Emerald

Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words

A — 1: Σμάραγδος (Strong'S #4665 — Noun Feminine — smaragdos — smar'-ag-dos )

is a transparent stone of a light green color, occupying the first place in the second row on the high priest's breastplate,  Exodus 28:18 . Tyre imported it from Syria,  Ezekiel 27:16 . It is one of the foundations of the heavenly Jerusalem,  Revelation 21:19 . The name was applied to other stones of a similar character, such as the carbuncle.

B — 1: Σμαράγδινος (Strong'S #4664 — Adjective — smaragdinos — smar-ag'-dee-nos )

"emerald in character," descriptive of the rainbow round about the throne in  Revelation 4:3 , is used in the papyri to denote emerald green.

Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary

נפכּ? ,  Exodus 28:19;  Ezekiel 27:16;  Ezekiel 28:13; σμαραγδος ,  Revelation 21:19; Ecclesiastes 32:6; Tob_13:16; Jdt_10:21 . This is generally supposed to be the same with the ancient smaragdus. It is one of the most beautiful of all the gems, and is of a bright green colour, without the admixture of any other. Pliny thus speaks of it: "The sight of no colour is more pleasant than green; for we love to view green fields and green leaves; and are still more fond of looking at the emerald: because all other greens are dull in comparison with this. Beside, these stones seem larger at a distance, by tinging the circumambient air. Their lustre is not changed by the sun, by the shade, nor by the light of lamps; but they have always a sensible moderate brilliancy." From the passage in Ezekiel we learn that the Tyrians traded in these jewels in the marts of Syria. They probably had them from India, or the south of Persia. The true oriental emerald is very scarce, and is only found at present in the kingdom of Cambay.

Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament

(σμάραγδος)

The emerald is a mineral of the same species as the beryl. It owes its value as a gem to its extremely beautiful velvety green colour, which is ascribed to the chromium it contains. The primary form of its crystal is a hexagonal prism variously modified. It is electric by friction, and frequently transparent, but sometimes only translucent. Flinders Petrie ( Hasting's Dictionary of the Bible (5 vols) iv. 620) suggests that the σμάραγδος with which the rainbow (ἶρις) round about the throne is compared ( Revelation 4:3) was rock-crystal, as only a colourless stone could throw prismatic colours. But the nimbus or halo may have been emerald in colour and only like a rainbow in form. The fourth foundation of the wall of the New Jerusalem is emerald ( Revelation 21:19).

James Strahan.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

Emerald. A precious stone of a rich green color, upon which its value chiefly depends. This gem was the first in the second row on the breastplate of the high priest.  Exodus 28:18;  Exodus 39:11. It was imported to Tyre from Syria,  Ezekiel 27:16, was used as a seal or signet,  Sirach 32:6, as an ornament of clothing and bedding,  Ezekiel 28:13;  Judges 10:21, and is spoken of as one of the foundations of Jerusalem.  Revelation 21:19  Tobit 13:16. The rainbow around the throne is compared to emerald in  Revelation 4:3.

Morrish Bible Dictionary

In the O.T. the word thus translated is nophek, but it is uncertain to which of the precious stones this refers. Some think it is the carbuncle.   Exodus 28:18;  Exodus 39:11;  Ezekiel 27:16;  Ezekiel 28:13 . In the N.T. it is σμάραγδος, which signifies 'live coal,' and is supposed to refer to some stone with prismatic crystals.  Revelation 4:3;  Revelation 21:19 .

King James Dictionary

EM'ERALD, n. L. smaragdus. A mineral and a precious stone, whose colors are a pure, lively green, varying to a pale,yellowish, bluish, or grass green. It is always crystallized, and almost always appears in regular, hexahedral prisms, more or less perfect, and sometimes slightly modified by truncations on the edges, or on the solid angles. It is a little harder than quartz, becomes electric by friction, is often transparent, sometimes only translucent, and before the blowpipe is fusible into a whitish enamel or glass. The finest emeralds have been found in Peru.

The subspecies of emerald are the precious emerald and the beryl.

Fausset's Bible Dictionary

First in the second row on the high priest's breast-plate ( Exodus 28:18). Νophek , "the glowing stone," the carbuncle according to Kalisch ( Exodus 39:11). Tyre imported it from Syria ( Ezekiel 27:16). One of New Jerusalem's foundations ( Revelation 21:19). Image of the rainbow round the throne ( Revelation 4:3).

Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types

 Exodus 39:11 (c) This green stone represents praise, worship and adoration which begins now and lasts throughout eternity. Judah which means "praise" had his name graven on the emerald stone on the breastplate of the high priest.

 Revelation 4:3 (c) This complete rainbow was given this color to typify the eternal character of GOD's grace and the everlasting nature of GOD's covenant of mercy. It was "green" to signify eternal praise.

People's Dictionary of the Bible

Emerald. Perhaps the glowing. Avery precious gem of a pure green color, to which it owes its chief value, as the deepest colors are the most esteemed.  Exodus 28:18;  Ezekiel 27:16;  Ezekiel 28:13. The emerald was anciently obtained from Egypt. Probably it corresponds to the carbuncle.

Webster's Dictionary

(1): ( a.) Of a rich green color, like that of the emerald.

(2): ( n.) A kind of type, in size between minion and nonpare/l. It is used by English printers.

(3): ( n.) A precious stone of a rich green color, a variety of beryl. See Beryl.

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

A precious stone of a fine green color, found anciently in Ethiopia, but in modern times only in South America,  Exodus 28:18;  Ezekiel 27:16;  28:13 . Josephus, however, and the Seventy make it a gem like a burning coal-the Indian ruby.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

 Exodus 28:18 39:11 Revelation 21:19

Holman Bible Dictionary

Minerals And Metals

Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible

Emerald . See Jewels and Precious Stones.

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

( נפֶךְ , Nophek, of uncertain signif.; Sept. Ἄνθραξ , N.T. and Apocr. Σμάραγδος ), a precious stone, named first in the second row on the breast-plate of the high-priest ( Exodus 28:18;  Exodus 39:11), imported to Tyre from Syria ( Ezekiel 27:16), used as a seal or signet ( Sirach 32:6), as an ornament of clothing and bedding ( Ezekiel 28:13; Judges 10:21), and spoken of as one of the foundations of Jerusalem ( Revelation 21:19;  Tobit 13:16). The rainbow round the throne is compared to emerald in  Revelation 4:9 ( Ὅμοιος Ὁράσει Σμαραγδίνῳ ) . The Sept., Josephus, and Jerus. Targum understand by it the carbuncle. This name (in Greek denoting a live coal) the ancients gave to several glowing red stones resembling live coals (Pliny, Hist. Nat. 32:20; comp. Theophrast. De Lapid. 18), particularly rubies and garnets. (See Carbuncle). The most valued of the carbuncles seems, however, to have been the Oriental garnet, a transparent red stone, with a violet shade, and strong vitreous luster. It was engraved upon (Theophrast. 31), and was probably not so hard as the ruby, which, indeed, is the most beautiful and costly of the precious stones of a red color, but is so hard that it cannot easily be subjected to the graving-tool. The Hebrew Nophek, in the breast-plate of the high-priest, was certainly an engraved stone; and there is no evidence that the ancients could engrave the ruby, although this has in modern times been accomplished (Rosenmuller, Biblical Mineralogy, pages 32, 33; Braunius, De Vest. Sacerdot. page 523; Bellermann, Ueber Die Urim U. Thummim, page 43). (See Beryl).

The smaragdus of the New Testament was the generic name of twelve varieties of gems, some of which were probably true emeralds, while others seem to have been rather stones of the prasius or jasper kind, and still others no more than colored crystals and spars from copper mines. The statues, etc., of emerald mentioned by several ancient authors appear to have been nothing more than rock crystals, or even colored glass (Hill on Theophrast. de Lapid. 44; Moore's Anc. Mineral. page 150). (See Gem).

The modern emerald is a species of beryl, of a beautiful green color, which occurs in primitive crystals, and is much valued for ornamental jewelry. The finest are obtained from Peru. The mines from which the ancients obtained emeralds are said to have existed in Egypt, near Mount Zabarah. (See the Penny Cyclopadia, s.v. Beryl.)

Kitto's Popular Cyclopedia of Biblial Literature

Emerald, Nophech, a precious stone, named in;;;; in all of which places it is rendered Emerald in the Authorized Version. The Septuagint and Josephus render it by Carbuncle. This name, denoting a live coal, the ancients gave to several glowing red stones resembling live coals, particularly rubies and garnets. The most valued of the carbuncles seems, however, to have been the Oriental garnet, a transparent red stone, with a violet shade, and strong vitreous luster. It was engraved upon and was probably not so hard as the ruby, which, indeed, is the most beautiful and costly of the precious stones of a red color, but is so hard that it cannot easily be subjected to the graving-tool. The Hebrew nophech, in the breastplate of the high-priest, was certainly an engraved stone; and there is no evidence that the ancients could engrave the ruby, although this has in modern times been accomplished. Upon the whole, the particular kind of stone denoted by the Hebrew word must be regarded as uncertain.

The Nuttall Encyclopedia

A precious stone of great value, allied in composition to the beryl; is of a beautiful transparent green colour; the finest specimens are found in Colombia and Venezuela.