Jewels

Precious stones, prized for their beauty and value are mentioned frequently in Scripture.

The breastpiece of the high priest was set with twelve jewels

Exodus 28:15–21 parallel Exodus 39:8–14

You are also to make a breastpiece of judgment with the same workmanship as the ephod. Construct it with gold, with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and with finely spun linen. It must be square when folded over double, a span long and a span wide. And mount on it a setting of gemstones, four rows of stones: In the first row there shall be a ruby, a topaz, and an emerald; in the second row a turquoise, a sapphire, and a diamond; in the third row a jacinth, an agate, and an amethyst; and in the fourth row a beryl, an onyx, and a jasper. Mount these stones in gold filigree settings. The twelve stones are to correspond to the names of the sons of Israel, each engraved like a seal with the name of one of the twelve tribes.

The king of Tyre is depicted as having been adorned with jewels

Ezekiel 28:11–13

Again the word of the LORD came to me, saying, “Son of man, take up a lament for the king of Tyre and tell him that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘You were the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were in Eden, the garden of God. Every kind of precious stone adorned you: ruby, topaz, and diamond, beryl, onyx, and jasper, sapphire, turquoise, and emerald. Your mountings and settings were crafted in gold, prepared on the day of your creation.

The new Jerusalem is described as being constructed of jewels

Revelation 21:18–21

The wall was made of jasper, and the city itself of pure gold, as pure as glass. The foundations of the city walls were adorned with every kind of precious stone: The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald, the fifth sardonyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst. And the twelve gates were twelve pearls, with each gate consisting of a single pearl. The main street of the city was pure gold, as clear as glass.

Jewels in royal crowns

2 Samuel 12:30 parallel 1 Chronicles 20:2 See also Zechariah 9:16

Then he took the crown from the head of their king. It weighed a talent of gold and was set with precious stones, and it was placed on David’s head. And David took a great amount of plunder from the city.

Jewels acquired through trade

Ezekiel 27:22 See also 1 Kings 10:2 parallel 2 Chronicles 9:1; 1 Kings 10:10–11 parallel 2 Chronicles 9:9–10; Revelation 18:11–12

The merchants of Sheba and Raamah traded with you; for your wares they exchanged gold, the finest of all spices, and precious stones.

Wisdom is said to be more precious than jewels

Proverbs 8:10–11 See also Job 28:12–19; Proverbs 3:13–15, Proverbs 20:15

Receive my instruction instead of silver, and knowledge rather than pure gold. For wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire compares with her.

Jewels mentioned elsewhere in Scripture

Carnelian

Revelation 4:3 See also Revelation 21:20

The One seated there looked like jasper and carnelian, and a rainbow that gleamed like an emerald encircled the throne.

Chrysolite

Ezekiel 10:9 See also Song of Solomon 5:14; Ezekiel 1:16; Daniel 10:6

Then I looked and saw four wheels beside the cherubim, one wheel beside each cherub. And the wheels gleamed like a beryl stone.

Coral

Ezekiel 27:16

Aram was your customer because of your many products; they exchanged turquoise, purple, embroidered work, fine linen, coral, and rubies for your wares.

Emeralds

Revelation 4:3

The One seated there looked like jasper and carnelian, and a rainbow that gleamed like an emerald encircled the throne.

Jasper

Revelation 4:3

The One seated there looked like jasper and carnelian, and a rainbow that gleamed like an emerald encircled the throne.

Onyx

Exodus 28:9–14 parallel Exodus 39:6–7 See also Genesis 2:10–12; Exodus 25:1–7 parallel Exodus 35:4–9; Exodus 35:27; 1 Chronicles 29:2

Take two onyx stones and engrave on them the names of the sons of Israel: six of their names on one stone and the remaining six on the other, in the order of their birth. Engrave the names of the sons of Israel on the two stones the way a gem cutter engraves a seal. Then mount the stones in gold filigree settings. Fasten both stones on the shoulder pieces of the ephod as memorial stones for the sons of Israel. Aaron is to bear their names on his two shoulders as a memorial before the LORD. Fashion gold filigree settings and two chains of pure gold, made of braided cord work; and attach these chains to the settings.

Pearls

Matthew 7:6 See also Matthew 13:45–46; 1 Timothy 2:9–10; Revelation 17:4, Revelation 18:11–12, Revelation 18:15–17

Do not give dogs what is holy; do not throw your pearls before swine. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces.

Rubies

Proverbs 31:10 See also Isaiah 54:11–12; Lamentations 4:7; Ezekiel 27:16

A wife of noble character, who can find? She is far more precious than rubies.

Sapphires

Isaiah 54:11 See also Exodus 24:9–10; Job 28:5–6; Song of Solomon 5:14; Lamentations 4:7; Ezekiel 1:26, Ezekiel 10:1

“O afflicted city, lashed by storms, without solace, surely I will set your stones in antimony and lay your foundations with sapphires.

Turquoise

Ezekiel 27:16 See also 1 Chronicles 29:2; Isaiah 54:11

Aram was your customer because of your many products; they exchanged turquoise, purple, embroidered work, fine linen, coral, and rubies for your wares.