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Precious stones in the Bible

also known as: gems, gemstones, jewels

Precious stones are frequently referred to in Scripture.

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 3:6
• 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).

Stones

• diamond
• ruby
• adamant
• agate
• amber
• amethyst
• beryl
• carbuncle
• carnelian (see: sardine stone)
• chalcedony
• chrysoprasus
• coral
• crystal
• emerald
• garnet (see: carbuncle)
• gold
• jacinth
• jasper
• lapis lazuli (see: sapphire)
• ligure
• onyx
• opal (see: ligure)
• pearl (also see: bdellium, ruby)
• quartz (see: agate, amethyst, chalcedony, and crystal)
• sapphire
• sardine stone
• silver
• sardonyx
• topaz

Uses for precious stones

• apparel
• ceiling decoration
• earrings
• ephod
• forehead
• gate (stones and pearls)
• gift
• idols
• nose-jewels
• ring
• High Priest
• breastplate

Sources of precious stones

• mines
• 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

More information

• goldsmiths
• graving (engraving)
• ouches
• Malcam (bejeweled idol)
• Nebuchadnezzar (onyx cameo)
• Sheba, the queen, brought gifts of precious stones
• treasure houses
• treasure cities
• treasury
• Tyre, its cunning workmen were celebrated for their cutting of precious stones