The Bible mentions gemstones many times throughout its pages, but two of the most notable appearances are found in the breastplate of the High Priest and in the foundational walls of the New Jerusalem.
Over time and through translation, the identification of certain gemstones has become uncertain, as many ancient stones were described using words that referred to color, brilliance, or beauty rather than precise mineral classifications. The stones featured in this article are those named directly in the scriptures of the Holy Bible, New Living Translation (NLT).
According to the book of Book of Exodus, the hoshen was a sacred breastplate worn by Aaron, brother of Moses and the first High Priest of the Israelites. The breastplate was part of the ephod, a priestly garment worn during sacred rituals and when seeking divine guidance.
The breastplate featured twelve gemstones arranged in a square pattern of four rows with three stones each. It was sometimes referred to as the “breastplate of judgment,” as it was associated with discerning God’s will. Each gemstone was made from a different material and represented one of the twelve tribes of Israel, with the name of that tribe engraved on the stone.
The Urim and Thummim were placed inside the breastplate so that Aaron would carry them over his heart whenever he entered the Lord’s presence. While their exact nature remains unknown, scholars have speculated that they may have been small, flat objects, possibly made of stone, bone, or wood, used in the process of seeking divine decisions. The word Urim means “lights,” and Thummim means “perfections” or “completeness.”
By wearing the breastplate, Aaron symbolically carried both the tribes of Israel and the means of discerning God’s will close to his heart whenever he went before the Lord.
Exodus 28:9-21
9 “Take two onyx stones, and engrave on them the names of the tribes of Israel. 10 Six names will be on each stone, arranged in the order of the births of the original sons of Israel. 11 Engrave these names on the two stones in the same way a jeweler engraves a seal. Then mount the stones in settings of gold filigree. 12 Fasten the two stones on the shoulder-pieces of the ephod as a reminder that Aaron represents the people of Israel. Aaron will carry these names on his shoulders as a constant reminder whenever he goes before the Lord. 13 Make the settings of gold filigree, 14 then braid two cords of pure gold and attach them to the filigree settings on the shoulders of the ephod.
15 “Then, with great skill and care, make a chest piece to be worn for seeking a decision from God. Make it to match the ephod, using finely woven linen embroidered with gold and with blue, purple, and scarlet thread. 16 Make the chest piece of a single piece of cloth folded to form a pouch nine inches square. 17 Mount four rows of gemstones on it. The first row will contain a red carnelian, a pale-green peridot, and an emerald. 18 The second row will contain a turquoise, a blue lapis lazuli, and a white moonstone. 19 The third row will contain an orange jacinth, an agate, and a purple amethyst. 20 The fourth row will contain a blue-green beryl, an onyx, and a green jasper. All these stones will be set in gold filigree. 21 Each stone will represent one of the twelve sons of Israel, and the name of that tribe will be engraved on it like a seal.
The twelve stones of the breastplate were considered among the most precious by the Israelites. At the time of the Exodus, Egypt was a land of great wealth, and the Israelites left it carrying silver, gold, clothing, and precious objects, as recorded in Exodus 3:22 and 12:35–36.
In the New Testament, one of the seven angels shows John the Apostle a vision of the new heaven and new earth, where God dwells among His people in the holy city known as the New Jerusalem. This vision is described in Revelation as a city of extraordinary beauty, constructed of pure gold and adorned with precious stones.
The city’s wall is made of jasper, while its foundations are decorated with twelve different gemstones. The gates are formed from single pearls, and the streets are made of pure gold, clear as glass.
Revelation 21:18-21
18 The wall was made of jasper, and the city was pure gold, as clear as glass. 19 The wall of the city was built on foundation stones inlaid with twelve precious stones: the first was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, 20 the fifth onyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst.
21 The twelve gates were made of pearls—each gate from a single pearl! And the main street was pure gold, as clear as glass.
Throughout history, gemstones have held deep meaning across cultures, serving as symbols of beauty, authority, remembrance, and devotion. Within Christian tradition in particular, gemstones have often been understood not as objects of power, but as visible reminders of spiritual truths, God’s glory, divine order, and the value placed on His people.
From the breastplate of the High Priest to the jeweled foundations of the New Jerusalem, gemstones in Scripture consistently appear in sacred contexts. They are associated with holiness, covenant, and God’s dwelling among humanity. This symbolism carried forward into later Christian history, where gemstones were used in church architecture, illuminated manuscripts, reliquaries, and sacred art to reflect the splendor of heaven and the majesty of God.
For many believers, gemstones have also served as personal symbols of faith, representing virtues such as purity, wisdom, endurance, and hope. While interpretations vary across time and tradition, their enduring presence reflects humanity’s desire to express the unseen through the visible, and the eternal through the material.
In this way, gemstones remain not only remnants of biblical imagery, but symbols of reverence, beauty, and spiritual reflection.
