Bible Dictionaries
Pillar

Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary

properly means a column raised to support a building; but in Scripture the term mostly occurs in a metaphorical or figurative sense. Thus we have a pillar of cloud, a pillar of fire, a pillar of smoke, &c; signifying a cloud, a fire, a smoke raised up toward heaven in the form or shape of a pillar, Exodus 13:21; Judges 20:40 . Job speaks of the pillars of heaven and the pillars of the earth, Job 9:6; Job 26:11; which are strong metaphorical expressions, that suppose the heavens and the earth to be an edifice raised by the hand of the almighty Creator, and founded upon its basis. St. Paul speaks of the Christian church under the similitude of a pillar or column on which the truth, or doctrine of the glorious Gospel is inscribed, 1 Timothy 3:15 .

Bibliography Information
Watson, Richard. Entry for 'Pillar'. Richard Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary. https://www.studylight.org/​dictionaries/​eng/​wtd/​p/pillar.html. 1831-2.