"to hew stones; to cut out of stone, hew from stone, Mt. 27:60; Mk. 15:46; Lk. 23:53*"
Definition and meaning
to hew stones; to cut out of stone, hew from stone, Mt. 27:60; Mk. 15:46; Lk. 23:53*
In the original Greek the word is written: λατομέω
Historical context
Rome had controlled Judea since 63 BC. Herod the Great rebuilt the Temple into one of the most magnificent structures in the ancient world — and simultaneously murdered members of his own family. The common people paid multiple layers of taxation and were politically powerless. Into that world a carpenter from Galilee began teaching that the kingdom of God had arrived.
The people who first heard this word were not reading a book — they were living through empires, oppression, exile, and covenant. Every word carried the weight of that reality. Understanding it changes how you read Scripture.
Scripture references
These are the most notable occurrences of latomeo (G2998) across the King James Bible.
And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed.
And he bought fine linen, and took him down, and wrapped him in the linen, and laid him in a sepulchre which was hewn out of a rock, and rolled a stone unto the door of the sepulchre.
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Common questions
Strong's G2998 (latomeo) is a Greek word that means: to hew stones; to cut out of stone, hew from stone, Mt. 27:60; Mk. 15:46; Lk. 23:53* It appears 2 times in the King James Bible.
The word latomeo (G2998) appears 2 times in the original Greek text.
Strong's G2998 is latomeo, a Greek word defined as: to hew stones; to cut out of stone, hew from stone, Mt. 27:60; Mk. 15:46; Lk. 23:53*. James Strong catalogued this in his 1890 concordance to help English readers study the original languages of the Bible.
latomeo is a Greek word found in the New Testament.