PLASTER (גִּיר, H10142, שִׂיד֒, H8486, טוּחַ, H3212, מָרַח, H5302, as a verb to daub; as a noun stucco or poultice). Plaster was widely used in the ancient world. It was variously made, the higher quality material was produced by heating broken limestone or gypsum. Simple clay with straw binder was also used, but was practical only where rainfall was slight. The Heb. שִׂיד֒, H8486, literally, “to boil,” is found in Deuteronomy 27:2, 4 in the sense “to plaster,” describing the application of the material to the altar. The engraving prob. was done while the plaster was soft (Layard, Nineveh). The Aram. גִּיר, H10142, is found in Daniel 5:5 only, in a passage describing the fateful handwriting in Belshazzar’s palace. The Heb. טוּחַ, H3212, “to coat,” is used where instructions are given concerning “leprosy” that has infected the walls of a house (Lev 14:42, 43, 48). Plaster in the sense of “poultice” is found in Isaiah 38:21 (Heb. מָרַח, H5302, “to rub”). See Architecture.