About…
Precious stones in the Bible

also known as: gems, gemstones, jewels

Precious stones appear from Genesis through Revelation as markers of wealth, beauty, covenant, worship, and glory. Ancient names do not always match modern gem names, so exact identifications (ruby versus carnelian, sapphire vs. lapis lazuli, etc.) are often uncertain.

Israelites left Egypt with jewelry that included stones later used for the High Priest’s ephod and breastplate (Exodus 12:35, 36; 25:7; 35:9, 27).

King David stockpiled precious stones for the eventual building of the Holy Temple.

With all my resources I have provided for the temple of my God—gold for the gold work, silver for the silver, bronze for the bronze, iron for the iron and wood for the wood, as well as onyx for the settings, turquoise, stones of various colors, and all kinds of fine stone and marble—all of these in large quantities. —1 Chronicles 29:2 NIV

Israelite leaders of the time who possessed precious stones donated them to the Temple treasury under Jehiel the Gershonite (1 Chronicles 29:8).

David’s son Solomon later used those materials: “he adorned the house with precious stones” (2 Chronicles 3:6).

David also took an Ammonite king’s gold crown that was set with precious stones (2 Samuel 12:30).

A foreign queen brought further precious stones to Solomon.

So she [queen of Sheba] came to Jerusalem with a very large retinue, with camels carrying spices and very much gold and precious stones. … —1 Kings 10:2 NASB

• 2 Chronicles 9:10
• Revelation 18:16
• Revelation 21:19

There are about 20 different names of precious stones in the Bible. They are figuratively introduced to denote value, beauty, durability (Song of Songs 5:14; Isa 54:11-12; Lamentations 4:7).

Types of stones

• diamonds
• rubies
• adamant
• agates
• amber
• amethysts
• beryl
• carbuncle
• carnelian (see: sardine stone)
• chalcedony
• chrysoprasus
• corals
• crystals
• emeralds
• garnet (see: carbuncle)
• Answers about gold in the Bible, its uses, sources and symbolism
• jacinth
• jasper
• lapis lazuli (see: sapphires)
• ligure
• onyx
• opal (see: ligure)
• pearls (also see: bdellium, ruby)
• quartz (see: agate, amethyst, chalcedony, and crystal)
• sapphires
• sardine stone
• Silver in the Bible
• sardonyx
• topaz
• turquoise — נֹפֶךְ —transliteration: nophek —literal meaning: shining; glistening / mentioned in Exodus 28:18 NASB; Exodus 39:11 NASB; Ezekiel 28:13 NASB / Note: In Ezekiel 27:16, the NASB translates this same word as “emeralds”.

Uses for precious stones

• apparel
• ceiling decorations
• earrings
• ephods
• foreheads
• gates (stones and pearls)
• gifts
• idols
• nose-jewels
• rings
• High Priest
• breastplates

Engraved seals and signets

Stones were cut and engraved like seals. Judah left his signet as a pledge. The high priest stones themselves were engraved “as a jeweler engraves a seal.” Signet rings appear as tokens of authority (Genesis 38:18; Exodus 28:11; Esther 3:10; 8:8).

Symbolism

Wisdom, a capable wife, and the kingdom of heaven are compared to or valued above precious stones and pearls. “Do not throw your pearls before swine.” (Job 28:15–19; Proverbs 3:15; 31:10; Matthew 7:6; 13:45–46)

Sources of precious stones

• Answers about mines and mining in the Bible
• Afghanistan, Badakhshan province
  —lapis lazuli
• Anatolia
  —silver
• Arabia
  —gold
  —silver
  —jaspers
  —emeralds
  —carbuncles
  —and others
• Ceylon (modern Sri Lanka), especially mined in alluvial (eluvial) deposits
  —agate
  —alexandrite
  —amethysts
  —aquamarine
  —beryl
  —citrine
  —cymophane
  —garnets
  —moonstone
  —rose quartz
  —rubies
  —sapphires
  —spinel
  —topaz
  —tourmaline
  —zircon
• Egypt
  —amazonite (Gebel Migif and Gebel Hafafit)
  —turquoise
  —carnelian and chalcedonies at Stela Ridge
  —amethyst (Abu Diyeiba and Wadi el-Hudi)
  —emerald (6 Mons Smaragdus mines)
  —agate (Eastern Desert and/or Sinai)
  —calcite (Eastern Desert and/or Sinai)
  —Iceland spar (Eastern Desert and/or Sinai)
  —gold
  —silver
  —red garnet (Eastern Desert and/or Sinai)
  —hematite (Eastern Desert and/or Sinai)
  —jasper (Eastern Desert and/or Sinai)
  —malachite (Eastern Desert and/or Sinai)
  —microcline (Eastern Desert and/or Sinai)
  —muscovite mica (Eastern Desert and/or Sinai)
  —milky quartz (Eastern Desert and/or Sinai)
  —rock crystal (Eastern Desert and/or Sinai)
  —silicified wood (Eastern Desert and/or Sinai)
  —Libyan desert glass (western Egypt)
• Havilah
  —bdellium
  —onyx
  —gold
• India
  —diamonds (predominantly in the regions of Golconda, Panna, and Kollur)
  —gold
• Israel
  —sapphires (blue, green, and yellow)
  —garnets (red and burgundy)
  —spinels (black)
  ; and the Carmel sapphire
• Libya
  —amazonite (mines at Zuma in the Eghei Mountains)
  —Libyan desert glass (eastern Libya)
• Ophir
  —gold
• Sahara, eastern
  —Libyan desert glass
• Sinai Peninsula
  —turquoise (mines at Serabit el-Khadim and Wadi Maghara)
• Spain
  —silver
• Sudan
  —gold
• Tarshish
  —precious metals, including silver
• Uphaz
  —gold
• Zabargad, island in the Red Sea
  —peridots
• …and many other ancient mines