The Bible says that the queen of Sheba went to Jerusalem to test Solomon. When she arrived, she had many things including precious stones (1 Kings 10:1-2). It also says that precious stones are used as a gift (Proverbs 17:8). It even talks of precious stones at the judgment seat of Christ (1 Corinthians 3:11-15). So, it seems that the Bible might just be full of jewels. Here are some that I have found:
Agate
Isaiah 54:12 And I will make thy windows of agates, And thy gates of carbuncles, And all thy borders of pleasant stones.
Just as in Biblical times, agate can be found in ancient volcanic lava. Today, even in the United States we can find it in Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Montana. It is considered to be an inexpensive gemstone used in jewelry as well as ornamental knife handles and such.
Amethyst
Exodus 39:12 And the third row, a ligure, an agate, and an amethyst.
Amethyst is another precious stone that needs lava to form. It is a hollow rock that has the color of light lilac to deep purple. Today you can find an abundance of amethyst in Brazil and Uruguay.
Beryl (Emeralds)
Song of Solomon 5:14 His hands are as gold rings set with the beryl: His belly is as bright ivory overlaid with sapphires.
Revelation 4:3 And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald.
Although pure Beryl is colorless, today Beryl might also be known as Emerald (green), Aquamarine (blue green) and the pink Morganite or even the yellow Heliodor (Golden Beryl). Beryl can be mined from granite and limestone and might be found in Norway, Austria, Germany, Sweden, Ireland and Russia. It is also found in South, Central and North America, in many of the United States.
Diamonds
Jeremiah 17:1–2 The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron, and with the point of a diamond: it is graven upon the table of their heart, and upon the horns of your altars; Whilst their children remember their altars and their groves by the green trees upon the high hills.
Diamonds most commonly come from a rock called kimberlite, the hardest natural mineral found on earth. Geologists believe that these rocks were formed in the earth’s mantle and surfaced from volcanic eruptions. Though the US has diamonds, most diamonds come from Russia, Botswana, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Australia and Canada.
Onyx
Genesis 2:12 And the gold of that land is good: there is bdellium and the onyx stone.
Onyx is sometimes confused with Agate because they are both quartz stones and both have bands. However, Onyx is more valuable and in fact, sometimes Black Agate is dyed and sold as Black Onyx. You can find onyx in the US as well as many other countries.
Rubies & Sapphires
Proverbs 31:10 Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies.
Job 28:16 It cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, With the precious onyx, or the sapphire.
Rubies and Sapphires are similar in that they are both gems of the mineral corundum. Chemically and minerally, their structure is similar. The impurities of the corundum may be red (ruby) or blue (sapphire) though the corundum has many other colors as well. When there is color other than red or blue this gem is known as a “fancy sapphire”. When there is no color at all, it is called a “white sapphire”. Several areas have been known to mine Rubies and Sapphires, including Thailand, Burma, India and Japan.
Sardius
Exodus 28:17 And thou shalt set in it settings of stones, even four rows of stones: the first row shall be a sardius, a topaz, and a carbuncle: this shall be the first row.
Sardius is known today as Carnelian. It is an orangish red quartz used in ancient times by royalty. The Hebrew word “Odem” is sometime translated as Sardius. It might also have been known in Biblical times as garnet or red jasper. This precious stone is commonly found in Germany, Siberia, India and Brazil.
Topaz
Job 28:19 The topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it, Neither shall it be valued with pure gold.
Topaz may be one of several colors including white, blue, red, green, yellow, orange, brown, pink, purple, gray and multicolored. While deep red and orange are the most valuable of the topaz, it is commonly blue in jewelry. Topaz is mined from granite and rhyolite (volcanic rock). The largest producer of Topaz is Brazil, though it can also be found elsewhere in Russia, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Germany and even the United States.
Final Thoughts
I love looking at precious stones and reading about them in the Bible. They are some of the most beautiful things of creation that we can behold. I am thankful that our Creator gave us so much color and beauty to enjoy from all the jewels in the Bible.
More reading: Should Wealthy Christians Feel Guilty For Having Monday?
Resource – Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, King James Version
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