- onyx stones:
- The meaning of the word shoham is not easily determined. It has been variously rendered a beryl, emerald, prasius, sapphire, sardius, ruby, carnelian, onyx, and sardonyx. It may signify both the onyx and sardonyx. The latter stone is a mixture of the chalcedony and carnelian, sometimes in strata, and at other times blended together, and is found striped with white and red strata, or layers. It is generally allowed that there is no real difference, except in hardness, between the carnelian, chalcedony, agate, sardonyx, and onyx. The onyx is of a darkish horny colour, resembling the nail or hoof, from which circumstance it has its name (ονυξ). It has often a plate of a blueish white or red in it, and when on one or both sides of this white there appears a plate of a reddish colour, the jewellers call the stone a sardonyx. "Onyxª stones,ª and stonesª to be setª in the ephod,ª and in the breastplate.ª" {Exd 25:7} + "And thou shalt takeª°¹ twoª onyxª stones,ª and graveª° on¹ them the namesª of the childrenª of Israel:ª" {Exd 28:9} + "And onyxª stones,ª and stonesª to be setª for the ephod,ª and for the breastplate.ª" {Exd 35:9} + "It cannot¹ be valuedª° with the goldª of Ophir,ª with the preciousª onyx,ª or the sapphire.ª" {Job 28:16} + "Thou hast been¹ in Edenª the gardenª of God;ª every¹ preciousª stoneª [was] thy covering,ª the sardius,ª topaz,ª and the diamond,ª the beryl,ª the onyx,ª and the jasper,ª the sapphire,ª the emerald,ª and the carbuncle,ª and gold:ª the workmanshipª of thy tabretsª and of thy pipesª was preparedª° in thee in the dayª that thou wast created.ª°" {Ezk 28:13}
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