CARVING (חֲרֹ֫שֶׁת֒, H3098, from חָרָשׁ, H3093, cut in, engrave; מִקְלַ֫עַת, H5237, carving, from קָלַע֒, H7843, carve); CARVED WORK, IMAGE (חֻקָּה, H2978, פֶּ֫סֶל, H7181); CARVED FIGURE (חֲטֻבﯴת, H2635, hewn; פִּתּוּחַ, H7334, an engraving, from פָּתַח֒, H7337, open, engrave) an artistic working in wood, stone, ivory, clay, bronze, gold, silver and glass. The process involves shaping the solid material by whittling, cutting, chipping (as stone) or incising. A vivid picture of the production of graven images is presented in Isaiah 40:19, 20; 41:7; 44:9-17. Engraving first appears in the Bible in the signet of Judah (Gen 38:18).

Carving was first noticed in Israel in the provision of certain furniture of the Tabernacle, particularly the gold and silver jewels (Exod 31:4, 5; 35:32, 33). This ability was described as a gift to Bezaleel from God (31:2-35:35), along with the capacity to teach it to others. The Israelites were familiar with the exquisite bas reliefs from Egypt but never had been taught the craft. When it came time to build and decorate Solomon’s Temple, Solomon had to import artisans from Tyre (1 Kings 5:1-18). By the time of Isaiah the Israelites had learned both the casting and the engraving processes, and when these were not enough, they even employed plating (Isa 40:19, 20). Guilds of goldsmiths existed in Nehemiah’s day (Neh 3:8). The development of the art of engraving and sculpture was otherwise inhibited by the second comandment and developed only as greater contact was had with outside cultures.

Primary usage in Israel of this plastic art was for the production of idols (Lev 26:1; Num 33:52; Deut 4:28; Jer 2:27; 10:1-9; 16:13 and cf. Ezek 23:14). The main inspiration came from Canaan, as witness the similarity of cultic forms from both Canaanite and Israelite cities, both cast and carved. A related use of carving arose in the use of carved ornamentation of the furniture and houses of the wealthy (cf. 1 Kings 22:39; Amos 6:4). The use of ivory carvings as a mark of ostentation was condemned by Amos as sinful (3:15). Discoveries at Megiddo from the Solomonic and post-Solomonic eras show to what degree of excellence this craft rose.

The other primary example of the use of carving relates to the Solomonic Temple (q.v.), where the wood paneling of the walls, the stone work and the doors were decorated with carving of k^erûḅîm, palm trees and lily-like patterns (1 Kings 6:18, etc.). The huge figures of the k^erûḅîm in the d^ebîr of the Temple were carved from wood and gilded (1 Kings 6:23; 2 Chron 3:11). Considerable engraving work was also done on the laver stands (1 Kings 7:31, 36). See Graven Image.

Bibliography G. Perrot and Ch. Chipiez, A History of Art in Chaldea and Assyria (1884); J. W. and G. M. Crowfoot, Early Ivories from Samaria (1938); S. Lloyd, Art of the Ancient Near East (1961).