1 Chronicles 29:2

Onyx, or "emeralds." (Calmet) --- Septuagint, " soom, " form the Hebrew shoham. --- Alabaster. Hebrew puc. (Haydock) --- The dark paint used for the eyes, has the same name, 4 Kings ix. 30., and Jeremias iv. 30. Yet the stibium or stimmi, or alabaster, mentioned by Pliny, ([Natural History?] xxxiii. 6.) was of a sliver colour, but not transparent. The stone here specified was probably alabaster, as it was used for the pavement. There is a very fine species at Damascus, and in Arabia, which was much sought after to decorate buildings. (Calmet) --- Chaldean has "emeralds." Septuagint, "stones of perfection, rich and various, and every precious stone, and much Parion." (Haydock) --- But [in] Isaias liv. 11, they translate the same term, "carbuncle." (Calmet) --- The stone might resemble the agate, which is beautifully shaded with clouds and other fanciful figures. (Tirinus) --- Paros: this is taken from the Septuagint. Hebrew has simply, "and stones of ssiss." (Haydock) --- Whether it denote the isle of Chio, or that of Chitis, in the Red Sea, the former famous for marble, and the latter for topaz; or it may refer to Sais, a city of Egypt, which had most beautiful porphyry. (Pliny, [Natural History?] xxxvi. 7., and xxxvii. 8.) --- But Paros, one of the Cyclades, was most renowned for its white marble. (Pliny xxxvi. 5.) --- Josephus (Jewish Wars vi. 6.) informs us, that the temple was built of large white marble stones; so that it appeared, at a distance, to be covered with snow. (Calmet)