Crystal

Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words

 A — 1: Κρύσταλλος  (Strong'S #2930 — Noun Masculine — krustallos — kroos'-tal-los )

from kruos, "ice," and hence properly anything congealed and transparent, denotes "crystal," a kind of precious stone,  Revelation 4:6;  22:1 . Rock crystal is pure quartz; it crystallizes in hexagonal prisms, each with a pyramidical apex.

 B — 1: Κρυσταλλίζω  (Strong'S #2929 — Verb — krustallizo — kroos-tal-lid'-zo )

"to be of crystalline brightness and transparency, to shine like crystal," is found in  Revelation 21:11 , where it is said of Christ as the "Light-giver" (phoster) of the Heavenly City (not phos, "light," RV and AV). Possibly there the verb has a transitive force, "to transform into crystal splendor," as of the effect of Christ upon His saints.

Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary

 קרח . This word is translated "crystal" in  Ezekiel 1:22; and "frost,"  Genesis 31:40;  Job 37:10;  Jeremiah 36:30; and "ice,"  Job 6:16;  Job 38:29;  Psalms 147:17;  κρυσταλλος ,  Revelation 4:6;  Revelation 22:1 . Crystal is supposed to have its name from its resemblance to ice.

The Greek word,  κρυσταλλος , is formed from  κρυος , ice, and σταλασσομαι , to concrete. The word,   זכוכית , is translated crystal, in   Job 28:17 . Dr. Good observes, "We are not certain of the exact signification, farther than that it denotes some perfectly transparent and hyaline gem."

King James Dictionary

CRYSTAL, n. L. Gr., frost.

1. In chemistry and mineralogy, an inorganic body, which, by the operation of affinity, has assumed the form of a regular solid, terminated by a certain number of plane and smooth surfaces. 2. A factitious body, cast in glass houses, called crystal glass a species of glass, more perfect in its composition and manufacture, than common glass. The best kind is the Venice crystal. It is called also factitious crystal or paste. 3. A substance of any kind having the form of a crystal. 4. The glass of a watch-case.

Rock crystal, or mountain crystal, a general name for all the transparent crystals of quartz, particularly of limpid or colorless quartz.

Iceland crystal, a variety of calcarious spar, or crystalized carbonate of lime, brought from Iceland. It occurs in laminated masses, easily divisible into rhombs, and is remarkable for its double refraction.

CRYSTAL, a. Consisting of crystal, or like crystal clear transparent lucid pellucid.

By crystal streams that murmur thorough the meads.

Webster's Dictionary

 (1): (n.) The regular form which a substance tends to assume in solidifying, through the inherent power of cohesive attraction. It is bounded by plane surfaces, symmetrically arranged, and each species of crystal has fixed axial ratios. See Crystallization.

 (2): (n.) The glass over the dial of a watch case.

 (3): (a.) Consisting of, or like, crystal; clear; transparent; lucid; pellucid; crystalline.

 (4): (n.) A species of glass, more perfect in its composition and manufacture than common glass, and often cut into ornamental forms. See Flint glass.

 (5): (n.) Anything resembling crystal, as clear water, etc.

 (6): (n.) The material of quartz, in crystallization transparent or nearly so, and either colorless or slightly tinged with gray, or the like; - called also rock crystal. Ornamental vessels are made of it. Cf. Smoky quartz, Pebble; also Brazilian pebble, under Brazilian.

People's Dictionary of the Bible

 Crystal. This word occurs in the Common English Version of  Job 28:17. The R. V. reads "glass." The original term signifies something of exceeding purity. The Egyptians had the secret of introducing gold between two surfaces of glass, together with various colors. They could also enamel upon gold. It is very likely that a reference to some such work of art is intended. The word rendered "crystal" in  Ezekiel 1:22, is elsewhere "ice" or "frost." The margin of the B. V. reads "ice" here also. It is probably called "terrible" because of the bright shining of such a substance in the rays of the sun, dazzling and blinding the eye that looks on it. We further find "crystal," the rock crystal, in  Revelation 4:6;  Revelation 22:1; also the epithet crystal-clear is given to jasper.  Revelation 21:11.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

 Crystal. The representative, in the Authorized Version, of two Hebrew words.

1.  Zecucith occurs only in  Job 28:17, where  "glass" is probably intended.

 Kerach occurs in numerous passages, in the Old Testament, to denote  "ice," "frost," etc.; but once only,  Ezekiel 1:22, as is generally understood, to signify  "crystal". The ancients supposed rock-crystal to be merely ice congealed by intense cold. The similarity of appearance between ice and crystal caused no doubt the identity of the terms to express these substances. The Greek word  krustallizo occurs in  Revelation 4:6;  Revelation 21:11. It may mean either "ice" or "crystal."

Morrish Bible Dictionary

1. zekukith,  Job 28:17 : probably glass highly ornamented, such as was made in Egypt: it is here classed with gold; but wisdom, the gift of God, far exceeds such things in value.

2. qerach, ice, and so frequently translated. The firmament over the living creature was "as the colour of the terrible crystal."  Ezekiel 1:22 .

3. κρύσταλλοςJohn saw a sea of glass like unto crystal,  Revelation 4:6; the water of life and the jasper stone were seen 'clear as crystal.'  Revelation 22:1 . The ancient glass may have been 'clear' in the sense of not having spots and blemishes, without its being wholly transparent.

Fausset's Bible Dictionary

 zekukith , from  zaakak , "to be pure."  Job 28:17; "the gold and the crystal cannot equal wisdom." Glass is meant, some costly goblet composed of glass and gold, such as Wilkinson says the Egyptians made (Ancient Egyptians 2:61).  Κerach , literally, ice, the ancients believing rock crystal to be ice intensely congealed. In  Ezekiel 1:22, "the likeness of the firmament was as the terrible (rather Splendid, dazzling) crystal" ( Revelation 4:6;  Revelation 21:11).

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

The same Hebrew word is rendered by our translators, crystal,  Ezekiel 1:22; frost,  Genesis 31:40; and ice,  Job 6:16 . The word primarily denotes ice; and the name is given to a perfectly transparent and glass-like gem, from its resemblance,  Job 28:17;  Revelation 4:6;  21:11 .

Holman Bible Dictionary

 Job 28:18 Ezekiel 1:22 Revelation 4:6 Revelation 22:1 Revelation 21:11

Easton's Bible Dictionary

 Ezekiel 1:22 Revelation 4:6 21:11 22:1

Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible

CRYSTAL . See Jewels and Precious Stones.

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

There are several words which appear to have this meaning in the Bible. (See Ice); (See Pearl).

 1.  קֶרִח,  ke'rach (properly  ice, as it is rendered  Job 6:16;  Job 38:29; "frost,"  Genesis 31:40;  Job 37:10;  Jeremiah 36:30; Sept.  κρύσταλλος ), occurs in  Ezekiel 1:22, where the epithet "terrible" seems to be added by way of distinction from the ordinary signification of the word.

 2.  גָּבַישׁ,  gabish' (properly  ice; Sept.  γαβίς ), occurs only in  Job 28:18, where it is rendered "pearls" in our version.

 3.  זְכוּכַית,  zekukith' (lit. what is pure or  transparent; Sept.  ὕαλος ), occurs only in  Job 18:17, where some regard it as denoting  glass.

 4.  Κρύσταλλος (prop.  ice) occurs in  Revelation 4:6;  Revelation 21:11;  Revelation 22:1, evidently in the sense of  crystal, and in such connections as to identify it in a good degree with the preceding terms.

" Crystal was anciently held to be only pure water, congealed by great length of time into ice harder than the common (Diod. Sic. 2:52; Pliny Hist. Nat. 37:2), and hence the Greek word for it, in its more proper signification, also signifies ice. From this it necessarily followed that crystal could only be produced in the regions of perpetual ice, and this was accordingly the ancient belief; but we now know that it is founding the warmest regions. Theophrastus (54) reckons crystal among the pellucid stones used for engraved seals. In common parlance we apply the term crystal (as the ancients apparently did) to a glass-like transparent stone, commonly of a hexagonal form, which, from being found in rocks, is called by mineralogists rock-crystal. It is a stone of the flint family, the most refined kind of quartz." (See Glass).

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

kris´tal : In English Versions of the Bible the word is probably intended to signify rock-crystal, crystallized quartz. This the Greeks called  κρύσταλλος , krústallos , "ice," believing it to have been formed from water by intense cold. Thus in  Revelation 4:6;  Revelation 21:11;  Revelation 22:1 , either "crystal" (EV) or "ice" (Greek, krustallos ) suits the context. The word rendered "crystal" in  Ezekiel 1:22 (  קרח , ḳeraḥ ) is ambiguous in precisely the same way (the Revised Version, margin "ice"). In  Job 28:17 the context favors the King James Version "crystal," rather than the Revised Version (British and American) "glass" (  זכוּכית , zekhūkhı̄th ). Finally, in  Job 28:18 the Revised Version (British and American) reads "crystal" for the King James Version "pearls" (Hebrew gābhı̄sh  ; the weight of evidence favors the Revised Version (British and American) in spite of the parallelism suggested by the King James Version). See also Stones , Precious .

Kitto's Popular Cyclopedia of Biblial Literature

There seems to be no doubt that crystal is intended by the Greek word in , as indeed the phrase of comparison 'clear as crystal' would seem naturally to suggest. In the Hebrew word kerach, which literally denotes ice, is employed with a similar signification. This is the more apparent when we recollect that crystal was anciently held to be only pure water, congealed by great length of time into ice harder than the common, and hence the Greek word for it, in its more proper signification, also signifies ice. From this it necessarily followed that crystal could only be produced in the regions of perpetual ice; and this was accordingly the ancient belief; but we now know that it is found in the warmest regions. Theophrastus (54) reckons crystal among the pellucid stones used for engraved seals. In common parlance we apply the term crystal (as the ancients apparently did) to a glass-like transparent stone, commonly of a hexagonal form, which, from being found in rocks, is called by mineralogists rock-crystal. It is a stone of the flint family, the most refined kind of quartz.