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לֶשֶׁם

𐤋𐤔𐤌

leshem

H3958 noun

SILEX Entry

Root uncertain (uncertain; used as a gemstone name)

Definition

An ornamental gemstone; specifically, in the Hebrew Bible, a precious stone embedded in the high priest’s breastpiece (the Hoshen). The precise identification of the stone is uncertain, and its color and mineral type are debated. The term refers to a particular valuable and attractive gem in ancient Israelite material culture, but does not denote a specific family of minerals in modern gemological terms.

Semantic Range

gemstone, precious stone, a specific ornamental stone set in the high priest’s breastpiece; traditional identifications include jacinth, ligure, or hyacinth, though all remain tentative

Root / Etymology

Etymology uncertain; occasionally linked to other ancient Near Eastern words for gemstones, but without convincing evidence. The word is treated as a loan or isolated term, not transparently derived from an attested Hebrew root. Attempts to derive it from a verbal root are speculative.

Historical & Contextual Notes

לֶשֶׁם (leshem) occurs in Exodus 28:19 and 39:12, designating one of the twelve stones set in the breastpiece of the Israelite high priest. Ancient translations differ on the identification: the Septuagint renders it as λιγύριον (ligurion), suggesting the ancient ligure, a term also of uncertain reference in Greek sources. In later Jewish tradition, it is sometimes identified with jacinth (a reddish-orange variety of zircon or hyacinth), but this is based on much later gemological systems and is not certain for the biblical period. The meaning relates to luxury, value, and cultic significance rather than a precise mineral naming. The term is not used outside the context of describing the priestly breastpiece, and thus has no broader semantic range in Biblical Hebrew. Standard English translations (e.g., 'ligure,' 'jacinth') reflect traditional, not scientific, equivalences.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from an unused root of uncertain meaning; a gem, perhaps the jacinth; ligure.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

לשם (l-š-m) — (uncertain; gemstone name)

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H3958-01 לֶ֥שֶׁם leshem HNcmsa a jacinth ornamental gemstone 2

Occurrences in Scripture

2 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H3958-01 Exodus 28:19 לֶ֥שֶׁם leshem HNcmsa a-ligure ornamental gemstone
H3958-01 Exodus 39:12 לֶ֥שֶׁם leshem HNcmsa a jacinth ornamental gemstone
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