Twelve Stones
Steles marking spectacular religious events in ancient Israel.
via Wikipedia: Twelve Stones · see source
The Twelve Stones (מצבות) were steles used to commemorate major religious events in the Kingdom of Judah before King Josiah. The Bible describes them placed in a circle at Gilgal, where the heads of the twelve tribes stood with Joshua after crossing the Jordan River into Israel. This practice was observed for a limited time in the northern Kingdom of Israel.
Quick Facts
- Type
- Steles (מצבות)
- Location
- Gilgal
- Abolished by
- King Josiah
- Reason for abolition
- Some people attached religious significance to the stones, resembling idolatry
Facts from the source article.
Background
The prophet Elijah constructed an altar on Mount Carmel using twelve stones taken from a previously broken altar that existed before the First Temple was built. After the Temple was finished, sacrifices on other altars were prohibited. What made Elijah's altar exceptional was that God sent fire or lightning from heaven to ignite the offering. This event was considered the most dramatic religious occurrence since the Exodus. Erecting a monument of twelve stones became a way to commemorate such extraordinary events. King Josiah later ended this tradition because some people began treating the stones as objects of religious veneration, which resembled idolatry.
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