Beryl
“Possibly named after Tarshish, the region from which it was imported”
Summary
A precious stone, possibly the modern aquamarine or chrysolite, set in the high priest's breastplate and used to describe the appearance of heavenly visions.
☩Identification
The Hebrew word tarshish, rendered 'beryl,' is of uncertain identification, and ancient translators varied in their rendering. It may have been named for being brought from Tarshish (Spain), where golden-colored gems were found. The stone has been variously identified with the modern beryl (a pale green or aquamarine mineral of the emerald family), the chrysolite (golden yellow), or topaz. The Septuagint translators rendered it differently in various passages, reflecting ancient uncertainty.
☩In the High Priest's Breastplate
Beryl was the first stone in the fourth row of the high priest's breastplate, representing one of the twelve tribes of Israel. Each of the twelve precious stones was engraved with a tribal name and served as a memorial before the Lord when the high priest entered the sanctuary. The stone's placement in the sacred vestments indicates its considerable value among precious gems of antiquity.
☩In Prophetic Visions
Ezekiel compared the color of the wheels in his vision of the cherubim to beryl, suggesting a pale, luminous quality. Daniel saw a man in vision whose body was 'like beryl,' indicating a brilliant, otherworldly appearance. In Revelation, beryl forms the eighth foundation of the New Jerusalem, demonstrating its enduring association with divine glory and eternal beauty.
☩Characteristics of the Stone
Modern beryl is a mineral of great hardness belonging to the emerald family, differing from precious emerald in lacking chromium oxide. Its colors range from grayish-green and blue (aquamarine) to yellow and nearly white. Fine transparent specimens were highly prized by ancients for engraving, and excellent examples of Greek and Roman intaglios in beryl survive. The Beloved in Song of Solomon is described with hands like 'rings of gold set with beryl,' conveying beauty and preciousness.
Related Verses8 mentions
See Also
References
- 1.John McClintock and James Strong, "Beryl," in Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, vol. I (Harper & Brothers, 1867–1887).
- 2.Andrew Robert Fausset, "Beryl," in The Englishman's Critical and Expository Bible Cyclopædia (Hodder & Stoughton, 1878).
- 3.James Hastings (ed.), "Beryl," in Dictionary of the Apostolic Church, vol. I (T. & T. Clark, 1915–1918).