Written by Gustave - Updated on Dec 10, 2024
Emeralds are a classic example of the difficulty of accurately translating Bible words from one language (in this case, Hebrew) to another (English). The same word translated as “anthrax” in one translation is used to justify the word “emerald” in another.
For example, the Hebrew word bareqath (Strong's Concordance #H1304) refers to an emerald-like gem that flashes, sparkles or shimmers. The Bible mentions it as one of the precious stones found in the High Priest's breastplate (Exodus 28:17, 39:10). In Exodus 28:17, bareqath is translated as “anthrax” in the ASV, ESV, HBFV and KJV versions of the Scriptures. The NKJV, HCSB, NASB and NLT translations, however, render the same word as “emeralds!”
The widely used New International Version translation gives this Hebrew word the English designation “beryl” while the NCV lists the stone as a “yellow quartz.”
In Ezekiel 28:13, where bareqath is also used to designate the ninth and last stone that adorned Lucifer, it is translated as “anthrax” in the ASV, ESV and KJV, but as “emerald” in the HBFV, HCSB, NASB, NKJV , and NLT. The NIV translates the word as “beryl”, while the NCV renders it as “chrysolite”.
Biblical commentaries disagree on the modern identity of the Hebrew gemstone called bareqath. Some lean towards red-colored gemstones like red garnet, while others suggest that a more accurate translation of the word would be that of a green-colored emerald.
858-carat emerald gemstone Bible significance
In the New Testament, the fourth foundation stone of the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:19) is referred to by the Greek word smaragdos (Strong's #G4665). Strong's concordance and Thayer's lexicon define this word as referring to a green-colored gem.
Having indicated all of the above, we can still state that the gemstone mentioned in the first row of the High Priest is an emerald and not an carbuncle.
“The Septuagint (Greek translation of the Old Testament of the Bible), Josephus (Jewish historian who wrote in the first century AD) and the Vulgate versions of the Scriptures all translate the Hebrew word as “smaragdos”, “smaragdus”, “emerald”, and the accuracy of this is not disputed by modern scholars” (Gemstones in the Breastplate, page 16)
Evidence suggests that bareqath is best rendered as “emerald” in Exodus 28:17, 39:10 and Ezekiel 28:13. In modern times, quality gemstones made from this mineral come mainly from Colombia.
Folklore
In ancient times, this stone represented youth. The corpses of those who died young sometimes had a ring with this stone placed on the index finger as a sign that their hope of living had perished early. This jewel was thought to foretell future events, although the mechanism by which they transmitted this information is unknown.
According to the 1913 Catholic Encyclopedia article on gemstones, in the Middle Ages this stone was attributed with the ability to heal a person's eyesight.
It was also believed to improve the wearer's memory, make them wealthy, enhance their thinking skills and make them better orators. Rabbinic legend has it that God gave King Solomon four precious stones that gave him the power to rule over all creation. One of these stones is said to have been an emerald (Curious Lore of Precious Stones, pages 31, 76 - 79).
