### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew lemma יַהֲלֹם (yahălôm, `{{H3095}}`) is identified as a precious stone. Its etymological root is הָלַם (halám), which carries the primary sense of striking, hammering, or beating down. This derivation strongly suggests that the defining characteristic of yahălôm is its extreme hardness or impenetrability—a material that can withstand blows or is itself used for striking. The traditional identification of this stone varies, often proposed as either onyx or diamond. If "diamond," it implies the hardest known natural substance, capable of cutting other materials. If "onyx," it refers to a form of chalcedony, a hard gemstone, though significantly less so than diamond. Regardless of the precise identification, the semantic range centers on a stone of remarkable durability, beauty, and inherent value, suitable for contexts of high status and sacred significance.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The term yahălôm (`{{H3095}}`) appears sparingly in the Hebrew Bible, with all instances found within lists of precious stones:
* **[[Exodus 28:18]]**: yahălôm is listed as the third stone in the second row of the high priest's breastpiece (the חֹשֶׁן מִשְׁפָּט, *ḥōšen mišpāṭ*, "breastpiece of judgment"). It is placed after the turquoise and before the jasper. Each stone on this sacred garment was to be engraved with the name of one of the twelve tribes of Israel, signifying the priest's role in bearing the names of the people before YHWH.
* **[[Exodus 39:11]]**: This verse reiterates the composition of the breastpiece during its actual construction, again specifying yahălôm as the third stone in the second row, confirming its designated place in the divine blueprint.
* **[[Ezekiel 28:13]]**: In a highly symbolic and poetic lament over the king of Tyre, yahălôm is enumerated among nine precious stones that adorned him. This passage draws parallels with the Garden of Eden and imagery of divine perfection and glory, suggesting that the king's splendor was initially bestowed by God, mirroring the adornments of the high priest or even celestial beings.
In all contexts, yahălôm is presented as a stone of considerable worth and aesthetic appeal, consistently appearing alongside other valuable gems. Its inclusion in the high priest's breastpiece underscores its sacred significance, representing a tribe of Israel in a covenantal relationship with God. In Ezekiel, its presence contributes to a description of magnificent, albeit ultimately corrupted, glory.
### Related Words & Concepts
* **Root הָלַם (halám, `{{H1986}}`):** The etymological root of yahălôm directly informs its meaning. Halám means "to strike, beat down, hammer." This connection underscores the stone's defining characteristic of extreme hardness and resistance to impact. The root is used elsewhere to describe forceful action, such as striking down enemies (e.g., [[Judges 5:26]], [[Psalm 74:6]]).
* **Other Precious Stones:** yahălôm (`{{H3095}}`) is consistently found in proximity to and in lists with numerous other precious stones, including אֹדֶם (ʾōḏem, ruby/sardius, `{{H124}}`), טֹפֶךְ (ṭōp̄eḵ, topaz, `{{H2900}}`), בָּרֶקֶת (bāreqeṯ, emerald/carbuncle, `{{H1304}}`), נֹפֶךְ (nōp̄eḵ, turquoise/carbuncle, `{{H5306}}`), סַפִּיר (sappîr, sapphire, `{{H5601}}`), לֶשֶׁם (lešem, jacinth/ligure, `{{H3958}}`), שְׁבוֹ (šəḇō, agate, `{{H7618}}`), אַחְלָמָה (ʾaḥlāmāh, amethyst, `{{H286}}`), תַּרְשִׁישׁ (taršîš, beryl/chrysolite, `{{H8658}}`), שֹׁהַם (šōham, onyx/lapis lazuli, `{{H7718}}`), and יָשְׁפֵה (yāšp̄ēh, jasper, `{{H3471}}`). Their collective presence signifies immense wealth, divine beauty, and ordered splendor.
* **The High Priest's Breastpiece (חֹשֶׁן מִשְׁפָּט):** This sacred garment is central to the meaning of yahălôm in Exodus. The stones on the breastpiece represented the twelve tribes of Israel, symbolizing the high priest's role as intercessor and bearer of the people's names before God. The unyielding nature of the yahălôm could subtly convey the enduring nature of God's covenant or the steadfastness of His people.
* **Glory and Adornment:** In Ezekiel, the stone is part of a broader description of magnificent, perhaps divinely-granted, glory and adornment, which the king of Tyre was given but subsequently corrupted through pride.
### Theological Significance
The theological significance of yahălôm (`{{H3095}}`) is multifaceted, stemming from its inherent properties and its specific biblical contexts:
* **Divine Order and Beauty:** Its inclusion in the meticulously designed high priestly garments speaks to God's profound appreciation for order, beauty, and perfection in His creation and in the worship rendered to Him. Each stone, including yahălôm, contributes to a divinely ordained aesthetic and symbolic arrangement.
* **Representation and Intercession:** As one of the stones representing a tribe of Israel on the high priest's breastpiece, yahălôm symbolizes God's remembrance of His people and the high priest's vital role in interceding on their behalf. The stone's hardness may subtly allude to the enduring nature of God's covenant with His people, a covenant that is unbreakable.
* **Purity and Incorruptibility:** The association with precious gems, particularly in the context of sacred vestments and the Edenic imagery in Ezekiel, evokes an ideal of purity, flawlessness, and divine perfection. The unyielding nature of yahălôm could symbolize an unblemished, incorruptible nature, which, in the narrative of the king of Tyre, was tragically defiled through pride and sin.
* **Enduring Truth and Judgment:** Given its etymological link to "striking" and its characteristic hardness, yahălôm could metaphorically represent the unyielding nature of God's truth, His decrees, or His righteous judgment. Just as a diamond is unyielding and can cut through other materials, so too are God's principles firm and His justice unswerving.
### Summary
The Hebrew word יַהֲלֹם (yahălôm, `{{H3095}}`) denotes a precious stone, most likely onyx or diamond, distinguished by its exceptional hardness, a quality derived from its root הָלָם (halám), meaning "to strike" or "hammer." Its limited biblical appearances are exclusively within lists of valuable gems. In [[Exodus 28:18]] and [[Exodus 39:11]], yahălôm is specified as one of the twelve stones on the high priest's breastpiece, symbolizing a tribe of Israel and highlighting divine order, beauty, and the high priest's representative function before God. In [[Ezekiel 28:13]], it contributes to the description of the king of Tyre's magnificent, divinely-bestowed glory, echoing themes of Edenic perfection. Theologically, yahălôm signifies divine beauty, meticulous design, the enduring nature of God's covenant, and potentially the unyielding character of His truth or judgment. Its intrinsic hardness serves as a potent metaphor for permanence, purity, and incorruptibility in sacred and symbolic contexts.
TRV