Precious Stones Mentioned in Scripture: References

EXODUS xxiv. 10.

"And they saw the God of Israel: and there was under his feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the body of heaven in his clearness."

xxxix. 6--14.

"And they wrought onyx-stones inclosed in ouches of gold, graven, as signets are graven, with the names of the children of Israel...And he made the breast-plate... And they set in it four rows of stones: the first row was a sardius (or ruby), a topaz, and a carbuncle:...and the second row, an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond. And the third row, a ligure, an agate, and an amethyst. And the fourth row, a beryl, an onyx, and a jasper... And the stones were according to the names of the children of Israel, twelve, according to their names, like the engravings of a signet, every one with his name, according to the twelve tribes."

JOB xxviii. 16, 18, 19.

"It cannot be valued with the...precious onyx, or the sapphire. No mention shall be made of coral, or of pearls: for the price of wisdom is above rubies...The topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it, neither shall it be valued with pure gold."

ISAIAH liv. 11, 12.

"O thou afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted, behold I will lay thy stones with fair colours, and lay thy foundations with sapphires; and I will make thy windows of agates, and thy gates of carbuncles, and all thy borders of pleasant stones."

JEREMIAH. xvii. 1.

"The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron, and with the point of a diamond."

LAMENTATIONS. iv. 7.

"More ruddy...than rubies, their polishing was of sapphire."

EZEKIEL i. 22, 26, 27.

"And the likeness of the firmament...was as the colour of the terrible crystal...and above the firmament that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire-stone."

iii. 9.

"As an adamant, harder than flint, have I made thy forehead."

viii. 2.

"As the appearance of brightness, as the colour of amber."

DANIEL. x. 6.

"His body also was like the beryl."

ZECHARIAH. vii. 12.

"They made their hearts as an adamant-stone."

MATTHEW. xiii. 46.

"The kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchantman, seeking goodly pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it." [JOB xxviii. 18; PROV. iii. 15,--viii. 11,--xx. 15,--xxxi. 10; LAM. iv. 7. In which passages our version translates ruby.]

xxvi. 7.

"There came unto him a woman having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, and poured it on his head, as he sat at meat."

REVELATION. iv. 3, 6.

"And He that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone, and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald...And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal."

ix. 17.

"Breastplates of fire, and of jacinth, and of brimstone."

xxi. 11, 18--21.

"Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper-stone, clear as crystal....And the building of the wall of it was of jasper; and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass. And the foundations of the walls of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald; the fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz: the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst. And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass."

REVELATION. xxii. 1.

"And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb."

[See also GENESIS ii. 12; JOB xxviii. 6; CANT. v. 14; EZEKIEL xxviii. 16; xxviii. 13; 1 TIMOTHY ii. 9; REVELATION xvii. 4, xviii. 12.]

In the description given us of the dress of the Jewish high-priest, we are told that his breast-plate was set with four rows of precious stones, on each of which was engraven the name of a tribe of Israel. An onyx-stone was placed on each shoulder, in each of which were engraven the names of six tribes. Thus the high-priest bore "their names before the Lord...for a memorial" continually. In this we are reminded of our great high-priest, the Lord Jesus Christ, who is our constant advocate in the court of heaven, "bearing the names of all his people, of all the Israel of God, upon his shoulders, that he may uphold them by his power,--and near his heart, that he may comfort them with his love." (EXOD. xxviii. 12, 30.) These precious stones were the Urim and Thummim by which the Lord in some visible, though to us at this lapse of time, unknown manner, gave answer in cases solemnly referred to him for judgement.

The prophet Isaiah, when foretelling the future glory of Jerusalem, describes her foundations and walls as consisting of precious stones. These seem to be images or figures to express beauty, magnificence, purity, and strength, according to the ideas of the Eastern nations; who, it is well known, are accustomed, in their conversation and writings, to express such characteristics by likening them to stones, flowers, &c. To an Oriental there is scarcely a precious gem or beautiful flower but at once reminds him of some unseen quality or property, of which he has been used to consider it the emblem. Thus, the pearl is often made an emblem of purity; the diamond of durability; and the lovely blue sapphire of the pure heavens above. In the description of the heavenly Jerusalem, we read of the precious foundation-stones,--of the crystal river,--of the golden streets. These are among the loveliest and most valuable of God's works with which we are acquainted on earth, and they seem intended to typify to us the spiritual beauty, holiness, and glory of our eternal home.

When shall mine eyes thy heaven-built walls

And pearly gates behold?

Thy bulwarks with salvation strong,

And streets of shining gold?

There is one beautiful passage in the word of God, which occurs in the Book of Malachi, (iii. 15, 16,) and may almost be called the closing promise of the Old Testament. With it we will conclude this account of precious stones.