Onyx in the Bible
Precious stone
- Job 28:16 It cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx, or the sapphire.
- Ezekiel 28:13 Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created.
Used in erecting the temple
- 1 Chronicles 29:2 Now I have prepared with all my might for the house of my God the gold for things to be made of gold, and the silver for things of silver, and the brass for things of brass, the iron for things of iron, and wood for things of wood; onyx stones, and stones to be set, glistering stones, and of divers colours, and all manner of precious stones, and marble stones in abundance.
Seen in the foundations of the city of the New Jerusalem in John's apocalyptic vision
- Revelation 21:20 The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst.
Exported from Havilah
- Genesis 2:12 And the gold of that land is good: there is bdellium and the onyx stone.
⇒See also McClintock and Strong Cyclopedia for Onyx.
Used in the breastplate
- Exodus 28:9-12 And thou shalt take two onyx stones, and grave on them the names of the children of Israel: 10 Six of their names on one stone, and the other six names of the rest on the other stone, according to their birth. 11 With the work of an engraver in stone, like the engravings of a signet, shalt thou engrave the two stones with the names of the children of Israel: thou shalt make them to be set in ouches of gold. 12 And thou shalt put the two stones upon the shoulders of the ephod for stones of memorial unto the children of Israel: and Aaron shall bear their names before the LORD upon his two shoulders for a memorial.
- Exodus 28:20 And the fourth row a beryl, and an onyx, and a jasper: they shall be set in gold in their inclosings.
- Exodus 39:6 And they wrought onyx stones inclosed in ouches of gold, graven, as signets are graven, with the names of the children of Israel.
- Exodus 39:13 And the fourth row, a beryl, an onyx, and a jasper: they were inclosed in ouches of gold in their inclosings.
Contributed by Israelites for the priests' garments
- Exodus 25:7 Onyx stones, and stones to be set in the ephod, and in the breastplate.
- Exodus 35:9 And onyx stones, and stones to be set for the ephod, and for the breastplate.