DIAMOND. 327 



CHRYSOPRASUS. 



PLINY classes this gem among the beryls, the best of "which, he 

 says, are those of a sea-green color ; after these he mentions the 

 * chrysoberyls,' which are a little paler, inclining to a golden color ; 

 and next, a sort still paler, and by some reckoned a distinct species, 

 and called crysoprasus, the color of which, he elsewhere observes, 

 resembles the juice of a leek, but somewhat inclining to that of 

 gold. Hence, its name compounded ofchrysos,gold, and^rosos, a 

 leek. It is mentioned in Rev. xxi. 20. 



CRYSTAL, 



THIS gem is called in Hebrew kcrech, from its smoothness, and 

 resemblance to ice. It may be observed, says Parkhurst, that the 

 Greek name for crystal primarily signifies ice, and perhaps the 

 LXX. meant it in the sense of ice or frost, in Ezek. i. 22, where the 

 Hebrew may be rendered after Bate, ' as the glittering of frost, daz- 

 zling.' So the Hebrew word is rendered 'frost,' and * ice 'in sev- 

 eral passages. 



DIAMOND. 



TJBE diamond, or adamant of the ancients, is the most valuable 

 of gems, and the hardest of known bodies. When pure, it is per- 

 fectly transparent ; but though for the most part colorless, it is 

 sometimes found otherwise. 



The word in Exod. xxviii. ]8, and chap. xxix. 11, which our 

 translators have rendered * diamond,' isjahlem, which the LXX. and 

 the Vulgate understand to be the jasper, and Josephus the sap- 

 phire. Braunius argues it to be the diamond, on the following 

 grounds : First, it is by no means probable that the diamond, 

 which is the most beautiful gem, should be omitted in the high 

 priest's pectoral ; as it is, if this word do not denote it. And, sec- 

 ondly, that the etymology of the word shows it to be the diamond. 

 The word jahlem comes from a word which signifies to break in 

 pieces ; and it is well known that the diamond easily breaks all oth- 

 er precious stones, though it is itself easily broken to pieces with a 

 hammer. In reply to the objection that the diamond was not 

 known so early as the days of Moses, this writer argues, that the 



