Gemstones and Tarshish

† II. תַּרְשִׁישׁ n.pr. 1. loc. a distant port, site not certainly known (WklAltor. Forsch. v. 445); most Tartessus in Spain Thes (after older authorities) Ges Is i, 719 MeyGesch. d. Alt. i, § 281; other views are: Tyrseni (Etruscans) in Italy, WMMHast. DB Tarshish, Phoenicia RenoufPSBA xvi. 134 ff., Sardinia HalRÉJ xiii. 14; v. also Ency. Bib.Tarshish;— Tarshish, 𝔊 usually Θαρσ(ε)ις (Is 23:1, 14 Καρχήδων = Carthage);—especially in phr. אֳנִיּוֹת ת׳ Tarshish-ships (large, sea-going vessels, fit to ply to Tarshish) Is 2:16 (𝔊 πλοῖον θαλάσσης), 23:1, 14; 60:9; Ez 27:25; 1 K 22:49, ‖ 2 Ch 20:36, 37 (where the ships go to ת׳); אֳנִי ת׳ 1 K 10:22(×2) ‖ 2 Ch 9:21 (אֳנִיּוֹת), + v 21 (ships go to ת׳); ת׳ alone Is 23:6 Jon 1:3(×2); 4:2 (all c. ה loc.), Gn 10:4 ‖ 1 Ch 1:7 (erron. ה loc.), Is 66:19 ψ 72:10 Jon 1:3; בַּת־ת׳ Is 23:10; trading-port Ez 27:12; 38:13, whence comes silver Je 10:9. 2. m. a. in Benjamin 1 Ch 7:10. b. Persian noble Est 1:14; expl. by Scheft53 as OIran. tṛšus, ‘der Gierige.’

† סַפִּיר n.[m.] sapphire, perhaps also lapis lazuli (cf. Di Ex 24:10 NowArch. i. 131) (NH id., and סַמְפִּירִינוֹן; 𝔗 סַפִרִינוֹן; 𝔖 ܣܰܦܺܝܠܴܐ; loan-word from Skr. çanipriya according to LagGes. Abh. 72 LewyFremdw. 56 cf. Gk. σάπφειρος);—abs. ס׳ Ex 24:10 + 8 times; pl. סַפִּירִים Is 54:11 Ct 5:14;—with other jewels as ornaments of prince Ez 28:13; in high priest’s breastplate Ex 28:18; 39:11; found in mines Jb 28:6, costly Jb 28:16 cf. Is 54:11; taking high polish La 4:7 (in fig.); שֵׁן מְעֻלֶּפֶת סַפִּירִים Ct 5:14 ivory covered with sapphires (in fig.); lapis lazuli, according to Hi Bu Du al. in Jb 28:6 (עַפְרֹת זָהָב לוֹ being understood of sparkling crystals of iron pyrites in this), but v. Di; lapis lazuli may be intended in לִבְנַת הַסּ׳ Ex 24:10 (J) pavement of sapphire (in theoph., cf. אֶבֶן־ס׳ Ez 1:26; 10:1.

† I. שֹׁ֫הַם n.m. Jb 28:16 a gem, identif. dubious, Vrss vary; onyx or chrysoprasus RiHWB 2, 336 f. onyx TaylorHast. DB iii. 624, beryl RidgewayEncy. Bib. 545 malachite Myresib. 4808, etc.; cf. also Dr Gn 2:12 (√ unknown; perhaps loan-word, cf. Assyrian sâmtu DlWB 438);—אֶבֶן הַשּׁ׳ Gn 2:12 (J; + הַבְּדֹלַח), in land Ḥavilah; אַבְנֵי שׁ׳ Ex 25:7; 28:9; 35:9, 27; 39:6 (all P), 1 Ch 29:2; אֶבֶן om. Ez 28:13; Ex 28:20; 39:13 (both P; all in lists of gems); שׁ׳ יָקָר וְסַפִּיר Jb 28:16.

† פְּנִינִים n.[f.]pl. corals (? as branching, cf. Arabic فَنَنٌ branch of tree; so Mich Thes al.; > pearls BoHieroz. 601 Di Jb after Ra al.);—פ׳ fig. of value Pr 20:15; usu.מִפּ׳, comp. Jb 28:18; Pr 3:15 (Kt מפניים), 8:11; 31:10 (all of value), La 4:7 (of red colour); + ψ 45:14 (perhaps; for פְּנִימָה, q.v.).

† I. תַּרְשִׁישׁ n.m. a precious stone, perhaps yellow jasper, or other gold-coloured stone (𝔊 Ex 28:20; 39:13 χρυσόλιθος, so JosAnt. iii, 7, 5 [168], v. PetrieHast. DB Stones, Precious MyresEncy. Bib. Id. § 17 Dr Dn 10:6);—כְּעֵין ת׳ Ez 1:16; כְּעֵין אֶבֶן ת׳ 10:9; in list of gems 28:13; Ex 28:20; 39:13; in sim. of resplendent body Dn 10:6, cf.Ct 5:14.

† פִּטְדָה n.f. (m. according to AlbrZAW xvi (1896), 108) topaz or chrysolite (according to 𝔊 τοπάζιον, 𝔙 topazius, etc.; prob. foreign word, cf. Skr. pîta (prob. yellow));—named with other precious stones Ez 28:13; Ex 28:17 = 39:10; cstr. פִּטְדַת־כּוּשׁ Jb 28:19.—Vid. PlinNH xxxvii. 8 (32), Houghton in SmDB, Topaz RiHWB, Edelstein.

ὑᾰλ-ῐνος, η, ον, of crystal or glass, Refs 6th c.BC+; ὑ. χρῶμα, = ferrugineus, Refs; hyalinum is explained as vitreum, viridi colore, Refsὑέλινος, η, ον, Refs 2nd c.AD+

† אֹ֫דֶם n.[f.] carnelian (fr. redness; 𝔊 σάρδιον; on format. cf. LagBN 144) Ex 28:17; 39:10 (P) Ez 28:13.

σάρδιον, τό, the Sardian stone, NT+5th c.BC+; as a seal, Refs 4th c.BC+; σάρδια, of female ornaments, Refs 5th c.BC+—This stone was of two kinds, the transparent-red or female being our carnelian, the transparent-brown or male our sardine, Refs 4th c.BC+:—later λίθος σάρδιος, Refs 6th c.AD+ in “de An.” 321.10 (plural); σάρδινος λ., Refs; σαρδόνιον, Refs 5th c.AD+

ὕᾰλος or ὕελος (see. below), ἡ, see Refs 4th c.BC+, ὁ:—the form ὕαλος is said to be Attic dialect, ὕελος Hellenic, Refs 5th c.BC+ and ὕαλο; ὕελος is read in NT+4th c.BC+; compare ὑάλινος:—originally some kind of crystalline stone, such as that used by the Ethiopians to enclose their mummies in, Refs 5th c.BC+rock-crystal, Refs 3rd c.AD+ __2 a convex lens of crystal, used as a burning-glass, λίθος διαφανὴς ἀφ᾽ ἧς τὸ πῦρ ἅπτουσι Refs 5th c.BC+ __II glass, first in Refs 5th c.BC+glass-ware, Refs 4th c.AD+ __III ὕαλος χνοώδης, in Refs 7th c.AD+, is an absorbent of some kind:—ὕαλος is also explained by βόρβορος in Refs 5th c.AD+. [ῠᾰλος, as appears from Refs 5th c.BC+:—but late Poets make ῡ in some derivations to bring them into dactylic verses, ῡάλεος Refs; ῡέλινος Refs; ῡαλόεις Refs; ῡαλοειδής Refs 5th c.AD+; in iambic metre, ῡαλόχροα Refs

† אַחְלָ֑מָה n.f. perhaps amethyst (etym. dub.; sub חלם Thes q.v.; HalJAs 7, x. 426 from חלם être fort, solide; Di Kn comp. Talm. חַלְמִית, malva & think of green malachite; DlHA 36 N der. from Aramaic land Aḫamû), amethyst according to 𝔊 𝔙 Josephus; v. also LagGGA 1884, 285, but cf. Di; one of the gems on the ephod Ex 28:19; 39:12.

† כַּדְכֹּד n.[m.] a precious stone, perhaps ruby (from sparkle?; Aramaic ‖ is כַּדְכְּדָנָא); כ׳ Ez 27:16 as article of commerce; כַּדְכֹד Is 54:12 fig. in promise to Zion.

† I. לֶשֶׁם n.[m.] a precious stone in h. p.’s breast-plate Ex 28:19; 39:12 (√ and meaning dub.; 𝔊 λιγύριον, JosephAnt. iii, 7, 5 λίγυρος, 𝔙 ligurius, and this (= λυγκούριον, lyncurion?) compared with carbuncle PlinNH viii. 57 (38); identif. with amber Demostratus in PlinNH xxxvii.11(2), or with jacinth (Rev 21:20) Braunde Vest. Sacerd. ii. 14 WinerRWB i. 332; cf. further, Di Ex 28:19).

† I. רָאמוֹת n.[f.pl.] usually corals (so Ki; black corals Thes (פְּנִינִים = red corals); cf. Arabic رَأْمَةٌ, sea-shell, WeHeid. 2. 163);—as costly Jb 28:18, as merchandise, רָאמֹת Ez 27:16;—רָאמוֹת לֶאֱוִיל חָכְמוֹת Pr 24:7, reading and sense dub., v. Toy.

† שְׁבוֹ n.[f.] a precious stone (relation to above √ dub.; = Assyrian šubû; 𝔊 𝔙 agate);—Ex 28:19 = 39:12 (+ לֶשֶׁם, אַחְלָ֑מָה).

ἀμέθυστος, ον, (μεθύω) not drunken, without drunkenness, Refs 1st c.AD+: comparative, Refs __II not intoxicating, perhaps so used in Refs 4th c.AD+substantive, ἀμέθυστον, τό, remedy against drunkenness, Refs 1st c.AD+; also ἀμέθυστος, ἡ, Refs 1st c.AD+ —hence, such things as were supposed to act as remedies, i.e. , __II.1 kind of herb, Refs 1st c.AD+; ={σέλινον ἄγριον}, Ps.-Refs 1st c.AD+ __II.2 amethyst, LXX+NT+5th c.BC+:—also ἀμέθυστον, τό, Refs 3rd c.BC+ __II.3 ἀμέθυστον, τό, kind of grape, Colum.3.2.24.

βήρυλλος, ἡ, gem of sea-green colour, beryl, LXX+2nd c.AD+; β. λίθος Refs 2nd c.AD+:—diminutive βηρύλλιον, τό, LXX+1st c.BC+

σάπφειρ-ος (proparoxytone), ἡ, lapis lazuli, of which two chief kinds, κυανῆ and χρυσῆ, are mentioned by LXX+4th c.BC+. (Cf. Hebrew sappīr, perhaps not Semitic.)

σαρδόνυξ, ῠχος, ὁ, (σάρδιον) sardonyx, NT+4th c.BC+The stone was called ὄνυξ when the dark ground was simply spotted or streaked with white, but σαρδόνυξ if the different colours were disposed in layers.

σμᾰράγδ-ῐνος, η, ον, of smaragdus, [λίθος] NT+4th c.AD+ __II smaragdusgreen, Refs 1st c.AD+; written ζμ- in Refs 2nd c.AD+

τόπαζος, ὁ, a gem of green hue Refs 1st c.AD+, hence probably chrysolite or peridot, Refs 1st c.AD+:—also τόπαζον, τό, Eust.ad Refs 2nd c.AD+; τοπάζιον, LXX+1st c.BC+ gives the name of topazon (variant topazium) to two varieties. (From the Trogodyte language accusative to Refs 1st c.AD+ [same place]; perhaps the same as ταβάσιος.)

Ὑάκινθος [ῠᾰ], ὁ, Hyacinthus, a Laconian youth, beloved by Apollo, who killed him by an unlucky cast of the discus, Refs 5th c.BC+ __B as appellative, __B.I ὑάκινθος, ὁ, Refs 8th c.BC+; but ἡ in Refs 7th c.BC+:—wild hyacinth, bluebell, Scilla bifolia, Refs 8th c.BC+ __B.I.2 blue larkspur, Delphinium Ajacis, ὑ. σπαρτή Refs 4th c.BC+; said to have sprung up from the blood of Hyacinthus or (accusative to others) of Telamonian Ajax: and the ancients thought they could decipher on the petals the initial letters AI, or the interj. AIAI,Refs 2nd c.BC+; hence the epithets γραπτά Refs 3rd c.BC+ __B.I.3 ὑ. πορφυρέη, probably Lilium Martagon, Refs 3rd c.BC+ __B.II ὑάκινθος, ἡ Refs 1st c.AD+:—a precious stone, of blue colour Refs 1st c.AD+, perhaps aquamarine, NT+1st c.AD+ __B.III name of a blue colour, Refs 1st c.AD+; blue stuff, LXX+1st c.AD+

χαλκηδών, όνος, ἡ, chalcedony, NT

χρυσό-λῐθος, ὁ, topaz, LXX+1st c.BC+

χρῡσό-πρᾰσος, ὁ, chrysoprase, a precious stone of golden-green colour, NT+1st c.AD+

† דַּר n.[m.] pearl? mother of pearl? (Arabic دُرٌّ دُرَّةٌ a pearl) Est 1:6.