What is…
beryl in the Bible

Hebrew: תַּרְשִׁישׁ —transliteration: tarshish —meaning: a particular type of gemstone

The name of the gemstone called tarshish in Hebrew word probably comes from it being brought from the far away place called Tarshish, whose location is uncertain. Most English Bible translations interpret this gemstone name as being “beryl”. The NIV says “topaz”. Some older translations/commentaries associate it with “chrysolite” (following Septuagint/Vulgate influence).”

The tarshish gemstone is only mentioned in the following 7 Old Testament verses. Compare the word’s various translations in these most commonly used Bibles.

What is beryl?

Beryl is a precious stone, a hard crystal mineral composed of beryllium aluminium silicate consisting of several varities and colors. Beryls include red beryl, golden beryl, pink or rose morganite, green emerald, and blue or cyan aquamarine, and colorless goshenite.

Use of the tarshish stone in Scripture

This is was one of the stones on the breastplate of the high priest. The details were specified by God to Moses.

“You shall make a breastpiece of judgment, the work of a skillful designer; like the work of the ephod you shall make it: of gold, of blue and purple and scarlet material and fine twisted linen you shall make it. It shall be square, having been folded double, a span in length and a span in width. You shall mount on it four rows of stones;

the first row shall be a row of ruby, topaz, and emerald;
and the second row a turquoise, a sapphire, and a diamond;
and the third row a jacinth, an agate, and an amethyst;
and the fourth row a beryl and an onyx and a jasper;
they shall be set in gold settings.

The stones shall be according to the names of the sons of Israel: twelve, according to their names; they shall be like the engravings of a signet, each according to his name for the twelve tribes.” —Exodus 28:15-21

The color of the wheels in Ezekiel’s vision was as the color of a beryl stone (1:16; 10:9; Revised King James Version, “stone of Tarshish”).

It is mentioned in Song of Songs 5:14; Dan. 10:6; Rev. 21:20.

In Ezek. 28:13 the Septuagint render the word by “chrysolite,” which the Jewish historian Josephus regards as its proper translation. This also is the rendering given in the King James Version in the margin. That was a gold-colored gem, the topaz of ancient authors.

Beryl is mentioned in the foundations of the coming New Jerusalem.

The foundation stones of the city wall were adorned with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation stone was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, chalcedony; the fourth, emerald; the fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, topaz; the tenth, chrysoprase; the eleventh, jacinth; the twelfth, amethyst. … —Revelation 21:19-21 LSB excerpt

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