← Biblopedia home

THE DICTIONARY — Easton’s Bible Dictionary (1897)

one of the precious stones in the breastplate of the high priest (Exodus 28:19; 39:12), and in the foundation of the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:20). The ancients thought that this stone had the power of dispelling drunkenness in all who wore or touched it, and hence its Greek name formed from a, “privative,” and methuo, “to get drunk.” Its Jewish name, ahlamah’, was derived by the rabbins from the Hebrew word halam , “to dream,” from its supposed power of causing the wearer to dream. It is a pale-blue crystallized quartz, varying to a dark purple blue. It is found in Persia and India, also in different parts of Europe.

← American Revised VersionAmi →