HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H688
אֶקְדָּח
eq.dach — carbuncle
1) fiery glow, sparkle 2) (CLBL) the name of a gem-carbuncle
1 tagged verse occurrence · see every occurrence →BIBLE DICTIONARY + WORD STUDY
Carbuncle
Original Hebrew / Aramaic / Greek connected to this term
How to read this: there is rarely one magic “true meaning” hidden behind an English word. A lexicon records a word’s semantic range. The intended meaning is narrowed by grammar, sentence, author, historical usage and context.
HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H5306
נֹ֫פֶךְ
no.phekh — emerald
1) a precious stone in the high priest's breastplate 1a) perhaps an emerald, turquoise, ruby, or carbuncle 2) jewels imported from Tyre
2 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →Historical dictionary entry
(Ex. 28:17; 39:10; Ezek. 28:13). Heb. barkath; LXX. smaragdos; Vulgate, smaragdus; Revised Version, marg., “emerald.” The Hebrew word is from a root meaning “to glitter,” “lighten,” “flash.” When held up to the sun, this gem shines like a burning coal, a dark-red glowing coal, and hence is called “carbunculus”, i.e., a little coal. It was one of the jewels in the first row of the high priest’s breastplate. It has been conjectured by some that the garnet is meant. In Isa. 54:12 the Hebrew word is ’ekdah, used in the prophetic description of the glory and beauty of the mansions above. Next to the diamond it is the hardest and most costly of all precious stones.
Scripture references
Source: Easton’s Bible Dictionary (1897). Historical dictionary wording reflects the scholarship and language of its era.