odem , i.e. "the red stone" (with a yellow shade). Exodus 28:17; Exodus 39:10; Ezekiel 28:13. Much used by the ancients for seals, as being tough yet easily worked, beautiful, and susceptible of high polish; the best stone for engraving. Josephus (the best authority, being a priest, therefore having often seen the high priest's breast-plate) calls it the sardonyx, the first stone in the high priest's breast-plate, in Ant. 3:7, section 5, but the sard or sardine, B.J. 5:5, section 7. Both sardine and sardonyx are varieties of agate. He on the heavenly throne "was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine" (Revelation 4:3). As the jasper (or else diamond) represents the divine brightness or holiness, so the red sardine (our cornelian) His fiery wrath; the same union as in Ezekiel 1:4; Ezekiel 8:2; Daniel 7:9. Named from Sardis in Lydia, where it was first found. The Hebrew got their high priest's sardines in Arabia, and from Egypt (Exodus 12:35).
From the co-author of the classic Jamieson, Fausset and Brown Commentary, Fausset's Bible Dictionary stands as one of the best single-volume Bible encyclopedias ever written for general use. The author's writing style is always clear and concise, and he tackles issues important to the average student of the Bible, not just the Biblical scholars. This makes Fausset an excellent tool for both everyday Bible study and in-depth lesson or sermon preparation.Wikipedia
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