Carbuncle

Carbuncle in the King James Version renders Hebrew words (bareqet and ekdach) denoting brilliant, fiery-red gemstones. The carbuncle (bareqet, probably an emerald or green stone) was the third stone in the first row of the high priest's breastplate (Exodus 28:17; 39:10), inscribed with the name of one of the tribes of Israel. Ezekiel lists it among the precious stones adorning the king of Tyre in his primordial glory (Ezekiel 28:13). Isaiah uses the second term (ekdach) in his vision of the restored Jerusalem, whose gates would be made of sparkling jewels (Isaiah 54:12). The precise identification of these gemstones with modern mineral classifications remains uncertain due to inconsistencies in ancient and medieval translation traditions.