Bible Dictionary
Sapphire
Sapphire was a valuable blue stone, probably the lapis lazuli of the ancient world. It appeared in the high priest’s breastplate and was used in biblical descriptions of heavenly glory.
Definition
Sapphire is a precious stone of bright sky-blue color. The sapphire of antiquity was probably lapis lazuli rather than the modern crystalline corundum gem. It was regarded as extremely valuable and was associated with other precious stones, including diamonds and emeralds.
Biblical Usage
Sapphire was set in the high priest’s breastplate and is mentioned among the stones associated with the king of Tyre. Biblical visions describe God’s throne or the expanse beneath it as having the appearance or color of sapphire.
Historical Background
The ancient stone was probably lapis lazuli, an ultramarine material brought from Babylon. Its identification therefore differs from the modern sapphire, which is a blue crystalline variety of corundum.
Scripture References
Historical Bible Dictionaries
Easton's Bible Dictionary
Associated with diamonds (Ex. 28:18) and emeralds (Ezek. 28:13); one of the stones in the high priest’s breastplate. It is a precious stone of a sky-blue colour, probably the lapis lazuli, brought from Babylon. The throne of God is described as of the colour of a sapphire (Ex. 24:10; comp. Ezek. 1:26).
Smith's Bible Dictionary
(Heb. sappir), a precious stone, apparently of a bright-blue color, set: (Exodus 24:10) the second stone in the second row of the high priest’s breastplate, (Exodus 28:18) extremely precious, (Job 28:16) it was one of the precious stones that ornamented the king of Tyre. (Ezekiel 28:13) The sapphire of the ancients was not our gem of that name, viz. the azure or indigo-blue, crystalline variety of corundum, but our lapis lazuli (ultra-marine).
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE)
<p>saf'-ir.</p><p>See STONES, PRECIOUS.</p>