Difference between revisions of "Emerald"

<div> '''A — 1: '''''Σμάραγδος''''' ''' (Strong'S #4665 — Noun [[Feminine]] — smaragdos — smar'-ag-dos ) </div> <p> is a transparent stone of a light green color, occupying the first place in the second row on the high priest's breastplate, &nbsp;Exodus 28:18 . [[Tyre]] imported it from Syria, &nbsp;Ezekiel 27:16 . It is one of the foundations of the heavenly Jerusalem, &nbsp;Revelation 21:19 . The name was applied to other stones of a similar character, such as the carbuncle. </p> <div> '''B — 1: '''''Σμαράγδινος''''' ''' (Strong'S #4664 — Adjective — smaragdinos — smar-ag'-dee-nos ) </div> <p> "emerald in character," descriptive of the rainbow round about the throne in &nbsp;Revelation 4:3 , is used in the papyri to denote emerald green. </p>

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

<p> ( '''''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 (&nbsp;Exodus 28:18; &nbsp;Exodus 39:11), imported to Tyre from Syria (&nbsp;Ezekiel 27:16), used as a seal or signet (&nbsp;Sirach 32:6), as an ornament of clothing and bedding (&nbsp;Ezekiel 28:13; Judges 10:21), and spoken of as one of the foundations of Jerusalem (&nbsp;Revelation 21:19; &nbsp;Tobit 13:16). The rainbow round the throne is compared to emerald in &nbsp;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]]). </p> <p> 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]]). </p> <p> 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.) </p>