H3958 H3958
jacinth, a precious stone (possibly amber or ligure)
A precious stone in the high priest's breastplate, appearing in the third row of gems in Exodus 28 and 39. The exact identification is uncertain—ancient translations suggest jacinth, amber, or ligure (possibly related to carbuncle). The Septuagint renders it 'ligurios,' Latin Vulgate 'ligurius.' Modern scholars have proposed everything from jacinth (zircon) to amber based on etymological connections and ancient descriptions. Whatever its precise identity, it was valued as one of twelve gems representing Israel's tribes.
Senses
1. sense 1 — A precious stone in the high priest's breastplate, third row. Appears in Exodus 28:19 and 39:12 in identical priestly vestment descriptions. Ancient versions disagree on identification: Septuagint 'ligurios,' possibly connecting to lyncurios (lynx stone) or amber. Some traditions identify it with jacinth (a reddish-orange zircon). The uncertainty reflects the difficulty of mapping ancient gem terminology to modern mineralogy, but all agree it was a valued, beautiful stone worthy of representing one of Israel's tribes. 2×
AR["عَينُ-هِرٍّ", "عَيْنُ-الْهِرِّ"]·ben["ধূম্রকান্তি", "লেশেম"]·DE["jacinth"]·EN["jacinth"]·FR["hyacinthe"]·heb["לשם"]·HI["शिबो"]·ID["batu-ambar", "lazuardi"]·IT["jacinth"]·jav["opal", "yakin"]·KO["오팔", "호박옥과"]·PT["jacinto"]·RU["опал", "яхонт"]·ES["jacinto"]·SW["hiakintho"]·TR["göbekli-akik", "gökyağmuru"]·urd["زرد", "زرقون"]
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
† 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).