And mount on it a setting of gemstones
This phrase refers to the intricate craftsmanship required for the high priest's breastplate, a sacred garment worn during his service. The Hebrew word for "mount" (מִלֵּאתָ) implies a filling or setting, indicating the precision and care in placing each gemstone. The "setting of gemstones" signifies the beauty and value of the priestly office, reflecting God's glory and the spiritual richness of His covenant with Israel. The use of gemstones also symbolizes the diversity and preciousness of God's people, each tribe represented by a unique stone.

four rows of stones
The breastplate was designed with "four rows of stones," each row containing three stones, making a total of twelve. This arrangement is significant, as it represents the twelve tribes of Israel. The number four often symbolizes completeness in the Bible, suggesting the comprehensive nature of God's covenant with His people. The orderly arrangement of the stones reflects the order and structure within the community of Israel, as well as the divine order established by God.

The first row shall be a ruby, a topaz, and an emerald
The specific mention of these gemstones highlights their importance and symbolic meaning. The "ruby" (אֹדֶם, 'odem) is often associated with blood and sacrifice, pointing to the atoning work of the priest. The "topaz" (פִּטְדָה, pitdah) is a stone of great value and beauty, symbolizing the preciousness of God's people and His favor towards them. The "emerald" (בָּרֶקֶת, bareqet) is known for its vibrant green color, representing life, growth, and renewal, which are central themes in God's relationship with Israel. Each stone's unique characteristics remind us of the multifaceted nature of God's grace and the diverse gifts within the body of believers.

(17-19) Set in it settings of stones . . . There is always considerable difficulty in identifying ancient with modern gems, the etymologies of the words being frequently uncertain, the names (where they have survived) having sometimes changed their meaning, and the opinions of early commentators, who might seem to speak with some authority, being discrepant. In the present case, scarcely one of the twelve stones can be said to be determined with certainty. 1. The odem, identified by the LXX. and the Vulg. With the "sard," has been regarded as the ruby, the carbuncle, and the carnelian. Etymologically the word means "red," or "the red stone." The ruby is certainly wrong, since ancient engravers could not cut it. Either "sard" or "carnelian" is probably intended, both being common in Egypt. 2. The pitdah is certainly not the topaz, which could no more be cut than the ruby. If the word is derived, as supposed, from a root meaning "pale," the chrysolite, which resembles a pale topaz, but is far softer, may be meant. 3. The bar?keth is rendered smaragdus, "emerald," by the LXX. and Vulg.; but neither could the emerald be cut by the ancient engravers. The word means "brightly flashing," which tells us next to nothing. "Beryl" and "a kind of corundum" have been suggested; but neither is particularly sparkling. 4. The nophek, translated ?????? by the LXX. and Josehus, may well be the "carbuncle," as is now generally supposed. It cannot, any more than the odem, be the ruby. 5. The sappir one might have supposed by its name to be certainly the "sapphire;" but this, again, is a gem which ancient engravers could not cut. It would seem that here we have one of the cases where the name has been transferred from one stone to another, the modern "lapis lazuli" being the gem which was called "sapphire" by the ancients. 6. The yah?lom is certainly not the "diamond," which is the hardest of all gems. The LXX. and Vulg. translate by "jasper" (??????, jaspis); but this seems really to have been the twelfth stone. Other renderings are mere conjectures, and the yah?lom must be regarded as unknown. 7. The leshem, rendered "ligure" by the LXX., the Vulgate, Josephus, and our translators, is probably the stone known to the ancients as lapis ligurius, but what that stone was is a matter of great uncertainty. It has been regarded as amber, as jacinth, and as tourmaline; but amber does not admit of engraving, while jacinth and tourmaline are pure conjectures. This stone, then, must also be regarded as unknown. 8. The shevo, rendered achates, "agate," by the LXX. and the Vulg., is generally allowed to have been that stone, which was well known to the ancients, and widely used for engraving. 9. The akhlamah was regarded as the amethyst by the LXX., the Vulgate, and Josephus; but it has been suggested that it may have been "malachite" (Knobel); and there is no disproving the suggestion. Still the amethyst, which is easily engraved, and was well known in Egypt, should find a place in the present list, and may well have been intended by the akhlamah. 10. The tarshish, by its name, should be a stone brought from Tarshish, which is either Tarsus or Tartessus. Some suppose it to have been the beryl, some the chrysolite, others the turquoise. There are really no sufficient grounds for identifying it with any known gem. 11. The shoham has been already discussed (see Note on Exodus 28:9), and identified with the onyx, or the sardonyx. 12. The yash'peh should, by its name, be the "jasper," which was one of the stones most used in Egypt, and which could scarcely have been absent from the present list. The LXX., however, translate "onyx," Josephus and the Vulgate "beryl;" so that here again there is uncertainty. The views of the present writer may be best presented to the reader by means of a table:--

1st Row of Gems . . .

2nd Row . . .

3rd Row . . .

4th Row . . .

Odern

(the Sard)

Nophck

(the Carbuncle)

Leshem . . .

Verse 17. - Settings of stones. These were similar to those of the two shoulder stones - i.e. of filagree or cloisonne work - as appears from Exodus 39:13. The first row of the stones is said to have been composed of a sardius, or sard, a topaz, and a carbuncle. Of these names the first only would seem to be tolerably certain. The second cannot be right, since the topaz was too hard a stone to be engraved by the ancient engravers. We may conjecture that the chrysolite, a pale stone not unlike the topaz, but far less hard, was the Genesis intended. The "carbuncle" is also thought to be wrong; and the "beryl" is suggested by some; by others "a sort of precious corundum." Emerald, to which the "smaragdus" of the LXX. and Josephus would seem to point, cannot be right, since that stone is fully as hard as the topaz.

Parallel Commentaries ...


And mount
וּמִלֵּאתָ֥ (ū·mil·lê·ṯā)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 4390: To fill, be full of

on it
בוֹ֙ (ḇōw)
Preposition | third person masculine singular
Strong's Hebrew

a setting
מִלֻּ֣אַת (mil·lu·’aṯ)
Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 4396: Setting (of jewels)

of gemstones,
אֶ֔בֶן (’e·ḇen)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 68: A stone

four
אַרְבָּעָ֖ה (’ar·bā·‘āh)
Number - masculine singular
Strong's 702: Four

rows
טוּרִ֣ים (ṭū·rîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 2905: A row, a wall

of stones:
אָ֑בֶן (’ā·ḇen)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 68: A stone

In the first
הָאֶחָֽד׃ (hā·’e·ḥāḏ)
Article | Number - masculine singular
Strong's 259: United, one, first

row there shall be
ט֗וּר (ṭūr)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 2905: A row, a wall

a ruby,
אֹ֤דֶם (’ō·ḏem)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 124: Redness, the ruby, garnet, some other red gem

a topaz,
פִּטְדָה֙ (piṭ·ḏāh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 6357: (a precious stone) perhaps topaz

and an emerald;
וּבָרֶ֔קֶת (ū·ḇā·re·qeṯ)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 1304: A gem, the emerald


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OT Law: Exodus 28:17 You shall set in it settings (Exo. Ex)