THE NEW SCHAFF-HERZOG
explanation of the Hebrew names can not always be given with certainty, nor can the correspondence of certain stones with the Greek names be always certified (cf. Josephus, Ant., III., vii. 5; War, V., vii.; Pliny, Hist, nat., xxxvii. for treatment of gems known to the ancients). (1) Odhem, Septuagint sardion, Vulgate sardius, is the carnelian, a stone popular in antiquity and often used for signets (a seal from Jerusalem is of this material; Revue biblique, xii. 605). The best specimens come from the vicinity of Babylon (Pliny, xxxvii. 105-106). The Hebrew name is derived from its reddish-brown color, the Greek name from the city of Sardis, where Pliny asserts that it was found. (2) 'Ahlamah (Ex. xxviii. 19, xxxix. 12) is according to the Septuagint and Vulgate the amethyst (Rev. xxi. 20), a comparatively common transparent, violet, winecolored, gray-white, or brownish crystalline quartz found according to Pliny (xxxvii. 121 sqq.) especially near Jerusalem, but also in Egypt, Arabia, and Armenia. (3) Ekdah, " the sparkling " (Isa. liv. 12), probably the carbuncle (see no. 10), unless the Septuagint reading " crystal " be followed (see no. 13). (4) Bareketh (Ex. xxviii. 17, xxxix. 10; Ezek. xxviii. 13), Septuagint, Josephus, and Vulgate smaragd, A.V ,: carbuncle" (Judith x. 21; Tobit xiii. 17; Ecclus. xxxii. 8; Rev. iv. 3, xxi. 19), A.V- " emerald," Sanscrit markata (P de Lagarde, Gesammelte Abhandlungen, iii. 44, Gottingen, 1896). It is found on the confines of Upper Egypt and Nubia, was highly valued among the ancients, and was used for medical purposes, being regarded as good for the eyes. Herodotus, Pliny, and Theophrastus speak of smaragds of colossal size in certain sanctuaries; they also comprised under that name less valuable green stones like dioptase and green jasper. (5) Gabhish (Job xxvii. 18) is the crystal (Rev. iv. 6, xxii. 1), properly " ice," " the frozen " (P. de Lagarde, Reliquiae juris, xxii., Leipsic, 1856); the ancients regarded the rock-crystal as ice hardened by vehement cold (Pliny, Hist, nat., xxxviii. 9; cf. Diodorus, ii. 52; see no. 13). (6) Yahalom (Ex. xxviii. 18, xxxix. 11; Ezek. xxviii. 13), always yaspis in the Septuagint and Vulgate, A.V. " diamond," mentioned also Rev. iv. 3, xxi. 11, 18, 19, an opaque quartz of diverse coloring (red, brown, yellow, greenish, gray, dark), was much used by the ancients for seals. So the lion seal from Megiddo is " jasper." The common opal and semiopal may have been included in this category by Pliny (xxxvii. 217). (7) Yashpe (Ex. xxviii. 20, xxxix. 13; Ezek. xxviii. 13) on account of the similarity of the sound of the name is identified with the jasper, though no etymological connection is traceable. The Septuagint and Josephus render it " onyx," the Vulgate " beryl "; an interchange of (6) and (7) may be assumed in the Septuagint. (8) Kadhkodh (Isa. liv. 12, Septuagint yaspis, Symmachus karchedoition; Ezek. xxvii. 16, Septuagint chorchos) ; Hebrew r and d are interchanged or misread in the versions, so that karchedon is the chalcedony of the ancients (De Lagarde, Reliquiw juris, x.), a red stone of glittering splendor (Pliny, " Carthaginian carbuncle "), not the common blue flint. It was used for gems and seals (cf. Rev. xxi. 19). (9) Lcshnn (Ex. xxviii. 19, xxxix. 12), |
Septuagint ligurion, Vulgate ligurius; according to Pliny (viii. 137, xxxvii. 54) a fire-colored stone like the carbuncle, considered by the ancients a kind of amber (xxxvii. 34-35). (10) Nophek (Ex. xxviii. 18, xxxix. 11; Ezek. xxvii. 16, xxviii. 13), Septuagint anthrax, Vulgate carbunculus, a red stone, the ruby. On account of its hardness it was not cut by the ancients. It is better to identify it with the lappaka of the Amarna Tablets and the Egyptian mphkt, green malachite, obtained by the Egyptians in the mines of Sinai. (11) Sappir, often mentioned (Ex. xxiv. 10; Ezek. xxviii. 13; Job xxviii. 6, 16; Isa. liv. 11; Rev. xxi. 19); when the precious sapphire is mentioned, the blue variety is doubtless meant. Pliny (xxxvii. 120 sqq.) and Theophrastus call the lapis lazuli " sapphire," which is the stone probably meant in the Old Testament. (12) Pitedhah(Ex. xxviii. 17, xxxi. 10; Ezek. xxviii. 13; Job xxviii. 19), Sanscrit pita, " the yellow," according to Job, coming from Ethiopia (see Ctjsh), answers to topaz (Rev. xxi. 20), a transparent stone described by Strabo (xvi. 770) and Diodorus (iii. 38) as " golden " (Pliny, "greenish yellow "), said by the last-named to have come from the topaz island supposed to be in the Red Sea. (13) Kerah (Ezek. i. 22), properly " ice," see no. 5. (14) Shebho (Ex. xxviii. 19), according to early tradition the agate, highly appreciated in antiquity, though not in the time of Pliny; there are many varieties, and it is abundant in Syria. (15) Shoham, often named (see below) ; the Hebrew tradition places its origin in Havilah (q.v.). Two large stones of this variety, each having the names of six tribes of Israel inscribed, were on the shoulders of the high priest. Tradition regarding it vacillates: the Septuagint (Ex. xxviii. 20, xxxix. 13), the Targum, and the Peshito call it " beryl," with wThich corresponds the Septuagint of Gen. ii. 12, prasinos, " leek-gem," since the leek-green chrysoprase was classed anciently among the beryls (so Pliny, xxxvii. 77, 113). In Ex. xxviii. 9, xxxv. 27, xxxix. 6 the Septuagint renders smaragd, " emerald," in Job xxviii. 16 " onyx," and once sardius. The Vulgate reads sardonyx. The last-named, sardius, and onyx belong to the same species, the chalcedony (cf. Dillmann on Gen. ii. 12). (16) Shamir (Jer. xvii. 1; Ezek. iii. 9; Zech. vii. 12), the diamond, is not numbered among the precious stones; the Hebrews could not polish it, but knew its use as a point and its insuperable hardness (Jer. xvii. 1; Ezek. iii. 9; Zech. vii. 12). (17) Tarshish (Ex. xxviii. 20, xxxix. 13; Ezek. i. 16, x. 9, xxviii. 13; Cant. v. 14; Dan. x. 6), generally rendered " chrysolite " by the versions, but the Septuagint retains tharsis in Ezek. i. 16; Cant. v. 14, anthrax in Ezek. x. 9 (sec no. 10); the Vulgate renders " hyacinth " in Cant. v. 14. There is no consistent tradition.
The Apocalypse in describing the foundation stones of the New Jerusalem (xxi. 19 sqq.) names twelve precious stones, seven of which can with probability be referred to Old-Testament names (see nos. 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 11, 12 above). In all likelihood these twelve stones are identical with those on the breast-plate of the high priest, so that the other five have a place among those enumerated, but can not be certainly identified. They are : (18) the