THE FULL ARTICLE — from the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (1915), general editor James Orr — public domain, printed whole.

stool ('obhnayim): It is not clear what the character and purpose of this stool were Septuagint has no reference to it). It seems to have been a chair of a peculiar sort upon which a woman reclined in parturition (Ex 1:16). The Hebrew word is in the dual number and primarily means "two stones." The only other place where it occurs is Jer 18:3, where it is rendered "wheels" Septuagint epi ton lithon, "on the stones"). In 2Ki 4:10, the word translated in the King James Version as "stool" (kicce') is in the Revised Version (British and American) more correctly translated "seat."

See also BIRTH-STOOL; SEAT.

Jesse L. Cotton