The Twelve Stones Collection: Emerald – The Third Stone, The Stone of Levi
Share
“You shall set in it four rows of stones; a row of sardius, chrysolite and emerald shall be the first row.” — Exodus 28:17
There is something about emerald that has captivated humanity for thousands of years.
Its deep, living green seems to hold something of the natural world within it — forests, new leaves, growing things, hidden gardens and the promise of life returning after winter.
But within the Twelve Stones Collection, Emerald carries another layer of meaning.
It is the third stone of the High Priest's breastplate, associated in this tradition with the Tribe of Levi.
Its Hebrew name is Bareqet (בָּרֶקֶת) — a word associated with flashing, shining or sparkling light.
And perhaps that is where the story of Emerald begins.
Not simply with green.
But with light, presence and the promise of something eternal.
The Third Stone: Bareqet
The Hebrew word Bareqet comes from a root associated with brightness and flashes of light.
The ancient Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures, known as the Septuagint, translates the word with smaragdos, the word from which our modern word emerald ultimately developed.
There is some uncertainty around the exact identity of the ancient stones named in Exodus. Biblical gemstone names cannot always be matched precisely with the minerals recognised by modern gemology today.
For this collection, however, Bareqet is understood as Emerald — the brilliant green gemstone that has carried an extraordinary history of beauty, mystery and symbolism.
What I particularly love about the Hebrew name is the imagery contained within it.
A stone associated with light.
A stone that catches the light.
A stone whose beauty seems to awaken when light enters it.
It makes me think of the way something hidden can suddenly become visible when light touches it.
The Stone of Levi
Emerald was the third stone in the first row of the breastplate, corresponding in this tradition with Levi, the third son of Jacob and Leah.
When Leah gave birth to Levi, she said:
“Now this time my husband will become attached to me.” — Genesis 29:34
She therefore named him Levi, a name connected with the idea of being joined, attached or united.
That theme of connection became woven through the story of his descendants. The tribe of Levi was later set apart for service to God and the sanctuary, with the Levites caring for the Tabernacle and its worship, while Aaron and his descendants from within the tribe were given the priestly office.
There is something beautiful in this progression:
Levi — joined.
Levi — set apart.
Levi — drawn near.
Levi — serving in the presence of God.
And then we find his name represented by a stone resting on the breastplate of the High Priest — carried over the heart whenever the priest entered God's presence.
The Emerald of Levi therefore becomes part of a beautiful picture of belonging, connection and nearness.
To be joined.
To be remembered.
To be carried close to the heart.
To draw near to God.
Emerald in the Bible
Emerald appears in several significant biblical passages, creating a fascinating thread that stretches from the High Priest's breastplate, to the throne of God, to the New Jerusalem.
The High Priest's Breastplate
The clearest connection for this collection is the breastplate of the High Priest.
Exodus 28 describes twelve precious stones arranged in four rows, with Bareqet — understood here as Emerald — appearing as the third stone of the first row.
Each stone represented one of the twelve tribes of Israel.
The High Priest therefore carried the names of the tribes over his heart whenever he entered God's presence.
Emerald, representing Levi, becomes part of this powerful picture of God remembering His people and carrying them close.
The Foundations of the New Jerusalem
Then, right at the other end of the biblical story, we encounter another remarkable collection of twelve precious stones.
In Revelation 21, John is shown the New Jerusalem, the holy city coming down from heaven. Its foundations are described as being adorned with twelve different precious stones.
The fourth foundation is described as emerald:
“The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald...” — Revelation 21:19
The twelve foundation stones are another beautiful echo of the twelve stones of the High Priest's breastplate.
The story begins with twelve stones representing the twelve tribes of Israel, carried over the heart of the High Priest as he entered the presence of God.
And in Revelation, the story reaches towards its fulfilment in a heavenly city whose foundations are adorned with twelve precious stones.
There is something profoundly beautiful about that progression.
Twelve stones.
Twelve tribes.
Twelve foundations.
A people brought into the presence of God.
And Emerald has a place in both stories.
The Throne of God
There is yet another extraordinary Emerald connection in Revelation.
Before John sees the New Jerusalem, he is given a vision of the throne of God.
He sees One seated upon the throne, and around it is a rainbow:
“a rainbow that gleamed like an emerald encircled the throne.” — Revelation 4:3
The image is breathtaking.
The throne of God is encircled by something resembling the green radiance of Emerald.
The rainbow itself already carries deep biblical significance. After the flood, God placed the rainbow in the clouds as a sign of His covenant with creation and His promise.
Now, in John's heavenly vision, a rainbow surrounds the throne.
And it has the appearance of Emerald.
So within Revelation, Emerald appears both around the throne of God and among the foundations of the New Jerusalem.
The stone that began this journey on the breastplate of the High Priest — carried close to the heart — appears again in John's vision of God's eternal kingdom.
From the earthly Tabernacle...
To the throne of heaven...
To the foundations of the New Jerusalem...
Emerald becomes part of a remarkable biblical picture of God's presence, covenant, beauty and the restoration of all things.
A Stone of Ancient Egypt
Long before emerald became a modern jewellery favourite, it was treasured by ancient civilisations.
Some of the oldest known emerald workings are found in Egypt, in the Eastern Desert near what is now known as Wadi Sikait. Archaeological evidence suggests the mines were worked intermittently as early as around 500 BC, with more extensive mining taking place during the Roman period. The Romans called the region Mons Smaragdus — the Emerald Mountains.
These became popularly known as Cleopatra's Mines, because of Cleopatra's famous association with emeralds and their importance in ancient Egyptian culture.
The ancient Egyptian emeralds were generally quite different from the vivid transparent gems we might picture today. Many were opaque or translucent and were sometimes used in their natural form, polished as cabochons or made into beads, which is how I prefer to use them in my jewellery.
Yet their beauty and symbolism were already valued thousands of years ago.
Green held powerful associations in ancient Egypt with vegetation, regeneration and life, making emerald a particularly fitting stone for a culture deeply connected with the cycles of the natural world.
It is fascinating that this same colour still instinctively speaks to us of life, growth and renewal today.
From Egypt to Colombia
Today, when many people picture a fine emerald, they may think of Colombia.
Colombian emeralds have been treasured for centuries and are renowned throughout the world for their beautiful colour.
Long before European arrival, Indigenous peoples of the region were already using emeralds in jewellery and ceremonial objects.
When Spanish conquistadors encountered the emeralds of the New World in the sixteenth century, the stones quickly became part of international trade.
The story of Emerald is therefore remarkably global.
From ancient Egypt...
To the civilisations of South America...
To European royal collections...
And eventually into the jewellery boxes of people all over the world.
The Living Stone
Scientifically, emerald is the green variety of beryl, a mineral with the chemical formula Be₃Al₂Si₆O₁₈.
Its characteristic green colour comes from tiny amounts of elements such as chromium and/or vanadium within the crystal structure.
Emerald has a hardness of approximately 7.5–8 on the Mohs scale.
One of the fascinating things about natural emeralds is that they commonly contain inclusions.
Gemologists sometimes affectionately refer to the internal garden-like inclusions of emerald as jardin, from the French word for garden.
I love this description.
Because when you look closely into a natural emerald, you may find a tiny world within the stone — little fractures, minerals and patterns created during its formation.
Rather than making the stone less beautiful, these natural characteristics can become part of its identity.
A garden within a stone.
Hidden beauty revealed by looking closer.
Light and Frequency
There is also an interesting scientific connection between Emerald's green colour and light.
The green wavelengths that our eyes perceive correspond to electromagnetic frequencies in the hundreds of terahertz — enormously higher than the sound frequencies measured in hertz.
The green colour of emerald is connected to a measurable frequency of light.
Green light falls roughly within the frequency range of 526–606 terahertz.
So when the Emerald is spoken of as a stone of green light, there is a beautiful scientific reality underneath the symbolism.
It really is interacting with light.
And its colour really is part of the electromagnetic spectrum.
Traditional Metaphysical Associations
Emerald has accumulated a rich collection of metaphysical traditions throughout history.
Different cultures have associated it with:
- Love and compassion
- Harmony and emotional balance
- Renewal and new beginnings
- Abundance and flourishing
- Wisdom and discernment
- Truth
- Protection
- Fertility and life
- Spiritual growth
- Connection and the heart
These are historical and metaphysical beliefs rather than scientifically established properties.
Yet I find it fascinating how many of these traditional associations return to themes already present in the biblical story:
life, truth, wisdom, connection, beauty and renewal.
Emerald: A Stone of Living Light
When I look at Emerald, I see something living.
Not because the stone itself is living, but because its colour reminds us of the living world all around us.
Leaves unfolding.
Vines climbing.
Gardens growing.
Seeds breaking open.
Life returning after winter.
And perhaps this is why Emerald feels so at home within the story of Levi.
Joined.
Connected.
Drawn near.
Set apart.
Carried over the heart.
The third stone of the breastplate becomes more than an ancient gemstone.
It becomes an invitation to draw near to Yahweh, to remember that we belong, and to allow His light to reveal the beauty within us.
Sometimes beauty is hidden deep within.
Sometimes it takes light to reveal it.
And sometimes the greatest invitation is simply this:
Draw near.
Be joined.
Let yourself be carried close to the heart of God.
The Emerald used in the Twelve Stones Collection is part of my ongoing exploration of the ancient stones described in Scripture. As with the other stones in this collection, there are different scholarly interpretations regarding the identity and meaning of the original biblical gemstones. My understanding has been shaped by Scripture, Hebrew word studies, historical research, prayer and the teachings that have guided this collection. I offer these reflections not as the final word, but as an invitation to explore the ancient pathways for yourself — with curiosity, wonder and an open heart.
Wear what is ancient and alive.