נפך, Exod. xxviii, 19; Ezek. xxvii, 16; xxviii, 13; σμάραγδος,
Rev. xxi, 19; Eccles. xxxii, 6; Tobit xiii, 16; Judith x, 21. This is
generally supposed to be the same with the ancient _smaragdus_. It is
one of the most beautiful of all the gems, and is of a bright green
colour, without the admixture of any other. Pliny thus speaks of it:
“The sight of no colour is more pleasant than green; for we love to view
green fields and green leaves; and are still more fond of looking at the
emerald, because all other greens are dull in comparison with this.
Beside, these stones seem larger at a distance, by tinging the
circumambient air. Their lustre is not changed by the sun, by the shade,
nor by the light of lamps; but they have always a sensible moderate
brilliancy.” From the passage in Ezekiel we learn that the Tyrians
traded in these jewels in the marts of Syria. They probably had them
from India, or the south of Persia. The true oriental emerald is very
scarce, and is only found at present in the kingdom of Cambay.
Rev. xxi, 19; Eccles. xxxii, 6; Tobit xiii, 16; Judith x, 21. This is
generally supposed to be the same with the ancient _smaragdus_. It is
one of the most beautiful of all the gems, and is of a bright green
colour, without the admixture of any other. Pliny thus speaks of it:
“The sight of no colour is more pleasant than green; for we love to view
green fields and green leaves; and are still more fond of looking at the
emerald, because all other greens are dull in comparison with this.
Beside, these stones seem larger at a distance, by tinging the
circumambient air. Their lustre is not changed by the sun, by the shade,
nor by the light of lamps; but they have always a sensible moderate
brilliancy.” From the passage in Ezekiel we learn that the Tyrians
traded in these jewels in the marts of Syria. They probably had them
from India, or the south of Persia. The true oriental emerald is very
scarce, and is only found at present in the kingdom of Cambay.