זהב, Gen. xxiv, 22, and very frequently in all other parts of the
Old Testament; χρυσος, Matt. xxiii, 16, 17, &c; the most perfect and
valuable of the metals. In Job xxviii, 15–18, 19, gold is mentioned five
times, and four of the words are different in the original: 1. סגור,
which may mean “gold in the mine,” or “shut up,” as the root signifies,
“in the ore.” 2. כתם, _kethem_, from כתם, _catham_, “to sign,” “seal,”
or “stamp;” gold made current by being coined; standard gold, exhibiting
the stamp expressive of its value. 3. זהב, wrought gold, pure, highly
polished gold. 4. פז, denoting solidity, compactness, and strength;
probably gold formed into different kinds of plate, or vessels. Jerom,
in his comment on Jer. x, 9, writes “_Septem dominibus apud Hebræos
appellatur aurum_.” The seven names, which he does not mention, are as
follows, and thus distinguished by the Hebrews: 1. _Zahab_, gold in
general. 2. _Zahab tob_, good gold, of a more valuable kind, Gen. ii,
12. 3. _Zahab Ophir_, gold of Ophir, 1 Kings ix, 28, such as was brought
by the navy of Solomon. 4. _Zahab muphaz_, solid gold, pure, wrought
gold, translated, 1 Kings x, 18, “the best gold.” 5. _Zahab shachut_,
beaten gold, 2 Chron. ix, 15. 6. _Zahab segor_, shut up gold; either as
mentioned above, gold in the ore, or as the rabbins explain it, “gold
shut up in the treasuries,” gold in bullion. 7. _Zahab parvaim_, 2
Chron. iii, 6. To these Buxtorf adds three others: 1. כתם, pure gold of
the circulating medium. 2. לצר, gold in the treasury. 3. חרצז, choice,
fine gold. Arabia had formerly its golden mines. “The gold of Sheba,”
Psalm lxxii, 15, is, in the Septuagint and Arabic versions, “the gold of
Arabia.” Sheba was the ancient name of Arabia Felix. Mr. Bruce, however,
places it in Africa, at Azab. The gold of Ophir, so often mentioned,
must be that which was procured in Arabia, on the coast of the Red Sea.
We are assured by Sanchoniathon, as quoted by Eusebius, and by
Herodotus, that the Phenicians carried on a considerable traffic with
this gold even before the days of Job, who speaks of it, xxii, 24.
Old Testament; χρυσος, Matt. xxiii, 16, 17, &c; the most perfect and
valuable of the metals. In Job xxviii, 15–18, 19, gold is mentioned five
times, and four of the words are different in the original: 1. סגור,
which may mean “gold in the mine,” or “shut up,” as the root signifies,
“in the ore.” 2. כתם, _kethem_, from כתם, _catham_, “to sign,” “seal,”
or “stamp;” gold made current by being coined; standard gold, exhibiting
the stamp expressive of its value. 3. זהב, wrought gold, pure, highly
polished gold. 4. פז, denoting solidity, compactness, and strength;
probably gold formed into different kinds of plate, or vessels. Jerom,
in his comment on Jer. x, 9, writes “_Septem dominibus apud Hebræos
appellatur aurum_.” The seven names, which he does not mention, are as
follows, and thus distinguished by the Hebrews: 1. _Zahab_, gold in
general. 2. _Zahab tob_, good gold, of a more valuable kind, Gen. ii,
12. 3. _Zahab Ophir_, gold of Ophir, 1 Kings ix, 28, such as was brought
by the navy of Solomon. 4. _Zahab muphaz_, solid gold, pure, wrought
gold, translated, 1 Kings x, 18, “the best gold.” 5. _Zahab shachut_,
beaten gold, 2 Chron. ix, 15. 6. _Zahab segor_, shut up gold; either as
mentioned above, gold in the ore, or as the rabbins explain it, “gold
shut up in the treasuries,” gold in bullion. 7. _Zahab parvaim_, 2
Chron. iii, 6. To these Buxtorf adds three others: 1. כתם, pure gold of
the circulating medium. 2. לצר, gold in the treasury. 3. חרצז, choice,
fine gold. Arabia had formerly its golden mines. “The gold of Sheba,”
Psalm lxxii, 15, is, in the Septuagint and Arabic versions, “the gold of
Arabia.” Sheba was the ancient name of Arabia Felix. Mr. Bruce, however,
places it in Africa, at Azab. The gold of Ophir, so often mentioned,
must be that which was procured in Arabia, on the coast of the Red Sea.
We are assured by Sanchoniathon, as quoted by Eusebius, and by
Herodotus, that the Phenicians carried on a considerable traffic with
this gold even before the days of Job, who speaks of it, xxii, 24.