But the more usual interpretatictn of the Hebrew word shoham is heryl. This is the rendering given by the Syriac, the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan, and the Sept. in two places (Exod. xxviii, 20; xxxix, 13); and it is supported by Bellermann {Urim, p. 64), Winer {Real- Woiierbuch, i, 283, 4th ed.), Kosenmiiller {ut snp.), and others. This is the same stone called by the Sept. (Gen. ii, 12) Xi'Sof Trpc'tan'oc, the leek-stone, i. e. the stone of a leek-green color ; ha.lin, porraceus. (But Schleuss- ner, s. v., makes tliis the sar-donyx.) According to Pliny {/list. Nat. xxxvii, 5, 20), the beryl is found in India, and but rarely elsewhere, and is of the highest value when like the sea in color. See Bkryl. For other explanations, see Wahlius, A sien, p. 85G ; Benfey, Ency- clop. Ilalens. II, xvii, 14; Gesenius, Thesuvr. p. 1370. See Gem.
Oonis, Jean Baptistk, a Belgian mystical writer, was born at Ghele, in Brabant, near the middle of the 17th centurj'. He studied at Falcon College, Louvain, and became professor of theology at Gand. He was made archpriest of the deanery of that city June 18, 1G94, and confessor of the Capuchin nuns. He died at Ghele July 24, 1710. Ooms wrote, Leren van de edele jouffrouw Francisca Taffin (Gand, 1717, 12mo) : — Vti-- claeringhe van het Leven en de Mysterien, van de alder- heylifjhste Maget en de Moeder godes Maria, etc. (ibid. 1703-1706, 12mo) : — Godtrruchtighe Ecclesiastyke Theo- logie van de Deiighden, etc. (ibid. 1708-1712,3 vols, 4to). See Sander, Flandria illustr. i, 241 ; Sweert, Ne- crol. p. 90; Paquot, Mem. pour I'hist. des Pays-Bas, xii, 327-334. — Hoefer, Nouv. Biog. Generule, xxxviii, G98. (J. N. P.)
Oonsell, Guii.laume van, a Flemish Roman Cath- olic preacher, was born at Antwerp Aug. 9, 1571. He studied in Spain, and after his return to his native land joined the Dominicans at (iand in 1593. After being for a while professor of theology at Antwerp, he became successively sub-prior at Maestricht. prior at (Jand and Bruges, and definitor of the province. He had at the same time great success as a preacher. Oonsell
OORT
382
OPHEL
died at Gand Sept. 3, 1G30. He wrote, Claris cellarii divincB et humance sapiential (Antw. ItSlo, 12mo; Gand, 1G27, 12mo) : — Pratumfloridissimum concionum de tem- pore (Antw. 1G17, 4 pts. r2mo) : — Knchiridion concio- natorum, ex Roseto aureo Silcestri Prieruiis (ibid. 1619, 12mo) : — Syniaxis iiistructissima S. Scriptune (ibid. 1622, 1627, 12mo; Paris, 1682, 2 vols. 12mo) : — Offidna sacra Biblica (Dotiai, 162-4, 12mo) : — Iliero- glyphica sacra (Antw. 1627, r2nio). See Echard et Quetif, Scriplores ord. Prcedicat. i, 551, 667 sq.; ii, 7, 9, 465; Paquot, Memoires, vol. x. — Uoefer, Nouv, Biog. Geiierale, xxxviii, 699. (J. N. P.)
Oort, Lajibkecht van, a Flemish painter and ar- chitect, was born at Amcrsfort about 1520. He ac- quired considerable reputation as a historical painter, but was more distinguished as an architect. He re- sided chiefly at Antwerp, where he was received into the academy in 1547. In the museum at Antwerp is a picture of the Resurrection of Christ by him, and in that of Brussels are two representing the Adoration of the Shepherds and the Descent from the Cross. See Spoon- er, Biog. Hist, of the Fine A?-ts, ii, 628.
Ooscopy (fr. u)ov, an egg, and aKoirioj, to observe'), a method of divination by the examination of eggs. See
DiVIXATIOX.
Oost, Jacob van, the Elder, an eminent Flem- ish painter, was born at Bruges about 1600. It is not known under whom he tirst studied, but in 1621 he painted an altar-piece for one of the churches in his na- tive city, which excited the surprise and admiration of contemporar}' artists. Being ambitious of further im- provement, he went to Rome, where he attentively studied the works of the great masters, and made those of Caracci the particular objects of his imitation. Dur- ing his residence in that metropolis Van Oost produced several works of his own composition, so much in the sryle of the great artist that they astonished the best connoisseurs at Rome, and gained him great reputation. After a residence of five years in Italy, the love of coun- try induced him to return to Bruges, where his talents had excited the most sanguine expectations even before he had gone abroad. Immediately on his arrival home he was loaded with commissions, and during the re- mainder of his life he continued to exercise his talents with undiminished reputation. He executed an incred- ible number of works for the churches and public edi- lices, as well as for the private collections of his country, particularly of Bruges. He also excelled in portraits, and painted many distinguished personages. His most famous works are, the Nativity, in the church of St. Saviour; the Resurrection, in the cathedral — a grand composition ; and the Descent from the Cross, in the church of the Jesuits at Bruges, which last is considered his masterpiece. Most of his pictures are of large size. He died at Bruges in 1671. Van Oost is justly ranked among the ablest artists of the Flemish school. His first studies were the works of Rubens and Vandyck, and from them he acquired that freshness and purity of coloring for which his works are distinguished. Fol- lowing tlie example of the greatest masters, his compo- sitions are simple and studied, and he avoided crowd- ing them with figures not essential to his subject. In his design, and in the expression of his heads, he seems always to have had in view the great style of Caracci. The backgrounds of his pictures are generally enriched with noble architecture, of whicli he was a perfect mas- ter. He had a ready invention, and, though he wrought with extraordinary facility of pencil, his works are well finished. See Descamjis, La vie des peintres Flanimands, i, 264, 280, 285; Pilkington, Diet, of Painters, s. v.; Spooner, Biog. fJirl. of the Fine .1 ris, vol. ii, s. v.