Quarries

QUARRIES (Heb. pesîlîm, graven images ). The “quarries” are mentioned in a doubtful passage in Judg.3.19, Judg.3.26 KJV. The marginal readings in KJV and ASV suggest “graven images,” a rendering supported by the authority of LXX and Vulgate. RSV has “sculptured stones,” NIV “idols.” Some piece of local nomenclature and a lost tradition are no doubt involved. Perhaps the place was a dump for discarded and roughly broken idols. Perhaps the reference is to Joshua’s stones of commemoration by Jordan. The word “quarry” occurs in another disputed passage at 1Kgs.6.7. RSV and NIV say that the stones or blocks were dressed “at the quarry.” NIV uses the English word in a less doubtful context elsewhere (e.g., Eccl.10.9; Isa.51.1).