H3471 H3471
jasper, precious stone (Persian loanword, possibly jade-like stone)
A precious stone mentioned in the high priestly breastplate lists, identified as a Persian loanword related to jade. Appearing in Exodus 28:20 and 39:13 (Priestly source) as the third stone in the fourth row of the breastplate, alongside beryl and onyx, and in Ezekiel 28:13 among the stones adorning the king of Tyre in his Edenic splendor. The term is a loanword from Persian (یَشْم), also borrowed into Arabic (يَشْبٌ) and possibly reflected in Akkadian ašpû. Ancient translations vary in identification, but 'jasper' has become standard in English, referring to an opaque, often banded quartz stone prized for its colors and polish.
Senses
1. sense 1 — A precious stone of Persian origin, likely a jade-like or jasper-type stone valued for beauty and rarity. Its inclusion in both the priestly vestments and the prophetic description of primordial splendor marks it as among the most valued stones in the ancient Near Eastern economy. The loanword status indicates this was an imported luxury item, not native to Canaan. Multilingual glosses uniformly render 'jasper' or 'jaspe', following the traditional identification. 3×
AR["وَ-يَشبٌ", "وَ-يَشْبٌ", "وَيَشْفَةٌ"]·ben["আর-সূর্যকান্ত", "এবং-যশফে", "এবং-সূর্যকান্ত"]·DE["[וישפה]", "und-Jaspis"]·EN["and-jasper"]·FR["et-jaspe", "et-pierre-précieuse"]·heb["ו-ישפה"]·HI["और-यशब"]·ID["dan-batu-yaspis", "dan-batu-yaspis,", "dan-yaspis-hijau"]·IT["[וישפה]", "e-diaspro"]·jav["lan-yaspis", "lan-yaspis;"]·KO["그리고-벽옥", "그리고-벽옥과"]·PT["e-jaspe"]·RU["и-яспис"]·ES["y-jaspe"]·SW["na-yaspi"]·TR["ve-yeşim"]·urd["اور-یشب", "اور-یشپ"]
Related Senses
H4325 1. water, waters (582×)H6965b 1. Qal: to rise, arise, get up (432×)H2091 1. gold (the metal) (389×)H0068 1. stone, rock (material/object) (267×)H5178a 1. bronze/copper as metal (131×)H6083 1. dust, dry earth, soil (108×)H8313 1. burn, set fire to (94×)H2734 1. anger was kindled (82×)G5204 1. water (80×)H2822 1. darkness, absence of light (80×)G5457 1. light (illumination) (71×)G0450 1. rise, stand up (physical) (69×)H6965b 2. Qal: to stand firm, endure, be valid (50×)H6999a 2. burn sacrifice on altar (Hifil) (45×)H5553 1. rock, cliff (physical feature) (43×)H6965b 4. Hifil: to establish, confirm (covenant/kingdom/word) (40×)H1197a 1. burn, be on fire (39×)H4306 1. rain, showers (38×)H1653 1. rain, precipitation (34×)G4655 1. darkness (30×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† יָֽשְׁפֶה n.[m.] jasper (loan-word from Pers. يَشْم; so Arabic يَشْبٌ Lane2978, also (and on forms يَشْفٌ, يَشْمٌ) Frey; perhaps Assyrian ašpû DlHA 36, HWB 147)—תַּרְשִׁישׁ וְשֹׁהַם וְיָֽשְׁפֵ֑ה Ex 28:20; 39:13 (both P) beryl and onyx and jasper (v. Di); וְיָֽשְׁפֶ֔ה (+ id.) Ez 28:13 (v. Sm).