Beam

A weaver’s beam—a round wooden roller that cloth or carpet was wound around during the weaving process in Bible times. The spears of the giant Goliath (1 Samuel 17:7; 2 Samuel 21:19; 1 Chronicles 20:5) and an Egyptian killed by Benaiah, one of David’s mighty men (1 Chronicles 11:23), were compared to a weaver’s beam.

A tree trunk or log that has been cut and used for building purposes. King Solomon used cedar beams and planks to build the temple (1 Kings 6:9; 2 Chronicles 3:7) and his “House of the Forest of Lebanon” (1 Kings 7:2, 12). Another mention of cedar beams probably refers to their aroma (Song of Solomon 1:17).

The crossbeam of a Hebrew balance from which cords hung the scales.

A beam (King James Version) or log (Revised Standard Version) that Jesus mentioned (Matthew 7:3–5; Luke 6:41–42). Jesus compared the beam in an accuser’s eye with the mote (King James Version) or speck (Revised Standard Version) in his brother’s eye.