Jasper

ישפה , Exo 28:20; Exo 39:13; and Eze 28:13; ιασπις, Rev 4:3; Rev 21:11; Rev 21:18-19. The Greek and Latin name, jaspis, as well as the English jasper, is plainly derived from the Hebrew, and leaves little room to doubt what species of gem is meant by the original word. The jasper is usually defined, a hard stone, of a bright, beautiful, green colour; sometimes clouded with white, and spotted with red or yellow.

Our word Jasper is plainly from the Greek jaspis, which comes from the Hebrew word yashpeh. Jasper is a species of the quartz family, and embraces a great many varieties. The brown Egyptian variety was perhaps the one selected for the breastplate of the high-priest (Exo 28:20; Exo 39:13). The brown is of various shades, disposed in concentric stripes. It occurs loose in the sands of Egypt, and is cut into ornaments.

A precious stone of various colors, as green, purple, etc., often clouded with white, and beautifully striped with red or yellow, Exo 28:20 ; Jer 4:3 ; 21:11.\par

Jasper. A precious stone frequently noticed in Scripture. It was the last of the twelve inserted in the high priest’s breastplate, Exo 28:20; Exo 39:13, and the first of the twelve used in the foundations of the new Jerusalem. Rev 21:19.

The characteristics of the stone, as far as they are specified in Scripture, Rev 21:11, are that it "was most precious," and "like crystal;" we may also infer from Rev 4:3, that it was a stone of brilliant and transparent light. The stone which we name "jasper" does not accord with this description. There can be no doubt that the diamond would more adequately answer to the description in the book of Revelation.

Last of the gems in the high priest’s breast-plate (Exo 28:20), probably the green jasper. In Rev 21:19 it is first of New Jerusalem’s foundations. It represents watery crystalline brightness, symbol of purity: Rev 21:11, "her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal." "He that sat upon the throne (Rev 4:3) was to look upon like a jasper." Ebrard thinks the diamond is meant. The common jasper has various wavy colors, somewhat transparent. The king of Tyre (Eze 28:13) has the jasper with eight other of the high-priest’s 12 precious stones, as type of antichrist who usurps Christ’s high-priesthood combined with kingship (Zec 6:13).

Jasper. The last stone in the breastplate of the high priest, and the first in the foundations of the new Jerusalem. Exo 28:20; Rev 21:19. Jasper is an opaque species of quartz, of different colors, often banded or spotted, and susceptible of a high polish. The dark-green kind is supposed to be the variety of the Bible.

yashepheh, ἴασπις. This is not considered to be the same as the modern jasper, which is an opaque variety of quartz of many different colours. To what gem scripture refers is not known: some suppose the diamond. In Rev 21:11 it is described as ’clear as crystal.’ It had a place in the high priest’s breastplate, and was one of the stones in the covering of the symbolical king of Tyrus in Eden. Exo 28:20; Exo 39:13; Eze 28:13. He who sat on the throne in heaven, as seen by John, was ’to look upon like a jasper;’ it is also used in the description of the heavenly Jerusalem. Rev 4:3; Rev 21:11; Rev 21:18-19. The jasper is a symbol of the communicable glory of God. Compare Joh 17:22.

JASPER.—See Jewels and Precious Stones, p. 467^a.

(ἴáóðéò, from Assyr. aspû)

The king on the heavenly throne is like a jasper stone (Rev_4:3); the luminary of the New Jerusalem is like a stone most precious, as it were a jasper stone, clear as crystal (21:11); and the first foundation stone of the wall is a jasper. The jasper of mineralogy is an opaque, compact variety of quartz, variously coloured-red, brown, yellow, or green. As this stone does not answer the description ‘clear as crystal,’ some think that the diamond is meant (Smith’s Dict. of the Bible s.v.), while others suggest the opal (Encyclopaedia Biblica s.v.). The ἴáóðéò of the Septuagint (Exo_28:20) may have been the dark green jasper, which was known to the Egyptians and the early Greeks.

James Strahan.

Rev 4:3 (c) Probably a very valuable stone, translucent or transparent, typical of the preciousness of our GOD in whom there is no flaw, defilement, evil, nor spot of any kind. He was beautiful, precious, valuable and attractive. (See also Rev 21:11).