Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Exodus 28:20
And the fourth row a beryl, and an onyx, and a jasper: they shall be set in gold in their enclosings.
20. a beryl ] Heb. tarshish, (Rev 21:10), chrysolithus: Eze 1:16; Eze 10:9; Eze 28:13, Son 5:14, Dan 10:6. The name tarshish apparently points to its being obtained from Tarshish (Tartessus) in Spain. The chrysolite (‘gold-stone’) of the later Greeks (which was also obtained from Spain, Pliny, H. N. xxxvii. 127) is probably our topaz 1 [208] , but as this was unknown in earlier times, some other gold-coloured stone must be intended, perhaps (Petrie) the yellow jasper. It is not however stated whether this stone is (or was) found in Spain. The rend. beryl is as old as Abarbanel (1437 1508): the chalcedony (RVm.; Rev 21:19) of the ancients, so called from its being found at Chalcedon (opposite to Byzantium), was the green transparent carbonate of copper, our copper emerald (Smith, DB. s.v.).
[208] By a curious interchange of terms, it seems that ‘the ancient chrysolite is the modern topaz, and the ancient topaz the modern chrysolite’ (Smith, DB. s.v. Beryl).
an onyx ] Heb. shham, (so LXX. here, but not consistently), onychinus: v. 9, Exo 25:7, Gen 2:12, Eze 28:13, Job 28:16, 1Ch 29:2. This is usually supposed to be either the onyx (LXX. in Job; Vulg. mostly) or the beryl (LXX. here; Pesh. Targ. always): the onyx being a stratified stone, consisting of layers of white (resembling in colour the nail, whence the name), grey, and other colours (see DB. s.v.), and the beryl a clear blue, green, or pale yellow stone (see EB. s.v.). Myres, however ( EB. iv. 4808), argues in favour of malachite (green carbonate of copper), ‘common in Egypt in all periods, obtained from the Sinaitic mine district,’ and also other sources of copper, as Cyprus, and known likewise in Babylonia and Assyria.
a jasper ] Heb. ysh e pheh, , beryllus (but see on ‘diamond’ in v. 18): Eze 28:13, Rev 21:19. In all probability the green jasper is intended.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
And the fourth row a beryl, and an onyx, and a jasper,…. Whatever stone is meant by the first in this row, it must be of a sea green colour; for “tarshish”, the word used, signifies the sea; and so the beryl, as Pliny r says, imitates the greenness of the pure sea. Braunius s takes it to be the chrysolite that is meant; and so does Ainsworth; and it is so rendered by the Septuagint; and this, according to Ruaeus t, is of a colour like the greenness of the sea: the “onyx” has its name from its being of the colour of a man’s nail, as observed before; but here “shoham” is thought by Braunius u to be the “sardonyx”, following Josephus, Jerom, and the Vulgate Latin version, which is a compound of the sardian and onyx stones: the last is undoubtedly rightly rendered the jasper, for the Hebrew word is “jaspeh”: this stone is sometimes variegated with spots like a panther, and therefore is called by Onkelos “pantere”; the most valuable is the green spotted with red or purple:
they shall be set in gold in their enclosings; or be set and enclosed in ouches or sockets of gold, as the two onyx stones upon the shoulder pieces of the ephod: there were twelve of these ouches or sockets, which might be made out of one piece of gold, into which the twelve above stones were put. These stones were, no doubt, brought out of Egypt by the children of Israel, and were the gifts of their princes.
r Nat. Hist. l. 37. c. 5. s Ut supra, (De Vestitu Sacerd Heb. l. 2.) c. 17. sect. 7. p. 720. t De Gemmis, l. 2. c. 7. u Ut supra, (De Vestitu Sacerd Heb. l. 2.) c. 18. sect. 4. p. 730.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
“ Gold borders shall be on their settings ” (see at Exo 28:11 and Exo 28:13). The golden capsules, in which the stones were “ filled,” i.e., set, were to be surrounded by golden ornaments, which not only surrounded and ornamented the stones, but in all probability helped to fix them more firmly and yet more easily upon the woven fabric.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
(20) They shall be set in gold in their inclosings.Or, in their settings. Every gem was to be enclosed in its own setting of gold.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Exo 28:20. Gold, in their inclosings Hebrew, fillings. In the 17th verse it is said, Thou shalt set in it settings of stones; literally, shalt fill up fillings of stones; i.e. shalt fill the sockets with stones, or set stones in the sockets or cavities made to receive them; so, ch. Exo 35:9 stones to be set is, in the Hebrew, stones for filling up: (comp. ch. Exo 39:10.) It appears from these verses, that the chains mentioned Exo 28:14 were to fasten the breast-plate to the two onyx-stones on the shoulder-pieces of the ephod. Besides the two rings on the end of the breast-plate, Exo 28:23 two more were to be made, and put into the doubling next to the ephod, Exo 28:26 in which two corresponding rings were to be made, Exo 28:27 and by means of these, the breast-plate was to be laced with a lace of blue to the ephod, Exo 28:28 and never to be parted from it. The reader will remember the remark respecting the words curious girdle, made on Exo 28:8 and those who are desirous of an exact and critical discussion of Exo 28:22-28 we refer to Houbigant’s notes.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
a beryl: Eze 1:16, Eze 10:9, Dan 10:6, Rev 21:20
an onyx: Exo 28:9
a jasper: Rev 4:3, Rev 21:11, Rev 21:18-20
enclosings: Heb. fillings, Exo 28:13
Reciprocal: Gen 2:12 – onyx Exo 1:3 – Benjamin 1Sa 28:6 – by Urim 1Ch 29:2 – onyx stones Job 28:16 – onyx