TOPAZ, Topasius, in Hebrew, Pitdath. a The Seventy, St. Jerome, Pagnínus, Leo of Juda, Junius, and the greatest part of the modern Interpreters, translate Pitdath by Topaz; the Paraphrasts Onkelos and Jonathan by a green Stone: Kimchi translates it in the same manner; which agrees perfectly well with the Topaz; of Plin. l. 37. c. 8.which the finest are green. Pliny says, Egregia Topazio gloria est, suo virenti genere. Yet others maintain,1 that the most beautiful Topaz’s are of the Colour of Gold. However this be, it is probable enough that Moses intended to express the Topaz by the Hebrew Word Pitdath, which has a good deal of Resemblance to Topazios, by reading the Word backwards. ‘Tis pretended this Stone took its Name of Topaz from an Island in the Red Sea, which has the same Name. Pliny will have Juba King of Mauritania to have been the first that found them: But if it was known to Moses, it must be much Job xxviii. 19.more ancient than Juba. Job speaks of the Pitdath of Cush; which may confirm their Opinion who make the Topaz to come from the Red Sea; because there was a Country of Cush lying upon the Eastern Shore of this Sea.
Others2 will have it, that the Pitdath signifies an Emerald. Pliny says that the Emerald is of a fine green, and comes out of Ethiopia. The Land of Cush often signifies Plin. l. 37. c. 5.Ethiopia; and Job speaks of the Pitdath of Cush, as observed before. This Stone was the second of the first Row in the Breast-plate, and had the Name of Simeon upon Exod. xxviii. 18.it.
The Septuagint, in Psalm cxix. 127. translate by Topazion the Hebrew Word Pas, or Phaz,3 which rather signifies the purest Gold, the Gold of Phaz; or Pison. Compare Jerem. x. 9. 1 Kings ix. 28. Dan. x. 5. Psalm x. 4. Job xxviii. 17.
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