{{Short description|Yellow-red to red-brown gem-quality variety of zircon}} {{about|the gemstone|the racehorse|Jacinth (horse)}} [[File:Zircon-49506.jpg|thumb|Red zircon from Gilgit, Pakistan]]
'''Jacinth''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|dʒ|æ|s|ɪ|n|θ}},<ref>{{cite OED|jacinth}}</ref> {{IPAc-en|ˈ|dʒ|eɪ|s|ɪ|n|θ}})<ref>{{cite Dictionary.com|jacinth}}</ref> or '''hyacinth''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|h|aɪ|.|ə|s|ɪ|n|θ}})<ref>{{cite OED|hyacinth}}</ref> is a yellow-red to red-brown variety of zircon used as a gemstone.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.gemdat.org/gem-6649.html |title=Hyacinth |publisher=Gemdat.org |accessdate=4 September 2021}}</ref>
In Exodus 28:19, one of the precious stones set into the ''hoshen'' (the breastplate worn by the High Priest of Israel) is called, in Hebrew, ''leshem'', which has often been translated into English as "jacinth".<ref>[https://biblehub.com/parallel/exodus/28-19.htm Exodus 28:19 – Parallel Translations]. Bible Hub. Retrieved 4 September 2021.</ref> The modern identification of ''leshem'' with jacinth seems to have been popularized by Martin Luther.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Walton |first=Steven A. |date=2001 |title=Theophrastus on ''Lyngurium'': Medieval and Early Modern Lore from the Classical Lapidary Tradition |journal=Annals of Science |volume=58 |issue=4 |at=p. 371 |doi=10.1080/000337900110041371|pmid=11724065 }}</ref>
In Revelation 21:20, one of the foundation stones of the New Jerusalem is hyacinth (Greek: ''hyakinthos'').<ref>[https://biblehub.com/text/revelation/21-20.htm "Revelation 20:21 – Greek Text Analysis"]. Bible Hub. Retrieved 4 September 2021.</ref> However, ''Strong's Concordance'' and ''Thayer's Greek Lexicon'' describe this as a stone of the color of the hyacinth plant, i.e. dark blue.<ref>[https://biblehub.com/greek/5192.htm "5192. huakinthos"]. Bible Hub. Retrieved 4 September 2021.</ref> Therefore, the stone intended may be the sapphire.<ref>{{cite EB1911|wstitle=Hyacinth (mineral)}}</ref> In Revelation 9:17, the word appears in adjective form (''hyakinthinous'', "hyacinthine");<ref>[https://biblehub.com/text/revelation/9-17.htm Revelation 9:17 – Greek Text Analysis"]. Bible Hub. Retrieved 4 September 2021.</ref> this, again, is thought to be descriptive of a blue or purple color, with no reference to the modern jacinth stone.<ref>{{cite book |last=Smith |first=William |date=1872 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=a5YHeIOJGP4C&pg=PA1192 |title=Dictionary of the Bible, Vol. II |publisher=MacDonald Publishing Company |page=1192}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
Category:Zirconium minerals Category:Gemstones
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