שֹׁ֫הַם (sho.ham)
sho.ham
onyx
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 10 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The noun shoḥam refers to a precious stone, most likely onyx or perhaps beryl. It appears ten times in the Hebrew Bible, with the majority of occurrences found in Exodus, Job, and 1 Chronicles. In these texts, it is consistently listed among other valuable materials used for high-status items.
Its most prominent usage is in the description of the High Priest’s breastplate, where it serves as one of the twelve stones engraved with the names of Israel’s tribes (Exodus 28:9). This placement highlights its value and symbolic importance within the cultic system. The word also appears in poetic lists of wealth, such as in Job 28:17, where it is compared to gold and glass to illustrate the rarity of wisdom.
While modern translations often render it simply as "onyx," the exact mineral identification remains debated among scholars. Some suggest chrysoprasus or malachite based on ancient trade routes and linguistic parallels. Regardless of the precise gem, its biblical role is clear: it signifies beauty, order, and the sacredness of Israel’s priestly office.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word shoḥam refers to a precious stone, likely onyx or beryl, that appears ten times in the Hebrew Bible. Its most famous appearance is in Exodus 28:9, where God instructs Moses to engrave the names of Israel’s tribes onto two onyx stones for the High Priest’s breastplate. This placement highlights its value and symbolic importance within the cultic system.
While modern translations often render it simply as "onyx," the exact mineral identification remains debated among scholars. Some suggest chrysoprasus or malachite based on ancient trade routes and linguistic parallels. Regardless of the precise gem, its biblical role is clear: it signifies beauty, order, and the sacredness of Israel’s priestly office.
In Job 28:16, shoḥam is compared to gold and sapphire to illustrate the rarity of wisdom. This poetic usage reminds us that true value often lies beyond material wealth. The stone’s enduring presence in Scripture points to God’s attention to detail and His desire for beauty in worship.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 10 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- onyx4×
- the/ onyx2×
- in/ onyx1×
- and/ an onyx1×
- an onyx1×
- <the>/ onyx1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- הַ/שֹּׁ֔הַם2×
- שֹׁ֨הַם1×
- שֹׁ֖הַם1×
- שֹׁ֕הַם1×
- שֹׁ֔הַם1×
- שֹׁ֑הַם1×
- וְ/שֹׁ֖הַם1×
- הַ/שֹּֽׁהַם\׃1×
- בְּ/שֹׁ֖הַם1×
Key Verses
-
Exodus 28:9
You shall take two onyx stones, and engrave on them the names of the children of Israel.
This verse establishes the stone's primary symbolic function by linking it to the High Priest's breastplate, where it bears the names of Israel's tribes.
-
Job 28:16
It can’t be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx, or the sapphire.
Here the word is used metaphorically to demonstrate that wisdom surpasses even the most precious and rare physical materials like onyx.
-
Exodus 39:6
They worked the onyx stones, enclosed in settings of gold, engraved with the engravings of a signet, according to the names of the children of Israel.
This verse describes the actual craftsmanship involved, showing how the onyx stones were enclosed in gold settings and engraved with seal-like designs.