- a beryl:
- Tarshish is generally rendered by the LXX and the Vulgate the chrysolite, so called by the ancients (from χρυσος (χρψσος) [Strong's G5557], gold, and λιθος [Strong's G3037], a stone), because of its fine gold yellow colour. It is now called by the moderns the topaz; is a very beautiful and valuable gem in its pure and perfect state, though very rarely found so; and the finer pieces of it are in hardness second only to the diamond. The Vulgate, however, in "The appearanceª of the wheelsª and their workª [was] like unto the colourª of a beryl:ª and they fourª had oneª likeness:ª and their appearanceª and their workª [was] as¹ it were¹ a wheelª in the middleª of a wheel.ª" {Ezk 1:16}, renders, quasi visio maris "as the appearance of the seas," i.e., azure; and Dr. Geddes (on "Sixª of their namesª¹ on¹ oneª stone,ª and [the other] sixª namesª of the restª° on¹ the otherª stone,ª according to their birth.ª" {Exd 28:10}) says, that, with Abarbanel, he believes the beryl to be intended. It is a pellucid gem, called by our lapidaries, aqua marina of a sea or bluish green colour, found in the East Indies and about the gold mines of Peru. The genuine beryl never receives any other mixture of colour; and in its perfect state approaches the hardness of garnet.
|
