Lectionary Calendar
Thursday, November 21st, 2024
the Week of Proper 28 / Ordinary 33
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Coral
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
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kor´al ( ראמות , rā'mōth , פנינים , penı̄nı̄m ): The red coral or precious coral, Corallium rubrum , is confined to the Mediterranean and Adriatic seas. It is the calcareous axis of a branching colony of polyps. It does not form reefs, but occurs in small masses from 40 to 100 fathoms below the surface. It differs totally in structure from the white corals which form coral reefs, belonging to the order of Octactinia or Eight-rayed Polyps, while the reef-building corals belong to the Hexactinia or Six-rayed Polyps.
Rā'mōth , apparently from r. rā'am , "to be high" (compare rūm , "to be high"), occurs in three passages. In Proverbs 24:7 , EVV have "too high": "Wisdom is too high for a fool." In Job 28:12-19 , where various precious things are compared with wisdom, English Versions of the Bible has "coral"(King James Version, margin "Ramoth"). It is mentioned here along with ṣeghōr , "gold" (the Revised Version, margin "treasure"); kethem , "gold of Ophir"; shōham , "onyx" (the Revised Version, margin "beryl"); ṣappı̄r , "sapphire"; zāhābh , "gold"; zekhūkhı̄th , "crystal" (the Revised Version (British and American) "glass"); pāz , "gold"; gābhı̄sh , "pearls" (the Revised Version (British and American) "crystal"); penı̄nı̄m , "rubies" (the Revised Version, margin "red coral" or "pearls"); piṭedhāh , "topaz." While the real meaning of some of these terms is doubtful (see STONES , PRECIOUS ), they all, including rā'mōth , appear to be precious stones or metals. In Ezekiel 27:16 , ה , rā'mōth occurs with nōphekh , "emeralds" (the Revised Version, margin "carbuncles"); 'argāmān , "purple"; riḳmāh , "broidered work"; būc , "fine linen"; kadhkōdh , "agate"(King James Version, margin "chrysoprase," the Revised Version (British and American) "rubies"). Here the context does not require a precious stone or metal, and Vulgate (Jerome's Latin Bible , 390-405 ad) has sericum , i.e. "Chinese material" or "silk." Notwithstanding, therefore, the traditional rendering, "coral," the real meaning of rā'mōth must be admitted to be doubtful.
Penı̄nı̄m (from the root pānan , "to divide up," "to separate"; compare Arabic fanan , "a branch of a tree") occurs in Job 28:18; Proverbs 3:15; Proverbs 8:11; Proverbs 20:15; Proverbs 31:10; Lamentations 4:7 . In all these passages English Versions of the Bible has "rubies" (Job 28:18 , the Revised Version, margin "red coral" or "pearls"; Lamentations 4:7 , the Revised Version, margin "corals"). Everywhere a precious substance is indicated, but nowhere does the context give any light as to the nature of the substance, except in Lamentations 4:7 , where we have the statement that the nobles of Jerusalem "were more ruddy in body" than penı̄nı̄m ̌ . This and the etymology favor a branching red substance such as precious coral. The occurrence of penı̄nı̄m and rā'mōth together in Job 28:18 is, if we give the precedence to penı̄nı̄m , a further argument against rā'mōth meaning "coral."
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Bibliography Information
Orr, James, M.A., D.D. General Editor. Entry for 'Coral'. International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. https://www.studylight.org/encyclopedias/eng/isb/c/coral.html. 1915.
