- onyx stones:
- Avney shoham, which was, probably, not the precious stone or gem called onyx, but a marble called in Greek onychites, which Pliny mentions as a stone Caramania; for one would hardly think that gems of any kind were used externally in such a building as the temple. Antiquity gave both stones this name, because of their resemblance to the nail of the finger. "And the goldª of thatª landª [is] good:ª there¹ [is] bdelliumª and the onyxª stone.ª" {Gen 2:12} + "And thou shalt setª° in it settingsª of stones,ª [even] fourª rowsª of stones:ª [the first] rowª [shall be] a sardius,ª a topaz,ª and a carbuncle:ª [this shall be] the firstª row.ª" {Exd 28:17} + "And the fourthª rowª a beryl,ª and an onyx,ª and a jasper:ª they shall be¹ setª° in goldª in their inclosings.ª" {Exd 28:20} + "And they wroughtª°¹ onyxª stonesª inclosed²° in¹ ouchesª of gold,ª graven,ª° as signetsª are graven,ª with¹ the namesª of the childrenª of Israel.ª" {Exd 39:6} + "And the fourthª row,ª a beryl,ª an onyx,ª and a jasper:ª [they were] inclosedª° in ouchesª of goldª in their inclosings.ª" {Exd 39:13} + "It cannot¹ be valuedª° with the goldª of Ophir,ª with the preciousª onyx,ª or the sapphire.ª" {Job 28:16} + "O thou afflicted,ª tossed with tempest,ª° [and] not¹ comforted,ª° behold,¹ I¹ will layª° thy stonesª with fair colours,ª and lay thy foundationsª° with sapphires.ª ... And I will makeª° thy windowsª of agates,ª and thy gatesª of carbuncles,ªª and all¹ thy bordersª of pleasantª stones.ª" {Isa 54:11-12} + "Andª the¹ buildingª of the¹ wallª of itª wasª° [of] jasper:ª andª the¹ cityª [was] pureª gold,ª like² unto¹ clearª glass.ª ... Andª the¹ twelveª gatesª [were] twelveª pearls;ª every²² severalª¹¹ gateª wasª° ofª oneª pearl:ª andª the¹ streetª of the¹ cityª [was] pureª gold,ª as it wereª transparentª glass.ª" {Rev 21:18-21}
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