Bible Strands
Exodus 28:18
in the second row a turquoise, a sapphire, and a diamond;
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — God instructs Moses on Mount Sinai to assemble the high priest’s breastplate, specifying the exact gemstones for each of the four rows.
The words — נֹפֶךְ (No.fekh) translates literally to turquoise, while יָהֲלֹם (yahalom) denotes emerald, correcting the BSB rendering of the third stone as a diamond.
The thread — Exodus 39:11 repeats this second-row inventory during the tabernacle’s construction, while Exodus 24:10 and Job 28:6 independently reference sapphire (סַפִּיר) as a material associated with divine presence and earthly geology.
Why it lands — It demands precise attention to the ordered sequence of stones and requires distinguishing the Hebrew lexical meaning from later translation choices.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And the second row shall be an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond.
Cross-references
- Exodus 24:10 and they saw the God of Israel. Under His feet was a work like a pavement made of sapphire, as clear as the sky itself.
- Exodus 39:11 the second row had a turquoise, a sapphire, and a diamond;
- Job 28:6 Its rocks are the source of sapphires, containing flecks of gold.
- Job 28:16 It cannot be valued in the gold of Ophir, in precious onyx or sapphire.
- Song of Solomon 5:14 His arms are rods of gold set with beryl. His body is polished ivory bedecked with sapphires.
- Jeremiah 17:1 “The sin of Judah is written with an iron stylus, engraved with a diamond point on the tablets of their hearts and on the horns of their altars.
- Ezekiel 1:26 Above the expanse over their heads was the likeness of a throne with the appearance of sapphire, and on the throne high above was a figure like that of a man.
- Ezekiel 10:1 And I looked and saw above the expanse, above the heads of the cherubim, the likeness of a throne of sapphire.
- 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.
- Ezekiel 28:13 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.