Difference between revisions of "Amethyst"

<div> '''1: ἀμέθυστος ''' (Strong'S #271 — Noun [[Feminine]] — amethustos — am-eth'-oos_tos ) </div> <p> primarily meaning "not drunken" (a, negative, and methu, "wine"), became used as a noun, being regarded as possessing a remedial virtue against drunkenness. Pliny, however, says that the reason for its name lay in the fact that in color it nearly approached that of wine, but did not actually do so, &nbsp;Revelation 21:20 . </p>

<p> '''Amethyst.''' One of the precious stones in the high priest's sacred breast-plate. &nbsp;Exodus 28:19; &nbsp;Exodus 39:12. The oriental amethyst is a gem of great hardness and lustre, violet, and occasionally red; the occidental amethyst is a variety of quartz, of much beauty, but not difficult to cut. This stone had its Hebrew name,''Ahlâmah,'' from its supposed property of inducing dreams. Its Greek name, from which the English word comes, implied that it was a charm against drunkenness. The amethyst is mentioned as one of the foundations of the New Jerusalem. &nbsp;Revelation 21:20. </p>

<p> &nbsp;Exodus 28:19 (c) This beautiful stone may be a type of the royalty and the regal splendor of those who belong to GOD. (See also under "TWELVE STONES" for additional meaning). </p>

<p> (אחְלָמָה, ''Achlamah';'' Sept. and N.T. ἀμέθυστος, Vulg. ''Amethystus),'' a precious stone mentioned in [[Scripture]] as the ninth in the breastplate of the high-priest (&nbsp;Exodus 28:19; &nbsp;Exodus 39:12), and the twelfth in the foundations of the New [[Jerusalem]] (&nbsp;Revelation 21:20). The transparent gems to which this name is applied are of a color which seems composed of a strong blue and deep red, and, according as either of these prevails, exhibit different tinges of purple, sometimes approaching to violet, and sometimes declining even to a rose color. From these differences of color the ancients distinguished five species of the amethyst; modern collections afford at least as many varieties, but they are all comprehended under two species — the Oriental amethyst and the Occidental amethyst. These names, however, are given to stones of essentially different natures, which were, no doubt, anciently confounded in the same manner. The Oriental amethyst is very scarce, and of great hardness, lustre, and beauty. It is, in fact, a rare variety of the adamantine spar, or corundum. Next to the diamond, it is the hardest substance known. It contains about 90 per cent. of alumine, a little iron, and a little silica. Of this species emery, used in cutting and polishing glass, etc., is a granular variety. To this species also belongs the sapphire, the most valuable of gems next to the diamond, and of which the Oriental amethyst is merely a violet variety. Like other sapphires, it loses its color in the fire, and comes out with so much of the lustre and color of the diamond that the most experienced jeweller may be deceived by it. The more common, or Occidental amethyst, is a variety of quartz, or rock crystal, and is found in various forms in many parts of the world, as India, Siberia, Sweden, Germany, Spain; and even in [[England]] very beautiful specimens of tolerable hardness have been discovered. This also loses its color in the fire (Penny Cyclopoedia, s.v.). Amethysts were much used by the anicients for rings and cameos and the reason given by Pliny, because they were easily cut (Hist. Nat. 37, 9), shows that the Occidental species is to be understood. The ancients believed that the amethyst possessed the power of dispelling drunkenness in those who wore or touched it (Anthol. Gr. 4, 18, Pliny, 37:9; Marbodius, De Gemmis, c. 4) and hence its Greek name ("from a privative, and μεθύω, to get drunk," Martini, ''Excurs.'' p. 158). In like manner the rabbins derive its [[Jewish]] name (from חָלִם, ''To Dream),'' from its supposed power of procuring dreams to the wearer. (See Bruckmann, ''Abhandlung Von [[Den]] Edelsteinean;'' Hill's ''Theophrastus,'' notes; Hillier, ''De Gemmus In Pector. Pontif.,'' Rosenmuller, ''Mineralogy Of The Bible;'' Braun, ''De Vestitu Sacerd.'' 2, 16; Bellarmin, ''Urim Und Thummim,'' p. 55; Moore's ''Anc. Mineralogy,'' p. 168.) (See [[Gem]]). </p>