Gold

(1.) Heb. zahab, so called from its yellow colour (Ex. 25:11; 1 Chr. 28:18; 2 Chr. 3:5). (2.) Heb. segor, from its compactness, or as being enclosed or treasured up; thus precious or "fine gold" (1 Kings 6:20; 7:49). (3.) Heb. paz, native or pure gold (Job 28:17; Ps. 19:10; 21:3, etc.). (4.) Heb. betzer, "ore of gold or silver" as dug out of the mine (Job 36:19, where it means simply riches). (5.) Heb. kethem, i.e., something concealed or separated (Job 28:16, 19; Ps. 45:9; Prov. 25:12). Rendered "golden wedge" in Isa. 13:12. (6.) Heb. haruts, i.e., dug out; poetic for gold (Prov. 8:10; 16:16; Zech. 9:3). Gold was known from the earliest times (Gen. 2:11). It was principally used for ornaments (Gen. 24:22). It was very abundant (1 Chr. 22:14; Nah. 2:9; Dan. 3:1). Many tons of it were used in connection with the temple (2 Chr. 1:15). It was found in Arabia, Sheba, and Ophir (1 Kings 9:28; 10:1; Job 28:16), but not in Palestine. In Dan. 2:38, the Babylonian Empire is spoken of as a "head of gold" because of its great riches; and Babylon was called by Isaiah (14:4) the "golden city" (R.V. marg., "exactress," adopting the reading marhebah, instead of the usual word madhebah).

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.