Hebrew terms are given as "plaster" in the KJV, NIV and NAS. In Deut. 27:2, 4 the noun "sid",

meaning "to cover with lime," is rendered "plaster" in the KJV and NIV, but it is plainly lime,

from Isaiah 33:12 and Amos 2:1, and is so translated in the NASB. In Ezekiel 13:12, "tiah", is

translated as "plaster" in the NASB, as "daubing" in the KJV, and as "whitewash" in the NIV

(Unger 1988). The word, apar, is also rendered "plaster" in the NASB and NIV, although it

literally means "powdered" (Unger 1988). Regardless of how these words are translated, all

three indicate that there was a substance used upon the walls to cover the stone, wood or brick.

 Plasters main purpose was, not to protect from the elements but, to simply beautify the

insides of buildings. There is no way to determine how long it lasted once applied, but the Bible,

in the book of Leviticus, makes it clear that plaster was placed upon stones and possibly timbers.

Since it is referred to as whitewash, it was most likely the color white, but it could have been

other colors as well. Plaster is mentioned in Leviticus in conjunction with the presence of mold

or mildew. The process of successfully addressing the mold problem is described:

 He shall have the house scraped all around inside, and they shall dump the plaster and
 replaster the house. [43] If, however, the mark breaks out again in the house after he has
 torn out the stones and scraped the house, and after it has been replastered, [44] then the
 priest shall come in and make an inspection. If he sees that the mark has indeed spread in
 the house, it is a malignant mark in the house; it is unclean. [45] He shall therefore tear
 down the house, its stones, and its timbers, and all the plaster of the house, and he shall
 take {them} outside the city to an unclean place (Leviticus 14:41-45 NASB).

 The following verse in Ezekiel makes it clear that the plastered whitewash was not able to

withstand the elements. This verse also seems to indicate that the people in ancient Israel may

have used this whitewash to cover their exterior walls in hopes of protecting the walls from the

effects of the elements:

 It is definitely because they have misled My people by saying, 'Peace!' when there is no
 peace. And when anyone builds a wall, behold, they plaster it over with whitewash; [11]
 {so} tell those who plaster {it} over with whitewash, that it will fall. A flooding rain will
 come, and you, O hailstones, will fall; and a violent wind will break out. [12] Behold,
 when the wall has fallen, will you not be asked, 'Where is the plaster with which you