The large stone placed in the foundation at the principal corner of a building. Most biblical occurrences of this term are metaphorical. (Job 38:6) imagines God as creator laying a cornerstone upon which to “construct” the world. The cornerstone of (Ps 118:22) is either Israel or its king, rejected as “insignificant” by the nations, but exalted by God. In (Isa 28:16) God lays a cornerstone in Zion. In the NT both (Ps 118:22) and (Isa 28:16) are applied to Jesus as Messiah (Matt 21:42; Mark 12:10; Luke 20:17; Acts 4:11; Rom 9:33; Eph 2:20; and 1Pet 2:4-8).
