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A range of gemstones are mentioned in the Bible, particularly in the Old Testament and the Book of Revelation. Much has been written about the precise identification of these stones, which has ranged from speculative to increasingly scientific with the advent of archeogemology.
The Israelites obtained gemstones from across the known world, from Egypt and the African continent broadly to the Baltic Sea in Europe as far as Badakhshan in Afghanistan. At the time of the Exodus, the Bible states that the Israelites took gemstones with them from Egypt (Book of Exodus, 3:22; 12:35–6). When they were settled in the Land of Israel, they obtained gemstones from the merchant caravans traveling from Babylonia or Persia to Egypt, and those from Saba and Raamah to Tyre (Book of Ezekiel, 27:22). King Solomon even equipped a fleet which returned from Ophir, laden with gems (Books of Kings, 10:11).
Gemstones are mentioned in connection with the breastplate of the High Priest of Israel (Book of Exodus, 38:17–20; 39:10–13), the treasure of the King of Tyre (Book of Ezekiel, 28:13), and the foundations of the New Jerusalem (Book of Tobit, 13:16–7, in the Greek text, and more fully, Book of Revelation, 21:18–21). Both Book of Ezekiel 28:13 and Book of Revelation, 21:18–21 are patterned after the model of the priestly breastplate[ clarification needed ] and further allude to the Twelve Tribes of Israel.
At the time of the Septuagint translation, the stones to which the Hebrew names apply could no longer be identified, and translators used various Greek words to translate the same Hebrew word [1] . The ancients did not classify gemstones by analyzing their composition or crystalline shapes: names were given in accordance with appearance (color, luster), use, or provenance. Therefore, stones of the same or nearly the same color, but of different composition or crystalline form, may bear identical names. Another problem is nomenclature; names having changed in the course of time: thus the ancient chrysolite is peridot, sapphire is lapis lazuli, etc.
The list comprises the Hebrew, Greek, and Latin names for each stone, referential locations, etymology, descriptions, and historical source for each stone in the Bible. Note that the Hebrew term does not always correspond perfectly to Greek or Latin, certainly not to English. Because of the frequency of mistranslation, the Greek and Latin translations of the Hebrew Bible have been largely omitted.
Agate - Hebrew שְׁבוֹ šəḇō; Greek ἀχάτης achates, Latin achates (Exodus 28:19, [2] 39:12, [3] in Heb. and Vulgate; also Ezekiel 28:13 [4] in Septuagint).
This is the second stone of the third row of the priestly breastplate, where it likely represented the tribe of Asher. Hebrew šəḇō was borrowed from Akkadian šubû which itself was borrowed from Sumerian šuba ‘multicolored, agate’ [5] . The Greek and Latin names derive from the name of the river Achates (the modern Dirillo) in Sicily where this stone was first found (Theophrastus, "De lapid.", 38; Pliny, "Hist. nat.", 37, liv).
The banded agate belongs to the silex family (chalcedony species) and is formed by deposits of siliceous beds in hollows of rocks. This mode of formation results in the bands of various colors which it contains. Its conchoidal cleavage makes it susceptible to a highly polished state.
Agate is not present in the Land of Israel, the etymology may indicate that it was imported from Mesopotamia, where it is also not native, originally perhaps from the Arabian Peninsula [5] , where the aqiq (agate) industry is strong.
Amazonite - Hebrew לֶשֶׁם lešem, the first stone of the third row of the priestly breastplate (Exodus 28:19, 39:12), representing Gad. It is missing in the Hebrew of Ezekiel 28:13, but present in the Greek Septuagint.
The Hebrew word lešem is borrowed from the Ancient Egyptian word nšmt, referring to amazonite, a blue-green form of microcline feldspar. The Greek and Latin translations here (Septuagint's λιγύριον ligurion ‘amber’ and Vulgate's ligurius) are probably swapped with another stone or corrupt. [5]
Amber - Hebrew תַּרְשִׁישׁ taršīš (Exodus 28:20; 39:13; Ezekiel 1:16; 10:9; 28:13; Song of Songs 5:14; Daniel 10:6); Septuagint χρυσόλιθος chrysolithos (Exodus 28:20; 39:13; Ezekiel 28:13); tharsis (Song of Songs 5:14; Daniel 10:6); tharseis (Ezekiel 1:16; 10:9); Vulgate, chrysolithus (Exodus 28:20; 39:13; Ezekiel 10:9; 28:13; Daniel 10:6), hyacinthus (Song of Songs 5:14); quasi visio maris (Ezekiel 1:16); Revelation 21:20, chrysolithos; Vulgate, chrysolithus. This is the tenth stone of the priestly breastplate, representing the tribe of Zebulun. It stands fourth in the enumeration of Ezekiel 28:13 and is given as the seventh foundation stone of the celestial city in Revelation 21:20.
The term taršīš is a fascinating development: originally an ethnic group in southern Iberia (modern Andalusia), which then became the name of their country, Tartessos. The Phoenicians built large trading ships called an אֳנִיָּה תַּרְשִׁישׁ ʾǒniyyā taršīš to reach this distant location, so over time taršīš came to mean "oceanic" or "maritime." Through a quirk of Hebrew grammar, the phrase אֶבֶן תַּרְשִׁישׁ ʾeb̠en taršīš "stone of the oceanic vessel" was reinterpreted as "taršīš-stone," giving amber its Hebrew name based on the ships that transported it. [5]
The gemstone taršīš is identifiable as Baltic amber, not local Lebanese amber. While Lebanese amber was available, Baltic amber acquired through maritime trade began displacing it in the Levant starting in the 14th century BCE. The amber traveled from the Baltic region through European trading centers to Mediterranean ports via what archeologists call the amber road. The identification of taršīš as amber is supported by the description of the stone in Daniel 10:6 as luminous and warm-colored, coinciding with archaeological evidence of Baltic amber's presence in the ancient Levant during the relevant time period. Unlike other proposed identifications (such as chrysolite, topaz, or tiger's eye), amber was actually known in Ancient Israel. [5]
Amethyst - Greek ἀμέθυστος amethystos (Revelations 21:20).
This is the twelfth and last stone of the foundation of the New Jerusalem. Amethyst is not known appear in the Hebrew Bible, as no Hebrew gemstone name can be securely associated with the stone. The Greek name amethystos alludes to the popular belief that amethyst prevented intoxication; as such, drinking vessels were made of amethyst for festivities, and carousers wore amulets made of it to counteract the action of wine. [6]
The amethyst is a brilliant transparent stone of a purple color and varies in shade from violet purple to rose. The amethyst is found in a variety of sizes and easily engraved or shaped.
Aquamarine - Greek beryllos, Latin beryllus. Revelations 21:20, gives it as the eighth stone of the foundation of the New Jerusalem.
Beryl is a stone composed of silica, alumina, and glucina with aquamarine and emerald being the same species of gemstone. The difference between aquamarine and emerald is color and the peculiar shade of each. Aquamarine is a beautiful sea-green variety of beryl.
Aquamarine derives its color from a small quantity of iron oxide. Beryl occurs in the shape of either a pebble or of an hexagonal prism. It is found in metamorphic limestone, slate, mica schist, gneiss and granite. In ancient times it was imported from India via the Red Sea trade.
Carnelian - Hebrew אֹדֶם ʾōḏem, Greek σάρδιον sardion; Latin sardius; the first stone of the breastplate (Exodus 28:17, 39:10) representing Ruben; also the first among the stones of the King of Tyre (Ezekiel 28:13); the sixth foundation stone of the celestial city (Revelations 21:19). Hebrew ʾōḏem derives from the Hebrew root meaning "red".
Carnelian in Theophrastus (De lap., 55) and Pliny (Hist. nat., XXXVII, xxxi) derive the name of sardion the city of Sardes where, they claim, it was first found. The carnelian is a siliceous stone and a species of chalcedony. Its color is a flesh-hued red, varying from the palest flesh-color to a deep blood-red. It is of a conchoidal structure. Normally its color is without clouds or veins; but sometimes delicate veins of extremely light red or white are found arranged much like the rings of an agate. Carnelian is used for rings and seals. The finest carnelians are found in the East Indies.
Blue Chalcedony - Hebrew יָשְׁפֶה yošp̄e, Greek ἴασπις iaspis, Latin jaspis; the twelfth stone of the breastplate (Exodus 28:18, 39:11), representing the tribe of Benjamin. In the Greek and Latin texts it comes sixth, and so also in Ezekiel 28:13; in Revelations it is the first (21:19).
This shared word is part of a large family of similar terms found throughout the Mediterranean and Asia. The ultimate source of these word may lie in a now lost Indo-Iranian form. [5]
In Pliny’s Natural History, iaspis is a generic term that encompasses fourteen types of gemstones. This makes it difficult to determine the identity of the stone intended in the original text, if a particular type was intended at all. Epiphanius mentions that "there is an iaspis, the so-called ancient, which is like snow or sea foam". This fits blue chalcedony, a highly prized gemstone in the Ancient Near East. Because the Septuagint translated yošp̄e with the visually similar stone beryllos "aquamarine" (even though aquamarine was not accessible to the Ancient Israelites), this strongly indicates that yošp̄e should be specifically identified with blue chalcedony. [5]
Chrome Chalcedony - Greek χρυσόπρασος chrysoprasos, the tenth foundation stone of the celestial Jerusalem (Revelations 21:20). This likely refers to a chrome chalcedony (and not a nickel-colored chrysoprase, as the word is used today), which was known in the Roman world at the time. [7] It is a type of green agate, composed mostly of silica and colored green by a small percentage of chromium.
Coral - Hebrew רָאמֹת rāmōth (Job 28:18, Ezekiel 27:16), Greek meteora, ramoth; Vulg. excelsa, sericum. The Hebrew word is cognate to Arabic ra'mat/ra'umat, allegedly some sort of seashell [8] . In one instance the ancient translations went so far as to simply transliterate the Hebrew word.
The Israelites apparently made very little use of this substance, and it is seldom mentioned in their writings. This also explains the difficulty experienced in scriptural translation. In Ezekiel 27:16, coral is mentioned as one of the articles brought by the Syrians to Tyre. The Phoenicians mounted beads of coral on collars and garments. These corals were obtained by Babylonian pearl-fishers in the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean.
The coral referred to in the Bible is the precious coral ( Corallium rubrum ), the formation of which is a calcareous secretion of certain polyps resulting in a tree-like formation. Presently coral is found in the Mediterranean, the northern coast of Africa furnishing the dark red, Sardinia the yellow or salmon-colored, and the coast of Italy the rose-pink coral. One of the greatest coral-fisheries of the present day is Torre del Greco, near Naples.
Crystal - Hebrew גָּבִישׁ gāvīsh (Job, 28:18), Greek gabis; Latin eminentia (Job, xxviii, 18); krystallos (Revelations 4:6, 21:11, 22:1). Crystal is a transparent mineral resembling glass, a variety of quartz. Job lists crystal quartz alongside gold, onyx, lapis lazuli, glass, coral, and peridot as a valuable trade good.
Emerald - Greek σμάραγδος smaragdos, Latin smaragdus. The fourth foundation stone of the celestial Jerusalem (Rev. 21:19).
The most popular identification for bareḳeth is emerald, but this identification is impossible. The earliest known emerald is a single unengraved stone mounted in a gold ring, dated circa 330–300 BC. A 3rd century BC date is far too late for emeralds to appear in Exodus and Ezekiel. [5] However, the Greek and Latin terms smaragdos, smaragdus are broad enough to include other green gemstones, the most valuable of which was the emerald.
Emerald is a green variety of beryl and is composed of silicate of alumina and glucina. Structurally, it is a hexagonal crystal with a brilliant reflecting green color. The emerald is highly polished and is found in metamorphic rocks, granites, and mica schist. Many of the finest specimens have been found in Muzo, Bogota, South America but the ancients obtained the stone from Egypt. Of all the emerald-bearing locales in the world, the only ones in proximity to the Levant are a series of sites in the southern Eastern Desert of Egypt, referred to as Mons Smaragdos. These emerald deposits were first exploited no earlier than the Ptolemaic period, based on the material remains at the worker camp at Sikait. Recent excavations have securely dated the founding of this settlement to the 3rd century BC. [5]
Emery - Hebrew שָׁמִיר shamir, Greek adamantinos, Latin adamas, adamantinus (Ezekiel 3:9; Zach. 7:12; Jer. 17:1). Many passages in the Bible point to the qualities of shamir, particularly its hardness.
The Septuagint omits the passages of Ezekiel and Zachariah, while the first five verses of Jer. 17, are missing in the Cod. Vaticanus and Alexandrinus, but are found in the Complutensian edition and in the Syriac and Arabic Versions.
Because diamond was unknown prior to the Roman period, and because of the similarity between the words smiris, the Egyptian asmir "emery", a grade of corundum used to polish gemstones, the Hebrew word shamir may be corundum, which exhibits the same qualities, and is used in India for the same purposes as the diamond.
Garnet - Hebrew כַּדְכֹּד kad̠kōd̠ (Isaiah 54:12, Ezekiel 27:16) and 'אֶקְדָּח ʾeḳdāḥ (Ezekiel 27:16), Greek anthrax (Exodus 28:18; xxxix, 11; Ezekiel 28:13; omitted in Ezekiel 27:16), Latin carbunculus (Exodus 28:18; 39:11; Ezekiel 28:13), gemma (Ezekiel 27:16). The carbuncle was the first stone of the second row of the priestly breastplate and it represented Judah, and is also the eighth stone mentioned of the riches of the King of Tyre (Ezekiel 28:13). An imported object, not a native product, (Ezekiel 28:16); it is the third stone of the foundation of the celestial Jerusalem (Revelations 21:19).
Kad̠kōd̠ is used only twice in the Bible, possibly borrowed from a Carian word for this stone [5] . Even more rare, ʾeḳdāḥ is only mentioned once, a word likely loaned from another Semitic language [5] .
Garnet probably corresponded to the anthrax of Theophrastus (De lap., 18), the carbunculus of Pliny (Hist. nat., XXXVII, xxv), and the charchedonius of Petronius. Theophrastus describes it such that, "its color is red and of such a kind that when it is held against the sun it resembles a burning coal." He also relates that the most perfect carbuncles were brought from Carthage, Marseilles, Egypt, and the neighborhood of Siena.
Lapis lazuli - Hebrew סַפִּיר sappīr, Greek σάπφειρος sappheiros, Latin sapphirus. Lapis was the fifth stone of the priestly breastplate (Exodus 28:18, 39:11), representing the tribe of Issachar. It is the seventh stone in Ezekiel 28:13 (in the Hebrew text, but occurring fifth in the Greek translation). The stones is also mentioned with frequency elsewhere (Exodus 24:10, Job 28:6,16, Song 5:14, Isaiah 54:11, Lamentations 4:7; Ezekiel 1:26, 10:1). Sappheiros is also the second foundation stone of the celestial Jerusalem (Revelations 21:19).
Lapis lazuli is frequently confused with sapphire (another blue stone) in the interpretation of ancient texts, but sapphire was scarcely known before the Roman period and the ancients had distinct vocabulary for the gemstones. Lapis lazuli is often speckled with shining pyrites giving it the appearance of being sprinkled with gold dust. It is composed of silica, alumina, and alkali and is an opaque substance easily engraved. Lapis lazuli seems more probable as its qualities are better suited for the purposes of engraving (Lam., iv, 7; Ex., xxviii, 17; xxxix, 13).
Lapis lazuli is one of the most frequently occurring gemstones in the Hebrew Bible, and there is little question as to why. Lapis lazuli is a rock consisting of dark blue lazurite with minute golden specks of pyrite and white patches or veins of calcite. The visual appearance of lapis lazuli appears like the constellated night sky, the pyrite particles resembling stars, and calcite bands galaxies in a dark-blue celestial canopy. Two of Ezekiel's references to the stone (1:26, 10:1) echo Exodus 24:10 in likening the night sky to sappīr. [8]
In the Ancient Near East, an association between lapis lazuli and the divine was a common cultural motif, born of the resemblance of the stone to the night sky. This association is implicit in the Hebrew Bible, and is the likely origin of the biblical commandment to wear a string of tekheleth on the fringes of ones' garment.
The source of lapis lazuli in the Ancient Near East was Badakhshan, the same location where the stone is primarily mined today.
Green Jasper - Hebrew בָּרֶקֶת bareḳeth. The third stone of the priestly breastplate (Exodus 28:17, 39:10), representing the tribe of Levi; it is the ninth stone in Ezekiel 28:13, and the fourth foundation stone of the celestial Jerusalem (Rev. 21:19). The same stone is also mentioned in Tob., 13:16 (Vulg. 21); Judith 10:21 (Vulg. 19); and in the Greek text of Sirach 32:8 (missing in Manuscript B of the Hebrew Genizah manuscripts).
The term bareḳeth can be traced back to Proto-Semitic. It derives from the root w-r-ḳ meaning "yellow-green," originally encompassing a broad range of green precious stones [5] . Over time, this term evolved. For instance, Greek smaragdos and Akkadian barraqtu reflect borrowings of the Hebrew term, adopted to the green gemstones familiar to the speakers of those languages.
The identification of bareḳet with green jasper is based on archaeological evidence. Unlike emerald, which was unknown in biblical times, green jasper was widely used in the Levant and often associated with religious and ornamental purposes. Its rarity and use in trade networks further support its attribution as the gemstone represented on the priestly breastplate.
Red Jasper - Hebrew אַחְלָמָה ʾaḥlāmā.
Red Jasper is the third stone in the third row of the priestly breastplate, representing the tribe of Issachar (Exodus 28:19, [2] 39:12 [3] ); the Septuagint enumerates it among the riches of the King of Tyre (Ezekiel 28:13 [4] ).
Jasper is an anhydrate quartz composed of silica, alumina, and iron and there are jaspers of nearly every color. There is no reason to believe the Hebrew words for gemstones entirely correspond to modern names. While we use the categorical term "jasper" to refer to various colors, the Israelites may well have distinguished the colors from one another. [5] It is a completely opaque stone of a conchoidal cleavage. It seems to have been obtained by the Israelites from Egypt.
Onyx - Hebrew שֹׁהַם shoham, Greek ὀνύχινος onychinos, Latin lapis onychinus. The eleventh stone of the breastplate in the Hebrew and the Vulgate (Exodus 28:20, 39:13), representing the tribe of Joseph. In the Septuagint it is the twelfth stone and the fifth in Ezekiel 28:13 in the Hebrew, but the twelfth in the Greek.
Genesis 2:12 mentions that shoham occurred in the Land of Havilah, the onyx of the Arabian peninsula must be intended here. I Chronicles 29:2 mentioned that David left shoham be used in the building of the First Temple. As the Queen of Sheba visited Solomon shortly thereafter, where onyx originated from the same geographical area, this detail suggests that Arabian onyx found its way to Israel circa 10th century BC. [5]
Onyx is a variety of quartz analogous to agate and other crypto-crystalline species. It is composed of different layers of variously colored chalcedony much like banded agate in structure, but the layers are in even or parallel planes. This makes it well adapted for the cutting of cameos and was much used by the ancients for that purpose. The colors of the best are perfectly well defined, and are either white and black, or white, brown, and black.
Pearl - Hebrew פְּנִינִים pənīnīm, Greek μαργαρίτης margarites, Latin margarita. Mentioned frequently in the Old Testament, in Job, 28:18; Proverbs 3:15; 8:11, 20:15, 31:10, Lam., 4:7. In the New Testament, pearls are mentioned in Matthew 7:6, 13:45-46, I Timothy 2:9, and Revelations 17:4, 18:12, 16, 21:21.
It is comparatively certain that pearl was known among the Israelites, at least after the time of Solomon, as it was among the Phoenicians. The exact etymology of pənīnīm is uncertain.
Pearl is a concretion consisting chiefly of lime carbonate found in several bivalve molluscs, but especially in Avicula margaritifera. Generally, it has a whitish blue hue, sometimes showing a tinge of pink; but there are also yellow pearls. Pearl was considered the most precious of all among the ancients, and was obtained from the Red Sea, the Indian Ocean, and the Persian Gulf.
Sapphire - Greek ὑάκινθος hyakinthos; Vulg. hyacinthus ; the eleventh stone of the foundation of the heavenly city (Revelations 21:20).
The genuine sapphire is a beautiful blue hyaline corundum and is composed of nearly pure alumina, its color resulting from the presence of iron oxide. Sapphire was obtained from India.
Lapis lazuli is frequently confused with sapphire in the interpretation of ancient texts, but sapphire was scarcely known before the Roman period and the ancients had distinct vocabulary for the gemstones.
Sardonyx - Under the name sardonyx, it comes fifth in Revelations 21:20. Sardonyx is technically a variety of onyx (see above), marked by red-and-white bands instead of black-and-white. Sardonyx began to be held in high esteem in Ancient Rome after Scipio Africanus began to wear one. [9]
Peridot - Hebrew פִּטְדָה piṭḏa, Greek τοπάζιον topazion, Latin topazius. The second stone of the priestly breastplate (Exodus 28:17, 39:19), representing Simeon; also the second stone in Ezekiel 28:13; the ninth foundation stone of the celestial Jerusalem (Rev. 21:20) and also mentioned in Job 28:19.
Hebrew piṭḏa and Greek topazion are likely related words, the term originating from an African language of the Red Sea region. The etymology remains obscure.
In the ancient world, peridot originated exclusively from Zabaragad Island in the Red Sea. [5]
Agate is a variety of chalcedony, which comes in a wide variety of colors. Agates are primarily formed within volcanic and metamorphic rocks. The ornamental use of agate was common in ancient Greece, in assorted jewelry and in the seal stones of Greek warriors, while bead necklaces with pierced and polished agate date back to the 3rd millennium BCE in the Indus Valley civilisation.
Beryl ( BERR-əl) is a mineral composed of beryllium aluminium silicate with the chemical formula Be3Al2Si6O18. Well-known varieties of beryl include emerald and aquamarine. Naturally occurring hexagonal crystals of beryl can be up to several meters in size, but terminated crystals are relatively rare. Pure beryl is colorless, but it is frequently tinted by impurities; possible colors are green, blue, yellow, pink, and red (the rarest). It is an ore source of beryllium.
Jewellery consists of decorative items worn for personal adornment such as brooches, rings, necklaces, earrings, pendants, bracelets, and cufflinks. Jewellery may be attached to the body or the clothes. From a western perspective, the term is restricted to durable ornaments, excluding flowers for example. For many centuries metal such as gold often combined with gemstones, has been the normal material for jewellery, but other materials such as glass, shells and other plant materials may be used.
Chalcedony ( kal-SED-ə-nee or KAL-sə-doh-nee) is a cryptocrystalline form of silica, composed of very fine intergrowths of quartz and moganite. These are both silica minerals, but they differ in that quartz has a trigonal crystal structure, while moganite is monoclinic. Chalcedony's standard chemical structure (based on the chemical structure of quartz) is SiO2 (silicon dioxide).
Lapis lazuli, or lapis for short, is a deep-blue metamorphic rock used as a semi-precious stone that has been prized since antiquity for its intense color. Originating from the Persian word for the gem, lāžward, lapis lazuli is a rock composed primarily of the minerals lazurite, pyrite and calcite. As early as the 7th millennium BC, lapis lazuli was mined in the Sar-i Sang mines, in Shortugai, and in other mines in Badakhshan province in modern northeast Afghanistan. Lapis lazuli artifacts, dated to 7570 BC, have been found at Bhirrana, which is the oldest site of Indus Valley civilisation. Lapis was highly valued by the Indus Valley Civilisation. Lapis beads have been found at Neolithic burials in Mehrgarh, the Caucasus, and as far away as Mauritania. It was used in the funeral mask of Tutankhamun.
Jasper, an aggregate of microgranular quartz and/or cryptocrystalline chalcedony and other mineral phases, is an opaque, impure variety of silica, usually red, yellow, brown or green in color; and rarely blue. The common red color is due to iron(III) inclusions. Jasper breaks with a smooth surface and is used for ornamentation or as a gemstone. It can be highly polished and is used for items such as vases, seals, and snuff boxes. The density of jasper is typically 2.5 to 2.9 g/cm3. Jaspillite is a banded-iron-formation rock that often has distinctive bands of jasper.
Onyx is the parallel-banded variety of chalcedony, a silicate mineral. Agate and onyx are both varieties of layered chalcedony that differ only in the form of the bands. Onyx has parallel bands, while agate has curved bands. The colors of its bands range from black to almost every color. Specimens of onyx commonly contain bands of black or white or both. Onyx, as a descriptive term, has also been applied to parallel-banded varieties of alabaster, marble, calcite, obsidian, and opal, and misleadingly to materials with contorted banding, such as "cave onyx" and "Mexican onyx".
In the Hebrew Bible, the Urim and the Thummim are elements of the hoshen, the breastplate worn by the High Priest attached to the ephod, a type of apron or garment. The pair are used frequently in the Old Testament, in Exodus 28:30 through God's instruction to Aaron on how to adorn his breastplate worn in the holy place; in 1 Samuel 14:41 by King Saul to determine who was at fault for breaking the army's fast; and Ezra 2 to determine whether those who claimed to be the descendants of the priests of Israel were truly of that class. The Urim and Thummim are sometimes connected by scholars with cleromancy, although it is equally likely no casting was physically done, and the participants of Lights and Perfection waited for a sign to answer a question or reveal the will of God.
An ephod was a type of apron that, according to the Hebrew Bible, was worn by the High Priest of Israel, an artifact and an object to be revered in ancient Israelite culture, and was closely connected with oracular practices and priestly ritual.
The priestly breastplate or breastpiece of judgment was a sacred breastplate worn by the High Priest of the Israelites, according to the Book of Exodus. In the biblical account, the breastplate is termed the breastplate of judgment, because the Urim and Thummim were placed upon it. These elements of the breastplate are said in the Exodus verse to carry the judgment of God concerning the Israelites at all times.
Carbuncle is another name for a deep red almandine gemstone that has been cut with a smooth, convex face in a method called cabochon. Traditionally, the term referred to any red gemstone, most often a red garnet.
The priestly golden head plate, crown or frontlet was the golden plate or tiara worn by the Jewish High Priest on his mitre or turban whenever he would minister in the Tabernacle or the Temple in Jerusalem.
A birthstone is a gemstone that represents a person's birth period, usually the month or zodiac sign. Birthstones are often worn as jewelry or a pendant necklace.
There are many types of gemstones of Pakistan. They can be found among the nation's three mountain ranges - the Hindu Kush, the Himalayas, and the Karakoram - in the provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan, Balochistan, and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas. The gemstone industry in Pakistan has the city of Peshawar as its hub, and there are many companies working in it.
The International Peace Belt is a living symbol of the peaceful unity of all nations.
A lapidary is a text in verse or prose, often a whole book, that describes the physical properties and metaphysical virtues of precious and semi-precious stones, that is to say, a work on gemology. It was frequently used as a medical textbook, since it also includes practical information about the supposed medical application of each stone. Several lapidaries also provide information about the countries or regions where some rocks were thought to originate, and others speculate about the natural forces in control of their formation.
Ezekiel 1 is the first chapter of the Book of Ezekiel in the Hebrew Bible or the Old Testament of the Christian Bible. This book contains prophecies attributed to the prophet/priest Ezekiel, and is one of the Books of the Prophets. In the New King James Version, this chapter is sub-titled "Ezekiel’s Vision of God", and in the New International Version, "Ezekiel’s Inaugural Vision". In the text, the first verse refers to "visions" (plural).
Ezekiel 10 is the tenth chapter of the Book of Ezekiel in the Hebrew Bible or the Old Testament of the Christian Bible. This book contains the prophecies attributed to the prophet/priest Ezekiel, and is one of the Books of the Prophets. In this chapter, Ezekiel sees "God's Glory depart from the Temple".
Ezekiel 28 is the twenty-eighth chapter of the Book of Ezekiel in the Hebrew Bible or the Old Testament of the Christian Bible. This book contains the prophecies attributed to the prophet/priest Ezekiel, and is one of the Books of the Prophets. This chapter contains a prophecy against the king of Tyre and a prophecy against neighbouring Sidon, concluding with a promise that Israel will be "delivered from the nations".
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain : Souvay, Charles (1912). "Precious Stones in the Bible". In Herbermann, Charles (ed.). Catholic Encyclopedia . Vol. 14. New York: Robert Appleton Company. The entry cites: