A range of gemstones are mentioned in the Bible, particularly in the Old Testament and the Book of Revelation. Much has been written about the precise identification of these stones, although largely speculative. History The Hebrews obtained gemstones from the Middle East, India, and Egypt. At the time of the Exodus, the Bible states that the Israelites took gemstones with them (Book of Exodus, iii, 22; xii, 35-36). When they were settled in the Land of Israel, they obtained gemstones from the merchant caravans travelling from Babylonia or Persia to Egypt, and those from Saba and Raamah to Tyre (Book of Ezekiel, xxvii, 22). King Solomon even equipped a fleet which returned from Ophir, laden with gems (Books of Kings, x, 11). Gemstones are mentioned in connection with the breastplate of the High Priest of Israel (Book of Exodus, xxviii, 17-20; xxxix, 10-13), the treasure of the King of Tyre (Book of Ezekiel, xxviii, 13), and the foundations of the New Jerusalem (Book of Tobit, xiii, 16-17, in the Greek text, and more fully, Book of Revelation, xxi, 18-21). The twelve stones of the breastplate and the two stones of the shoulder-ornaments were considered by the Jews to be the most precious. Both Book of Ezekiel, xxviii, 13, and Book of Revelation, xxi, 18-21, are patterned after the model of the rational and further allude to the Twelve Tribes of Israel. At the time of the Septuagint translation, the stones to which the Hebrew names apply could no longer be identified, and translators used various Greek words. Josephus claimed he had seen the actual stones. The ancients did not classify their gemstones by analyzing their composition and crystalline forms: names were given in accordance with their colour, use or their country of origin. Therefore, stones of the same or nearly the same colour, but of different composition or crystalline form, bear identical names. Another problem is nomenclature; names having changed in the course of time: thus the ancient chrysolite is topaz, sapphire is lazuli, etc. However, we know most of the stones were precious in Egypt, Assyria, and Babylonia. Alphabetical list The list comprises comparative etymological origins and referential locations for each stone in the Bible. Agate Agate, Heb. shbw; Sept. achates; Vulg. achates (Ex., xxviii, 19; xxxix, 12, in Heb. and Vulg.; also Ezech., xxviii, 13, in Sept.). This is the second stone of the third row of the