Precious Stones - Lazarus Fletcher

8/14/2019 Precious Stones - Lazarus Fletcher

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Precious Stones

By : Lazarus Fletcher

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

Contents :

1. Ancient and Modern Names

2. Change of Signification of Names

3. Three Important Lists of Stones

4. Interpretation of Greek Names Used by John

5. Interpretation of Hebrew Names

6. Greek and Latin Equivalents of Hebrew Names

7. Inconsistencies of Text or Translation

8. Vulgate and Septuagint

9. Hebrew Texts of Septuagint and English Versions of the Bible

10. Equivalence of Hebrew and Greek Names

11. Interpretation of Greek Names Used by Septuagint

12. List of Names with Biblical References

1. Ancient and Modern Names:

Great difficulty is met with in any attempt to translate the Greek and Hebrewnames mentioned in the Bible into names that would be used for the same mineralsin a particular country at the present day. It is only within the last century,through the development of the sciences of chemistry and crystallography, that ithas become possible to define mineral species with any considerable approach toprecision. In ancient times various minerals were regarded as belonging to asingle kind, and indicated by a single name, that are now distributed intodifferent kinds and mentioned under different names.

For example, 2,000 years ago the Greek term anthrax was used to signify varioushard, transparent, red stones that are now known to differ much from one anotherin chemical composition, and are therefore assigned to different species and givendifferent names; among them are oriental ruby (red corundum), balas ruby (red

spinel), almandine and pyrope (red garnets); a stone designated anthrax by theancient Greeks might thus belong to any one of a number of various kinds to theassemblage of which no name is now given, and the word anthrax has no simpleequivalent in a modern language.

2. Change of Signification of Names:

Confusion is introduced in another way. The English names of most of the preciousstones mentioned in the Bible are adaptations of Greek names through the Latin;for instance, the English word "topaz" is a modification of the Latin wordtopazius, itself merely a Latin form of the Greek word topazion. It would at first


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sight appear that the Greek word topazion must be translated into English by theword "topaz"; but, strangely, although the words are virtually identical, thestones indicated by the words are quite different. The topazion of the ancientGreeks was a green stone yielding to the action of a file and said to be broughtfrom an island in the Red Sea, whereas the topaz of the present day is not a greenstone, does not yield to the action of a file, and has not been brought from anisland in the Red Sea. The topazion of the ancient Greeks is really the peridot,not the topaz, of modern mineralogy; topazion and topaz are different kinds of

stone. For the interpretation of the Bible it is thus necessary to ascertain, ifpossible, the kind of stone to which a Greek or Hebrew name was applied at thetime when the word was written.

3. Three Important Lists of Stones:

Most of the names of the precious stones mentioned in the Bible are contained inthe Hebrew description of the breastplate of the high priest and the Greekdescription of the foundations of the New Jerusalem. The ornaments assigned to theking of Tyre (#Eze 28:13) included only stones that had been used in thebreastplate; indeed, in the Septuagint, they are the same twelve, mentioned inprecisely the same order.

The stones of the breastplate according to our Hebrew text (#Ex 28:17-21) were:

The foundations of the New Jerusalem are (#Re 21:19,20):

1 iaspis

2 sappheiros

3 chalkedon

4 smaragdos

5 sardonux

6 sardion

7 chrusolithos

8 berullos

9 topazion

10 chrusoprasos

11 huakinthos

12 amethustos

Only 4 of the latter stones are mentioned elsewhere in the New Testament, also inthe Book of Revelation, namely: iaspis (4:3; 21:18), smaragdos (4:3), sardion(4:3) and huakinthos (9:17).

4. Interpretation of Greek Names Used by John:

For the interpretation of the Greek names used by John, much help is given byPliny s great work on Natural History, published 77 AD, for it records what was known about precious stones at the very time when John himself was living. The


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Greek names of stones and their Latin verbal equivalents had presumably the samesignification for both these writers; it is thus possible, in some cases at least,to ascertain what name is now assigned to a stone mentioned in the New Testamentif the name and description are recorded in the treatise of Pliny; the results aregiven in the alphabetical list below. All twelve stones, except chalkedon, arementioned by Pliny; the few important stones described by him, but not mentionedby John as foundations, are crystallum and adamas, both of them colorless; onyx,remarkable rather for structure than color; electrum (amber), a soft material;

carbunculus, fiery red; callaina, pale green, probably turquoise; cyanus, darkblue; and opalus (opal); ranked in Pliny s time immediately after smaragdus in value. Achates (agate) is omitted, but was no longer precious.

5. Interpretation of Hebrew Names:

In the interpretation of the Hebrew names of the stones of the breastplate thereis much greater difficulty, for no Hebrew literature other than the Old Testamenthas been preserved, and little help is afforded by the contexts of other verses inwhich some of the Hebrew names of precious stones occur. If we could assume thatthe Septuagint and the Vulgate (Jerome s Latin Bible, 390-405 A.D.) versions of the description of the breastplate were made from Hebrew texts absolutelyidentical in respect of the names of the stones with those used for the

preparation of the English Versions of the Bible, and that the versions werecorrectly made, the Greek equivalents of the Hebrew terms for the time of theSeptuagint translators (about 280 BC) and their Latin equivalents for the time ofJerome (about 400 AD) would be directly determinable by collation of the Hebreworiginal with the Greek and Latin translations.

It must be remembered, however, that a Hebrew writer, in describing thearrangement of a row of stones, began with that on his right and mentioned them inthe order right to left, while a western writer begins with the stone on his leftand mentions them in the reverse order. Hence, in translating a Hebrew statementof arrangement into a western language, one may either translate literally word byword, thus adopting the Hebrew direction of reading, or, more completely, mayadopt the western direction for the order in the row. As either method may have

been adopted by the Septuagint translators, it follows that odhem and bareqeth, the first and last stones of the 1st row according to our Hebrew text, mayrespectively be equivalent either to sardion and smaragdos, or, conversely, tosmaragdos and sardion; and similarly for the other rows. The number of the middlestone of any row is the same whichever direction of reading is adopted. Odhem being red, and sardion and smaragdos respectively red and green (see below),odhem must be equivalent to the former, not the latter, and the Septuagint translators must have adopted the Hebrew direction of reading the rows.

6. Greek and Latin Equivalents of Hebrew Names:

Other sets of possible equivalents are derivable by collation of the Biblicaldescription with each of the two descriptions given by Josephus (Ant., III, vii,

5; BJ, V, v, 7). The possible Greek and Latin equivalents of Hebrew names are thusas follows:

It may be remarked, as regards the 1st stone of the 1st row, that in the time ofJosephus the stone sardonux could be signified also by the more general termsardion; and, as regards the 1st stone of the 2nd row, that anthrax and carbobeing respectively Greek and Latin for "glowing coal," anthrax and carbunculus,diminutive of carbo, were used as synonyms for certain red stones.

7. Inconsistencies of Text or Translations


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From the inconsistencies of the above table of possible equivalents it may beinferred that either

(1) essentially different translations were given in several cases for the sameHebrew word, or

(2) the Hebrew texts used in the preparation of the Septuagint and the Vulgate(Jerome s Latin Bible, 390-405 A.D.) versions were, in respect of the precious

stones, different from each other and from that used in the preparation of EnglishVersions of the Bible, or

(3) the breastplate differed at different epochs, or

(4) one or other, or both, of the descriptions by Josephus are incorrect.Conceivably differences may have arisen in all the above-mentioned ways.

(1) Inconsistency of Septuagint Translators

That the Septuagint translators were uncertain as to the correct translation ofthe Hebrew names used for the precious stones into the Greek names used in theirtime, and that they translated the Hebrew name of a stone in more than one way may

be shown as follows. In the Hebrew text corresponding to English Versions of theBible the word shoham, designating the 2nd stone of the 4th row of thebreastplate, occurs also in several verses where there is no mention of otherstones, and where there is thus no risk of accidental interchange, such as mayeasily occur when technical terms, more especially if unintelligible to thetranscriber, are near to one another in the text. Now, for our versions shoham hasbeen systematically translated "onyx," and for the Vulgate (Jerome s Latin Bible, 390-405 A.D.) the Hebrew word having the same position in the text has beensystematically translated by a Latin synonym of onyx, namely, lapis onychinus(except in #Job 28:16, where lapis sardonychus is the rendering). Hence, it isprobable that the word in these particular verses was shoham in the Hebreworiginal of the Vulgate, and therefore also of the Hebrew original of theSeptuagint. Yet in the Septuagint the Hebrew word is translated soom (#1Ch 29:2,

indicating that the translator, not knowing the Greek word for shoham, gave merelyits Greek transliteration) as well as smaragdos (#Ex 28:9; 35:27; 39:6 orSeptuagint #/ LXX Ex 36:13), prasinos (#Ge 2:12), sardion (#Ex 25:7; 35:9 orSeptuagint #/ LXX Ex 35:8), onux (#Job 28:16).

These differences suggest that there were different Septuagint translators, evenfor different chapters of the same book, and that little care was taken by them tobe consistent with one another in the translation of technical terms.

(2) Differences of Hebrew Texts

That the Hebrew texts used for the Septuagint, Vulgate (Jerome s Latin Bible, 390-405 A.D.) and English Versions of the Bible were not identical in all the

verses in which there is mention of precious stones is especially clear from ananalysis of the respective descriptions of the ornaments of the king of Tyre (#Eze28:13). In the Septuagint 12 stones are mentioned; as already stated, they haveprecisely the same names and are mentioned in precisely the same order as thestones of the breastplate described in that version, the only difference beingthat gold and silver are inserted in the middle of the list. On the other hand, inVulgate (Jerome s Latin Bible, 390-405 A.D.) and English Versions of the Bible descriptions of the ornaments, only 9 of the 12 stones of the breastplate arementioned; they are not in the same order as the corresponding stones in thebreastplate as described in those VSS, silver is not mentioned at all, while goldis placed, not in the middle, but at the end of the list. Further, the order of


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mention of the stones in English Versions of the Bible differs from that ofmention in Vulgate.

(3) Changes in the Breastplate

That the breastplate in use in the time of the Septuagint translators (about 280BC) may have been different from the one described in the Book of Exodus ismanifest if we have regard to the history of the Jewish nation; for Jerusalem was

captured by Shishak, king of Egypt, about 973 BC, by Nebuchadnezzar, king ofBabylon, about 586 BC, and by Ptolemy Soter, king of Egypt, about 320 BC. Theoriginal breastplate may have been part of the spoil on one or other of theseoccasions, and have then disappeared forever.

Again, between the times of the Septuagint translators and Josephus, Jerusalemwas more than once in the hands of its enemies; in 198 BC the city was captured byAntiochus the Great; in 170 BC it was stormed, and its temple plundered, byAntiochus Epiphanes; in 54 BC the temple was desecrated by Crassus. Thebreastplate familiar to Josephus (for he was long a priest in the temple ofJerusalem) may thus not have been identical with that in use when the Septuagintversion was made.

And if the signification of the Hebrew names of the stones had not been carefullypassed down from one generation to another while the breastplate was no longer inexistence (for instance, during the Babylonian captivity), or if stones like thoseof the original breastplate were not available when a new breastplate was beingmade, there would inevitably be differences in the breastplate at different times.

The probability of this hypothesis of one or more replacements of the breastplateis still further increased if we have regard to the large stones that were set ingold buttons and fastened to the shoulderpieces of the ephod, the vestment towhich the breastplate itself was attached (#Ex 28:9; 39:6 or Septuagint #/ LXX Ex36:13). According to the Septuagint, the material was smaragdos (and thereforegreen); according to Josephus it was sardonux (and therefore red with a layer ofwhite). Though the Septuagint translators may never have had opportunities of

looking closely at the stones, they might be expected to know the color of thematerial; Josephus must have seen them often. But the complete difference ofcolors of smaragdos and sardonux suggests that the difference of the names is due,not to a Septuagint mistranslation of the Hebrew name shoham, but to an actualdifference of the material; it may have been smaragdos (and green) at the timewhen the Septuagint translation was made, and yet sardonux (and red with a layerof white) in the time of Josephus.

(4) Descriptions Given by Josephus

That in respect of the breastplate it is unsafe to collate the Hebrew texts ofthe various versions with that of Josephus may be demonstrated as follows. The 2ndstone of the 2nd row, termed cappir in our Hebrew text, is termed sappheiros in

the Septuagint and sapphirus in the Vulgate (Jerome s Latin Bible, 390-405 A.D.) Wherever else cappir occurs in our Hebrew text, sappheiros occurs in thecorresponding place in the Septuagint and sapphirus in the Vulgate; it may thus beinferred that in respect of the word cappir our Hebrew text and the Hebrew textsused for the Septuagint and Vulgate (Jerome s Latin Bible, 390-405 A.D.) versions were in complete accord with one another. Also, it is certain that the Latin wordsapphirus was derived from the Greek word sappheiros, and that either the latterhad its origin in the Hebrew word cappir or that both words had the same source.There is no reason to think that from the time of the Septuagint translators tothat of Jerome the word sappheiros was ever used to signify any other than onekind of stone or that the kind was ever called iaspis. But in both the


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descriptions given by Josephus the middle stone of the 2nd row is given as iaspis,not as sappheiros, which he makes the last stone of the row. Hence, for the middlestone of the 2nd row, the Hebrew texts were concordant in giving the name cappir,but they fundamentally differed from that of Josephus whose two descriptions agreein giving the name iaspis; it is not a difference of mere nomenclature ortranslation, but of the kind of stone set in a definite part of the breastplate.This being the case, collation of the Hebrew, Septuagint and Vulgate (Jerome s Latin Bible, 390-405 A.D.) descriptions of the breastplate with those given by

Josephus cannot be relied on to give a true Greek or a true Latin equivalent forthe Hebrew name of any of the stones.

It may be added that the two descriptions given by Josephus differ from eachother only as regards the order of the stones in the last two rows; in the 3rdrow, the order is precisely reversed; in the 4th row the order is chrusolithos,onuchion, berullion for Ant, and onuchion, berullion, chrusolithos for BJ.Josephus, Antiquities was written at greater leisure than BJ, and was notcompleted till 18 years later; Josephus had thus more time for the consultation ofold manuscripts. Speaking generally, it is more accurate than his earlier treatiseas regards the history of those times of which he had no direct knowledge; itsdescription of the breastplate is more precise as regards the arrangement of thestones, and is therefore the one to which the greater weight must be given. It

differs from the Septuagint only through the interchange of the 2nd and 3rd stonesin the 2nd, 3rd and 4th rows; and possibly Josephus gave the order from his memoryeither of the Septuagint or of the actual breastplate.

The only difference between the descriptions given in the Septuagint and theVulgate (Jerome s Latin Bible, 390-405 A.D.) is that the last two stones, namely berullion (beryllus) and onuchion (onychinus), are interchanged.

8. Vulgate and Septuagint:

As already pointed out, the Hebrew texts of the Septuagint and English Versionsof the Bible must have differed completely as regards the descriptions of theornaments of the king of Tyre; it is thus not at all certain that they were in

complete accord as regards the descriptions of the breastplate. In fact, it isgenerally accepted that the Hebrew word yashepheh and the Greek word iaspis arevirtually identical, and that they were used to signify the same kind of stone.

9. Hebrew Texts of Septuagint and English Versions of the Bible:

Hence, it follows that the Hebrew text of English Versions of the Bible is notidentical with the Hebrew texts of the Septuagint and the Vulgate (Jerome s Latin Bible, 390-405 A.D.) versions in respect of the stones in the 2nd and 4th rows; ifour Hebrew text is correct as regards yashepheh, that stone was the last stone inthe last row; if the Hebrew texts of the Septuagint and Vulgate (Jerome s Latin Bible, 390-405 A.D.) versions were correct, yashepheh, which had for its Greekequivalent iaspis, must have been the last stone in the 2nd row; further, onuchion

(Septuagint) and beryllus (Vulgate) must be equivalent, not to yashepheh, but tosome other stones of the breastplate.

10. Equivalence of Hebrew and Greek Names:

Taking these matters into consideration, the following have considerable claimsto be regarded as equivalents:

The remaining three stones, tarshish, shoham and yahalom, are thus equivalent tochrusolithos, onuchion and berullion, but it is uncertain which Greek namecorresponds to any of those Hebrew names.


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11. Interpretation of Greek Names Used by Sepuagint:

For the interpretation of the Greek names of stones mentioned in the Septuagint(and thus of the Hebrew names in the original text), the work of Theophrastus, acontemporary of the Septuagint translators, is very useful. That author mentions,besides krustallos and margarites which occur elsewhere than in the description ofthe breastplate, nine of the Septuagint names of the breastplate stones, namely:

achates, amethustos (as amethuson), anthrax, iaspis, ligurion (as lugkurion),onuchion, sappheiros, sardion, smaragdos. The three stones mentioned in theSeptuagint but not by Theophrastus are berullion, chrusolithos, and topazion.Since he mentions only four stones that are not referred to in the Septuagint,namely chrusokolla, hualoeides, kuanos and omphax, it follows that the Septuaginttranslators at Alexandria introduced every important name that was then in use atAthens for a precious stone.

In the following alphabetical list references are given to all the verses inwhich each name of a precious stone occurs, and for each use of a translated namethe corresponding word in the original text.

12. List of Names with Biblical References:

Achates (achates): probably Septuagint translation of shebho (#Ex 28:19; 39:12).It is not mentioned in Apocrypha or the New Testament.

Adamant (see also special article): in #Eze 3:9; Zec 7:12, English Versions ofthe Bible translation of Hebrew shamir.

Agate: in #Ex 28:19; 39:12, English Versions of the Bible translation of Hebrewshebho; in #Isa 54:12; Eze 27:16, the King James Version translation of Hebrewkadhkodh.

Achlamah: in #Ex 28:19; 39:12: 3rd stone, 3rd row, of the breastplate. Septuagint translates amethustos; Vulgate (Jerome s Latin Bible, 390-405 A.D.)

translates amethystus; English Versions of the Bible "amethyst."

The Septuagint rendering amethustos is generally accepted as correct, but thelate Professor N. S. Maskelyne, F.R.S., formerly (1857-80) Keeper of Minerals inthe British Museum, gave reasons for regarding the achlamah of breastplate times as possibly an onyx in which white bands alternated with waxy-yellow to reddish-yellow bands.

Amber: in #Eze 1:4,27; 8:2, the King James Version, the English Revised Versionand the American Revised Version margin translation of Hebrew chashmal; in #Ex28:19, the Revised Version margin translation of Hebrew leshem.

Amethustos (amethustos): in #Re 21:20: the 12th foundation of the New Jerusalem;

Vulgate (Jerome s Latin Bible, 390-405 A.D.) translates amethystus; English Versions of the Bible "amethyst." Four varieties of amethystus were recognized byPliny as precious; all of them were transparent, and of purple tint or of tintsderived from purple. According to the Septuagint, amethustos was the 3rd stone,3rd row, of the breastplate, and the stone occupying this position is given in ourHebrew text as achlamah. Amethustos is mentioned under the name amethuson by Theophrastus; he describes it as a transparent stone resembling wine in color andas used by the gem engravers of his day. Amethystus and amethuson were doubtlessidentical with the amethyst of the present day, a purple variety of quartz(silica). Beads and other ornaments of amethyst found in old Egyptian tombs showthat the stone was regarded as precious in very ancient times.


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Amethyst: in #Ex 28:19; 39:12, English Versions of the Bible translation ofHebrew achlamah; in #Re 21:20, English Versions of the Bible translation of Greek amethustos.

Anthrax (anthrax): in Tobit 13:17; Ecclesiasticus 32:5, English Versions of theBible translates "carbuncle." According to the Septuagint, anthrax was also astone of the breastplate, 1st stone, 2nd row, but there is uncertainty as to the

Hebrew text of the Septuagint in respect of this word. The anthrax of Theophrastusincluded different kinds of hard, red stone used by the gem engravers. It is thecarbunculus of Pliny s time, and probably included the oriental ruby (corundum, alumina), the balas ruby (spinel, aluminate of magnesium), the almandine (a kindof garnet, alumino-silicate of iron) and pyrope (another kind of garnet, alumino-silicate of magnesium) of the present day.

Bareqeth: in #Ex 28:17; 39:10; Eze 28:13: 3rd stone, 1st row, of breastplate.Septuagint probably translates smaragdos, but there is uncertainty as to theHebrew text of the Septuagint in respect of this word: English Versions of theBible translates "carbuncle"; the Revised Version margin translates "emerald." Therendering smaragdos may be correct, but no emeralds of very early age have beenfound in Egypt. From the similarity of the words bareqeth and baraq ("lightning"),

it has been suggested that possibly the breastplate stone was not green but ofbluish-red color, in which case it may have been an almandine (garnet). EnglishVersions of the Bible has interchanged the names given by Septuagint, to the 3rdstone of the 1st row (smaragdos, "emerald") and the 1st stone of the 2nd row(anthrax, "carbuncle").

Bdellium (see also special article): in #Ge 2:12; Nu 11:7, English Versions ofthe Bible translation of Hebrew bedholach.

Bedholach: The Septuagint translates anthrax in #Ge 2:12, and krustallos in #Nu11:7; Vulgate (Jerome s Latin Bible, 390-405 A.D.) and English Versions of the Bible translate bdellium. Some commentators, rejecting both the Septuaginttranslations, interpret the material to be pearl, others to be the gum of an

Arabian tree.

Berullos (berullos): in Tobit 13:17; #Re 21:20: the 8th foundation of the NewJerusalem. Vulgate (Jerome s Latin Bible, 390-405 A.D.) translates beryllus; English Versions of the Bible translates "beryl." According to Septuagint,berullion was a stone of the breastplate, the 2nd stone, 4th row; owing touncertainty as to their Hebrew text, there is doubt as to the Hebrew wordtranslated berullion. Berullos is not mentioned by Theophrastus, who may haveregarded it as included in the smaragdos of his day.

In the time of Pliny 8 varieties were recognized; he says that beryllus wasalready thought by some to be "of the same nature as the smaragdus, or at leastclosely analogous. India produces them, and they are rarely to be found elsewhere.

The lapidaries cut all beryls of a hexagonal form because the color which isdeadened by a dull uniformity of surface is heightened by the reflectionsresulting from the angles. If they are cut in any other way, these stones have nobrilliancy whatever. The most esteemed beryls are those which in color resemblethe pure green of the sea. Some are of opinion that beryls are naturally angular."

This description suggests the identity of the seagreen beryllus of Pliny s time with the sea-green beryl (alumino-silicate of beryllium) of the present day.

Beryl: in #Ex 28:20; 39:13; So 5:14; Eze 1:16; 10:9; 28:13; Da 10:6, EnglishVersions of the Bible translation of Hebrew tarshish; in #Ge 2:12; Ex 25:7 margin;


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28:9,20; 35:27 margin; #1Ch 29:2 margin; #Job 28:16 margin, the Revised Versionmargin translation of Hebrew shoham; in Tobit 13:17; #Re 21:20, English Versionsof the Bible translation of Greek berullos.

Carbuncle: in #Ex 28:17; 39:10; Eze 28:13, English Versions of the Bibletranslation of Hebrew bareqeth; in #Ex 28:18 margin; 39:11; #Eze 27:16; 28:13, theRevised Version margin translation of Hebrew nophekh; in #Isa 54:12, EnglishVersions of the Bible translation of Hebrew eqdach; Tobit 13:17; Ecclesiasticus

32:5, English Versions of the Bible translation of Greek anthrax.

Chalcedony: in #Ex 28:20, the Revised Version margin translation of Hebrewtarshish; in #Re 21:19, English Versions of the Bible translation of Greekchalkedon.

Chalkedon (chalkedon): in #Re 21:19: the 3rd foundation of the New Jerusalem.Vulgate (Jerome s Latin Bible, 390-405 A.D.) translates calcedonius; English Versions of the Bible translates "chalcedony." Though the name Chalcedon (Latinform) occurs in Pliny, it is not as the name of a stone but as that of a free townthen standing on the southern side of the Bosphorus, probably close to the site onwhich Scutari now stands. Chalcedon had once been noted for its copper mines; butthe latter, when Pliny wrote, had been so far exhausted that they were no longer

worked.

Pliny refers to a kind of smaragdus (a green stone) as having been found nearChalcedon, but adds that the stones were of very small size and value. They were"brittle, and of a color far from distinctly pronounced; they resembled in theirtints the feathers that are seen in the tail of the peacock or on the neck of thepigeon. More or less brilliant, too, according to the angle at which they wereviewed, they presented an appearance like that of veins and scales." In anotherplace he refers to a stone from Chalcedon or Calchedon (another reading) as beingan iaspis of turbid hue. It is possible that at Patmos or Ephesus, at one of whichJohn was living when he wrote the Book of Revelation, the word chalkedon was usedto specify the particular kind of smaragdus or iaspis that had been found near thetown of that name. It is uncertain what name would be given to such a stone in the

present day, but the signification now attached to the name "chalcedony"(cryptocrystalline silica) cannot be traced farther back than the 15th century.

Chrusolithos (chrusolithos): in #Re 21:20: the 7th foundation of the NewJerusalem. Vulgate (Jerome s Latin Bible, 390-405 A.D.) translates chrysolithus; the King James Version translates "chrysolyte"; the Revised Version (British andAmerican) translates "chrysolite." According to Septuagint chrusolithos was one ofthe stones of the breastplate (lst stone, 4th row), but there is uncertainty as tothe Hebrew text of the Septuagint in respect of this word; the name is notmentioned by Theophrastus. The chrysolithus of Pliny was a "transparent stone witha refulgence like that of gold." Those were most valued which "when placed by theside of gold, impart to it a sort of whitish hue, and so give it the appearance ofsilver."

It may perhaps have included the yellow sapphire (alumina), the yellow quartz(citrine, silica) and the yellow jargoon (zircon; silicate of zirconium) of thepresent day. The term "chrysolite" is now applied to a different mineral, namely,to a yellow variety of olivine (silicate of magnesium and iron), a species thatincludes the green precious stone peridot as another of its varieties.

Chrusoprasos (chrusoprasos): in #Re 21:20: the 10th foundation of the NewJerusalem. Vulgate (Jerome s Latin Bible, 390-405 A.D.) and the King James Version translate chrysoprasus; the Revised Version (British and American) translates"chrysoprase." The chrysoprasus was regarded by some naturalists of the time of


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Pliny as a variety of beryllus. The 1st variety of beryllus and the most esteemedwas, as stated above, of a pure sea-green color; the 2nd was paler, and approacheda golden tint; the 3rd, allied to the 2nd in brilliancy but more pallid, was thechrysoprasus. The latter was thought by other naturalists to belong to anindependent genus of stone. In another place Pliny describes the color as likethat of the leek, but as varying in tint between the topazion of his day (ourperidot) and gold. The stone may have been a yellowish-green plasma (chalcedony,crypto-crystalline silica) or, as suggested by King, pale chrysoberyl (aluminate

of beryllium); it is not the chrysoprase of the present day, which is an apple-green chalcedony (colored by nickel).

Chrysolite, chrysolyte: "chrysolite" in #Eze 28:13, the King James Version margintranslation of Hebrew tarshish; #Re 21:20, the Revised Version (British andAmerican) translation of Greek chrusolithos; "chrysolyte" in #Re 21:20, the KingJames Version translation of Greek chrusolithos.

Chrysoprase, chrysoprasus: "chrysoprase" in #Eze 27:16, the King James Versionmargin translation of Hebrew kadhkodh; #Re 21:20, the Revised Version (British andAmerican) translation of Greek chrusoprasos; "chrysoprasus" in #Re 21:20, the KingJames Version translation of Greek chrusoprasos.

Coral, red coral (see special article): "coral" in #Job 28:18; Eze 27:16, EnglishVersions of the Bible translation of Hebrew ra moth; #La 4:7, the Revised Version margin translation of Hebrew peninim; "red coral" in #Job 28:18, the RevisedVersion margin translation of Hebrew peninim.

Crystal (see special article): in #Job 28:17, the King James Version translationof Hebrew zekhukhith; #Eze 1:22, the King James Version translation of Hebrewqerach; in #Job 28:18, the Revised Version (British and American) translation ofHebrew gabhish; in #Re 4:6; 22:1, English Versions of the Bible translation ofGreek krustallos; in #Re 21:11, English Versions of the Bible translation of Greekkrustallizo ("to shine like crystal").

Diamond: in #Jer 17:1, English Versions of the Bible translation of Hebrew

shamir; in #Ex 28:18; 39:11; Eze 28:13, English Versions of the Bible translationof Hebrew yahalom.

Eqdach: in #Isa 54:12: Septuagint translates krustallos; Vulgate (Jerome s Latin Bible, 390-405 A.D.) periphrases as lapides sculpti ("engraved stones");English Versions of the Bible translates "carbuncles." From the similarity toqadhach, "to burn," it is interpreted as meaning fiery or sparkling, whence comesthe rendering "carbuncles."

Electrum (see special article): #Eze 1:4, the Revised Version margin translationof Hebrew chashmal, "amber."

Emerald: in #Ex 28:18; 39:11; Eze 27:16; 28:13, English Versions of the Bible

translation of Hebrew nophekh; in #Ex 28:17; 39:10, the Revised Version margintranslation of Hebrew bareqeth; in Tobit 13:16; Judith 10:21; Ecclesiasticus 32:6;#Re 21:19, English Versions of the Bible translation of Greek smaragdos; in #Re21:19, English Versions of the Bible translation of Greek adjective smaragdinos.

Gabhish: in #Job 28:18: The Septuagint transliterates gabis; the King JamesVersion translates "pearls"; the Revised Version (British and American) translates"crystal." From the similarity to gabhash, "ice," the rendering "crystal" issuggested.

Chashmal: in #Eze 1:4,27; 8:2: The Septuagint translates elektron; Vulgate


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(Jerome s Latin Bible, 390-405 A.D.) and the Revised Version margin translate electrum; the King James Version, the English Revised Version and the AmericanRevised Version margin translate "amber"; the American Standard Revised Versiontranslates "glowing metal." The elektron of the time of the Septuagint andTheophrastus was the amber, of the present day; in the time of Pliny amber was anobject of luxury ranked next to crystal, and the term electrum was then applied,not only to amber, but also to a metallic alloy of gold and silver.

Huakinthos, (huakinthos): in #Re 9:17; 21:20: the 11th foundation of the NewJerusalem. Vulgate (Jerome s Latin Bible, 390-405 A.D.) translates hyacinthus; the King James Version translates "jacinth"; the Revised Version (British andAmerican) translates "jacinth" (#Re 21:20) and "hyacinth" (#Re 9:17); the RevisedVersion margin translates "sapphire" (#Re 21:20). Pliny describes the hyacinthusas being very different from amethystus, "though partaking of a color thatclosely borders upon it" and as being of a more diluted violet, It may have been the pale blue sapphire (alumina) of the present day; the modern hyacinth, orjacinth, is a quite different stone, a brownish to reddish zircon (silicate ofzirconium).

Hyacinth, jacinth (see also special article on HYACINTH): "hyacinth" in #Re 9:17,the Revised Version (British and American) translation of Greek huakinthos;

"jacinth" in #Ex 28:19; 39:12, the Revised Version (British and American)translation of Hebrew leshem; in #Re 9:17; 21:20, the King James Versiontranslation of Greek huakinthos.

Iaspis (iaspis): in #Re 4:3; 21:11,18 f: the 1st foundation of the New Jerusalem.Vulgate (Jerome s Latin Bible, 390-405 A.D.) translates jaspis; English Versions of the Bible translates "jasper." According to Septuagint iaspis was the 3rdstone, 2nd row, of the breastplate, but there is uncertainty as to the Hebrew textof the Septuagint in respect of this word; Septuagint translates also kadhkodh asiaspis (#Isa 54:12). Pliny describes iaspis as being generally green and oftentransparent; he recognizes as many as 14 varieties.

He adds that "many countries produce this stone: that of India is like smaragdus

in color; that of Cyprus is hard and of a full sea-green; and that of Persia isskyblue. Similar to the last is the Caspian iaspis. On the banks of the riverThermodon the iaspis is of an azure color; in Phrygia it is purple; and inCappadocia of an azure-purple, somber and not refulgent. The best kind is thatwhich has a shade of purple, the next best being the rose-colored, and the nextthe stone with the green color of the smaragdus," etc.

The term "jasper" is now restricted to opaque stones; the green transparent kindof iaspis may have been identical with the green chalcedony (crypto-crystallinesilica) called plasma at the present day.

Jasper: in #Ex 28:20; 39:13; Eze 28:13, English Versions of the Bible translationof Hebrew yashepheh; in #Re 4:3; 21:11,18,19, English Versions of the Bible

translation of Greek iaspis.

Kadhkodh: in #Isa 54:12; Eze 27:16: The Septuagint translates iaspis (#Isa 54:12)and transliterates chorchor (#Eze 27:16); Vulgate (Jerome s Latin Bible, 390-405 A.D.) translates jaspis (#Isa 54:12) and transliterates chodchod (#Eze 27:16); theKing James Version translates "agate"; the King James Version margin translates"chrysoprase" (#Eze 27:16); the Revised Version (British and American) translates"ruby." There is little to indicate the probable meaning of the word.

Qerach: in #Eze 1:22: Septuagint translates krustallos; Vulgate (Jerome s Latin Bible, 390-405 A.D.) translates crystallum; English Versions of the Bible


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translates "crystal"; the Revised Version margin translates "ice." Thetranslations are suggested by the similarity to the Hebrew qerach, "ice."

Krustallos (krustallos): in #Re 4:6; 22:1: Vulgate (Jerome s Latin Bible, 390-405 A.D.) translates crystallum; English Versions of the Bible translates "crystal."The crystallum of Pliny was the rock-crystal (clear quartz) of the present day.Among the localities cited for crystallum by Pliny are "the crags of the Alps, sodifficult of access that it is usually found necessary to be suspended by ropes in

order to extract it."

Lapis lazuli: in #Re 21:19, the Revised Version margin translation of Greeksappheiros.

Leshem: in #Ex 28:19; 39:12: 1st stone, 3rd row, of the breastplate. Septuagintprobably translates ligurion, but there is uncertainty as to their Hebrew text;Vulgate (Jerome s Latin Bible, 390-405 A.D.) probably translates ligurius; the King James Version translates "ligure"; the Revised Version (British and American)translates "jacinth"; the Revised Version margin translates "amber."

The ligurion of the Septuagint is probably identical with the lugkurion ofTheophrastus; this was a yellow to yellowishred stone used by seal engravers, and

was transparent and difficult to polish. The yellow ligurion may be the yellowjargoon of the present day (zircon, silicate of zirconium), a stone much used bythe ancient Greek and Roman engravers; but as the jargoon has not been found amongancient Egyptian work, it has been suggested that the ligurion of the breastplatemay have been a yellow quartz (citrine) or agate. The yellowish-red ligurion mayhave been one of the stones to which the name "jacinth" (also a zircon) is nowapplied. Professor Maskelyne, rejecting the Septuagint translated, suggests thatthe leshem was identical with the neshem of the Egyptians, namely the greenfeldspar now called amazon stone; as an alternative rendering to this he suggestsyellow jasper. The translation "amber" (Revised Version, margin) is not likely tobe correct, for that material would have been too soft for use as a stone of thebreastplate; its properties do not accord with those assigned by Theophrastus tothe lugkurion.

Ligure: in #Ex 38:19; 39:12, the King James Version translation of Hebrew leshem.

Ligurion (ligurion): in Septuagint #Ex 28:19; 39:12, Septuagint translation ofHebrew leshem: 1st stone, 3rd row, of breastplate.

Margarites (margarites): in #Mt 7:6; 13:45,46; 1Ti 2:9; #Re 18:12,16; 21:21:Vulgate (Jerome s Latin Bible, 390-405 A.D.) translates margarita; English Versions of the Bible translates "pearl." The margarites is mentioned byTheophrastus as being one of the precious stones, but not pellucid, as produced ina kind of oyster and in the pinna, and as brought from the Indies and the shoresof certain islands in the Red Sea. Hence, it was identical with the pearl of thepresent day.

Nophekh, in #Ex 28:18; 39:11; Eze 27:16; 28:13: 1st stone, 2nd row, of thebreastplate. There is uncertainty as to the Hebrew text used by the Septuagint,but probably nophekh is translated anthrax (except in #Eze 27:16, where the textdiffers); Vulgate (Jerome s Latin Bible, 390-405 A.D.) probably translates carbunculus; English Versions of the Bible translates "emerald" the Revised Version margin translates "carbuncle." English Versions of the Bible interchangesthe names given by the Septuagint to the 3rd stone, 1st row (smaragdos, "emerald")and the 1st stone, 2nd row (anthrax, "carbuncle"). Professor Maskelyne suggeststhat the nophekh of the breastplate may have been the mophak or mafka of theEgyptian hieroglyphics, the turquoise of the present day.


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Odhem, in #Ex 28:17; 39:10; Eze 28:13: 1st stone, 1st row, of the breastplate. Septuagint probably translates sardion, Vulgate (Jerome s Latin Bible, 390-405 A.D.) probably translates sardius; English Versions of the Bible translates"sardius"; EVm translates "ruby." The Hebrew word is related to [ adham], "to be red," and signifies a reddish stone; it may have been sard (a name given not onlyto red, but also to pale reddish-yellow or brown, translucent chalcedony), but wasmore probably carnelian, a red stone closely allied to sard, and much used by the

ancient Egyptians and Assyrians.

Onuchion, (onuchion, onux): "onux," Septuagint translation of Hebrew shoham (#Job28:16); onuchion, perhaps Septuagint translation of shoham in the descriptions ofthe ornaments of the king of Tyre (#Eze 28:13) and the stones of the breastplate(being there made 3rd stone, 4th row, in #Ex 28:20; 39:13), but there isuncertainty as to the Hebrew text of the Septuagint; Vulgate (Jerome s Latin Bible, 390-405 A.D.) translates onyx, lapis onychinus, lapis sardonychus. Theonuchion of Theophrastus was a hard, translucent stone used by the seal engravers;it consisted of white and dusky layers in alternation. The onyx of Roman times wasan opaque stone of white and black layers, like the onyx of the present day.

Onyx: in #Ge 2:12; Ex 25:7; 28:9,20; 35:9,27; 39:6,13; 1Ch 29:2; #Job 18:16; Eze

28:13, English Versions of the Bible translation of Hebrew shoham.

Pearl: in #Job 28:18, the King James Version translation of Hebrew gabhish; in#Job 28:18, the Revised Version margin translation of Hebrew peninim; in #Mt 7:6;13:45 f; #1Ti 2:9; Re 18:12,16; 21:20,21, English Versions of the Bibletranslation of Greek margarites.

Peninim, in #Job 28:18; Pr 3:15; 8:11; 20:15; 31:10; La 4:7: Septuagint (fromwhich #Pr 20:15 is missing) periphrases the word or had a different Hebrew text;Vulgate (Jerome s Latin Bible, 390-405 A.D.) translates ebur antiquum ("old ivory") in #La 4:7, but elsewhere periphrases the word or had a different Hebrewtext; English Versions of the Bible translates "rubies"; the Revised Versionmargin translates "red coral," or "pearls," except for #La 4:7, where the

translation is "corals." The word is similar to an Arabic word meaning "branches"and may signify red coral, which has been highly esteemed since very ancienttimes; a description of korallion is given by Theophrastus. Pliny says that in hisday the reddest and most branched was most valued.

PiTedhah, in #Ex 28:17; 39:10; Job 28:19; Eze 28:13: 2nd stone, 1st row, of thebreastplate. Septuagint translates topazion in #Job 28:19 and probably also in theother verses; Vulgate (Jerome s Latin Bible, 390-405 A.D.) translates topazius; English Versions of the Bible translates "topaz." The topazion of ancient timesappears to have been scarcely known before the Ptolemaic period, and ProfessorMaskelyne suggested that the Hebrew word may possibly be allied to bijada, whichin Persian and Arabic signifies "garnet."

Ramoth: in #Job 28:18, the King James Version margin translation of Hebrewra moth.

Ra moth, in #Job 28:18; Eze 27:16: Septuagint translates meteora (#Job 28:18) and ramoth (#Eze 27:16); Vulgate (Jerome s Latin Bible, 390-405 A.D.) periphrases the passages; English Versions of the Bible translates "coral"; the King James Versionmargin translates "ramoth" (only in #Job 28:18). There is little to indicate themeaning of the Hebrew word.

Ruby: in #Job 28:18; Pr 3:15; 8:11; 20:15; 31:10; La 4:7, English Versions of theBible translation of Hebrew peninim; in #Isa 54:12; Eze 27:16, the Revised Version


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(British and American) translation of Hebrew kadhkodh; in #Ex 28:17; 39:10; Eze28:13, the King James Version margin translation of Hebrew odhem.

Sappheiros (sappheiros): in Tobit 13:16; #Re 21:19: the 2nd foundation of the NewJerusalem. Vulgate (Jerome s Latin Bible, 390-405 A.D.) translates sapphirus; English Versions of the Bible translates "sapphire"; the Revised Version margintranslates "lapis lazuli" (but only in #Re 21:19). According to the Septuagint,sappheiros was the 2nd stone, 3rd row, of the breastplate, but there is

uncertainty as to the Hebrew text. Pliny describes sapphirus as "refulgent withspots like gold. It is also of an azure color, though sometimes, but rarely, it ispurple; the best kind being that which comes from Media. In no case, however, isthis stone transparent." These characteristics correspond to the lapis lazuli(sulphato-silicate of sodium and aluminum), not to the sapphire (alumina) of thepresent day.

Cappir, in #Ex 24:10; 28:18; 39:11; Job 28:6,16; So 5:14; Isa 54:11; La 4:7; #Eze1:26; 10:1; 28:13: 2nd stone, 2nd row, of the breastplate. Septuagint translatessappheiros; Vulgate (Jerome s Latin Bible, 390-405 A.D.) translates sapphirus and (#Ex 24:10) lapis sapphirinus; English Versions of the Bible translates"sapphire." The Hebrew word is universally accepted as equivalent to the Greeksappheiros; that name was used, not for the stone now known as sapphire, but for

that now known as lapis lazuli, a substance which was regarded by the ancientEgyptians as a precious stone.

Sardine (stone), sardius: "sardine" (stone) in #Re 4:3, the King James Versiontranslation of Greek sardinon, an error of text for sardion; "sardius" in #Re 4:3,the Revised Version (British and American) translation of Greek sardion; in #Re21:20, English Versions of the Bible translation of Greek sardion; in #Ex 28:17;39:10; Eze 28:13, English Versions of the Bible translation of Hebrew odhem.

Sardion (sardion): in #Re 4:3; 21:20: the 6th foundation of the New Jerusalem.According to the Septuagint, sardion was the 1st stone, 1st row, of thebreastplate. Vulgate (Jerome s Latin Bible, 390-405 A.D.) translates sardius; the King James Version translates "sardine" (stone) (#Re 4:3) and "sardius" (#Re

21:20); the Revised Version (British and American) translates "sardius." The sardaof Pliny s time was much used by the seal engravers. There were three Indian varieties, all of them transparent, one of them red in color; there was then noprecious stone in more common use; those of honey-color were less valued. Itprobably included both the sard and the carnelian of the present day (crypto-crystalline silica).

Sapphire: in #Ex 24:10; 28:18; 39:11; Job 28:6,16; So 5:14; Isa 54:11; La 4:7;#Eze 1:26; 10:1; 28:13, English Versions of the Bible translation of Hebrewsappir; in Tobit 13:16; #Re 21:19, English Versions of the Bible translation ofGreek sappheiros; in #Re 21:20, the Revised Version margin translation of Greekhuakinthos.

Sardonux (sardonux): in #Re 21:20: the 5th foundation of the New Jerusalem.Vulgate (Jerome s Latin Bible, 390-405 A.D.) and English Versions of the Bible translate sardonyx. According to Pliny, the name sardonyx was at first given to anIndian (red) sarda with a layer of white in it, both being transparent.

Pliny says that later three colors were considered essential, but that they mightbe repeated indefinitely. The Arabian sardonyx was "characterized by severaldifferent colors, black or azure for the base and vermilion surrounded with a lineof rich white for the upper part, not without a certain glimpse of purple as thewhite passes into the red."


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The sardonux of John s time is included in the sardonyx of the present day.

Sardonyx: in #Re 21:20, English Versions of the Bible translation of Greeksardonux; #Ex 28:18; 39:11, the Revised Version margin translation of Hebrewyahalom.

Shamir, in #Jer 17:1; Eze 3:9; Zec 7:12; Septuagint omits #Jer 17:1, and in theother two verses either periphrases the word or had a different text; Vulgate

(Jerome s Latin Bible, 390-405 A.D.) translates (unguis) adamantinus in #Jer 17:1, and adamas in the other two verses; English Versions of the Bible translates"diamond" (#Jer 17:1) and "adamant" (#Eze 3:9; Zec 7:12). Shamir was a hardmaterial used for engraving precious stones; in the days of Jeremiah, Ezekiel andZechariah, splinters of both diamond and corundum (white sapphire or adamantstone) were probably available for the purpose. Both diamond and adamant areEnglish modifications of the Latin adamas; the form "diamond" has been restrictedfor some centuries to the more precious of the above stones.

Shebho, in #Ex 28:19; 39:12: the 2nd stone, 3rd row, of the breastplate. BothSeptuagint and Vulgate (Jerome s Latin Bible, 390-405 A.D.) probably translate achates, but their Hebrew texts are uncertain; English Versions of the Bibletranslates "agate." The name achates was given in ancient times to certain stones

having banded structures, the agates of the present day. In the time ofTheophrastus achates was sold at a great price, but by the time of Pliny hadceased to be a precious stone. Professor Maskelyne suggests that the shebho of thebreastplate may have signified the "stone of Sheba" or "Seba," a district inSouthern Arabia, and have been the Arabian onyx.

Shoham, in #Ge 2:12; Ex 25:7; 28:9,20; 35:9,27; 39:6,13; 1Ch 29:2; #Job 28:16;Eze 28:13: the 2nd stone, 4th row, of the breastplate. Septuagint translatesprasinos, i.e. "leek-green stone" (#Ge 2:12), sardion (#Ex 25:7; 35:9), smaragdos(#Ex 28:9; 35:27), berullion, probably, through interchange of words in the Hebrewtext (#Ex 28:20; 39:13), soom (#1Ch 29:2), onux (#Job 28:16) and perhaps onuchion(#Eze 28:13); Vulgate (Jerome s Latin Bible, 390-405 A.D.) translates onyx (#Eze 28:13), lapis sardonychus (#Job 28:16) and lapis onychinus elsewhere; English

Versions of the Bible translates "onyx"; the Revised Version margin translates"beryl" (except in #Eze 28:13). Professor Maskelyne and Professor Sayce, acceptinggreen as the color of shoham, have expressed the opinion that the stone known bythat name in very early times was the stone called siamu by the Assyrians, and therefore the green turquoise; Professor Maskelyne gives "amazon stone" as analternative rendering of the word. Berullion is given by the Septuagint as the 2ndstone, onuchion as the 3rd stone, of the 4th row; sardion as the 1st stone,smaragdos as the 3rd stone, of the 1st row; but their Hebrew text is uncertain.

Smaragdinos, smaragdos (smaragdinos): in #Re 4:3: the Vulgate (Jerome s Latin Bible, 390-405 A.D.) translates smaragdinus; English Versions of the Bibletranslates "emerald." Smaragdos (smaragdos) in Tobit 13:16; Judith 10:21;Ecclesiasticus 32:5; #Re 21:19: the Vulgate translates it as smaragdus; English

Versions of the Bible translates "emerald." According to the Septuagint, smaragdoswas the 3rd stone, 1st row, of the breastplate, but their Hebrew text isuncertain. The smaragdos of Theophrastus was a small, scarce, presumably green,stone used by the gem engravers. In Pliny s time the genus smaragdus comprised no fewer than 12 kinds; one of them was the emerald of the present day, and probablythe smaragdos of Theophrastus.

Tarshish, in #Ex 28:20; 39:13; So 5:14; Eze 1:16; 10:9; 28:13; Da 10:6: the 1ststone, 4th row, of the breastplate. The Septuagint translates tharsis (#So 5:14;Eze 1:16; Da 10:6), anthrax (#Eze 10:9); in the remaining verses there isuncertainty as to the order of the Hebrew words in the several texts. The most


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likely Septuagint equivalent of tarshish is either chrusolithos or berullion;Vulgate (Jerome s Latin Bible, 390-405 A.D.) translates hyacinthus (#So 5:14), mare ("sea") (#Eze 1:16), chrysolithus (#Eze 10:9; Da 10:6). The Septuagint givesanthrax as the 1st stone, 2nd row, chrusolithos as the 1st stone, 4th row,berullion as the 2nd stone, 4th row, of the breastplate; English Versions of theBible translates "beryl"; the King James Version margin translates "chrysolite"(in #Eze 28:13 only); the Revised Version margin translates "chalcedony" (#Ex28:20; 39:13), "topaz" (#So 5:14) and "stone of Tarshish" (#Eze 10:9). Professor

Maskelyne suggests that the stone may have been citrine (quartz), if yellow assuggested by chrusolithos, and green jasper, if green as suggested by berullion.

Topaz: in #Ex 28:17; 39:10; Job 28:19; Eze 28:13, English Versions of the Bibletranslation of Hebrew piTedhah; in #Re 21:20, English Versions of the Bibletranslation of Greek topazion; in #So 5:14, the Revised Version margin translationof Hebrew tarshish.

Topazion (topazion): in #Re 21:20: the 9th foundation of the New Jerusalem.According to the Septuagint topazion was the 2nd stone, 1st row, of thebreastplate. Vulgate (Jerome s Latin Bible, 390-405 A.D.) translates topazius; English Versions of the Bible translate it as "topaz."

The topazion of Pliny s time was "held in very high estimation for its green tints; when it was first discovered it was preferred to every other kind ofprecious stone." It was said to be brought from an island in the Red Sea, off thecoast of Arabia. It was the only stone of high value that yielded to the action ofthe file. Topazion is not mentioned by Theophrastus. Pliny s account corresponds to the peridot of the present day (silicate of magnesium and iron), not to ourtopaz (fluosilicate of aluminium).

Yahalom, in #Ex 28:18; 39:11; Eze 28:13: the 3rd stone, 2nd row, of thebreastplate. Owing to the uncertainty as to the order of the words in the Hebrewtext of the Septuagint, there is uncertainty as to the Greek equivalent ofyahalom; probably it is one of the words chrusolithos, berullion, onuchion, givenby the Septuagint as the names of the stones of the 4th row. English Versions of

the Bible translates "diamond"; this is certainly wrong, for the stone had a nameengraved on it and the method of engraving a diamond was not invented till 2,000or 3,000 years after the breastplate was made; nor were diamonds, if known at all,then known so large as to be comparable in respect of size, with the other stonesof the breastplate. The Revised Version margin translates "sardonyx" (in Exodusonly). Professor Maskelyne suggests that the Hebrew yahalom and the Greek hualosmay be kindred words and that yahalom may have been a bluish glass (consideredvaluable in very early times), or blue chalcedony, or perhaps even beryl.

Yashepheh, in #Ex 28:20; 39:13; Eze 28:13: the 3rd stone, 4th row, of thebreastplate. Septuagint probably translates iaspis, though iaspis is placed by theSeptuagint as the 3rd stone, 2nd row; Vulgate (Jerome s Latin Bible, 390-405 A.D.) probably translates jaspis; English Versions of the Bible translate it as

"jasper." The equivalence of the Hebrew yashepheh and the Greek iaspis isgenerally accepted.

Zekhukhith, in #Job 28:17: Septuagint translates hualos, a name given at first toany transparent stone, but in later times only to glass; Vulgate (Jerome s Latin Bible, 390-405 A.D.) translates vitrum; the King James Version translates"crystal"; the Revised Version (British and American) translates "glass."Zekhukhith is related to a Hebrew word meaning "to be pure," whence the renderingscrystal and glass.

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Precious Stones - Lazarus Fletcher