house, important as is plaster. The Sunday school has ...
/.../alexander/the boy and the sunday school/xxii the relation of the.htm

The End of the War
... Jesus only.' We read that on a pyramid in Egypt the name and sounding titles of
the king in whose reign it was erected were blazoned on the plaster facing, but ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture f/the end of the war.htm

Chaldaean Civilization
... At Uruk, the walls of the palace are decorated by means of terra-cotta cones, fixed
deep into the solid plaster and painted red, black, or yellow, forming ...
/.../chapter iiichaldaean civilization.htm

Baxter -- Making Light of Christ and Salvation
... The Lord Jesus was content to be their physician, and hath provided them a sufficient
plaster of His own blood: but if men make light of it, and will not apply ...
/.../various/the worlds great sermons vol 2/baxter making light of.htm

Against Men who Embellish Themselves.
... And shops are erected and opened everywhere; and adepts at this meretricious
fornication make a deal of money openly by those who plaster themselves, and give ...
/.../clement/the instructor paedagogus/chapter iii against men who embellish.htm

Faith
... A medicine, though it be ever so sovereign, if not applied, will do no good; though
the plaster be made of Christ's own blood, it will not heal, unless applied ...
//christianbookshelf.org/watson/a body of divinity/1 faith.htm

To Polycarp
... Rather by your gentleness subdue those who are annoying. Not every wound is healed
by the same plaster. Relieve spasms of pain with poultices. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/richardson/early christian fathers/to polycarp.htm

Plaster (13 Occurrences)
... of the body, and is used, according to its composition, to produce a medicinal effect,
to bind parts together, etc.; as, a porous plaster; sticking plaster. ...
/p/plaster.htm - 13k

Lime (4 Occurrences)
... of Moab "burned the bones of the king of Edom into lime." The same Hebrew word is
used in Deuteronomy 27:2-4, and is there rendered "plaster." Limestone is the ...
/l/lime.htm - 11k

Plastered (7 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (imp. & pp) of Plaster. Multi-Version Concordance
Plastered (7 Occurrences). Exodus 2:3 And when she could ...
/p/plastered.htm - 8k

Mortar (16 Occurrences)
... 3. (n.) A building material made by mixing lime, cement, or plaster of Paris, with
sand, water, and sometimes other materials; -- used in masonry for joining ...
/m/mortar.htm - 14k

Plastering
... & vb. n.) of Plaster. 2. (n.) Same as Plaster. 3. (n.) The act or process of overlaying
with plaster. 4. (n.) A covering of plaster; plasterwork. Int. ...
/p/plastering.htm - 6k

Ebal (8 Occurrences)
... led the people hither, erected an altar of unhewn stones, wrote upon the
stones-either engraving on the stone itself, or impressing on plaster placed there ...
/e/ebal.htm - 14k

Leper (34 Occurrences)
... The occurrence of "hollow streaks, greenish or reddish," in the plaster of a house
is regarded as evidence that the wall is affected with leprosy, and when ...
/l/leper.htm - 28k

Rendering (10 Occurrences)
... part. 5. (n.) The act of laying the first coat of plaster on brickwork
or stonework. 6. (n.) The coat of plaster thus laid on. 7 ...
/r/rendering.htm - 10k

Brick (10 Occurrences)
... 6. (vt) To imitate or counterfeit a brick wall on, as by smearing plaster with red
ocher, making the joints with an edge tool, and pointing them. Int. ...
/b/brick.htm - 15k

Leprosy (51 Occurrences)
... The occurrence of "hollow streaks, greenish or reddish," in the plaster of a house
is regarded as evidence that the wall is affected with leprosy, and when ...
/l/leprosy.htm - 37k

What is the significance of the Medo-Persian Empire in biblical history? | GotQuestions.org

Who was Belshazzar? | GotQuestions.org

What is the significance of Mount Ebal in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

Plaster: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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