Precious Stones of Sacred Scripture

Exodus 28:15-21 And thou shalt make the rational of judgment with embroidered work of divers colours, according to the workmanship of the ephod, of gold, violet, and purple, and scarlet twice dyed, and fine twisted linen. It shall be four square and doubled: it shall be the measure of a span both in length and in breadth. And thou shalt set in it four rows of stones. In the first row shall be a sardius stone, and a topaz, and an emerald: In the second a carbuncle, a sapphire, and a jasper: In the third a ligurius, an agate, and an amethyst: In the fourth a chrysolite, an onyx, and a beryl. They shall be set in gold by their rows. And they shall have the names of the children of Israel: with twelve names shall they be engraved, each stone with the name of one according to the twelve tribes. Jewish Encyclopedia: The vestments of the high priest were interpreted in three ways. The explanation of Philo is as follows ("Vita Mosis," iii. 209): His upper garment was the symbol of the ether, while the blossoms represented the earth, the pomegranates typified running water, and the bells denoted the music of  the water. The ephod corresponded to heaven, and the stones on both shoulders to the two hemispheres, one above and the other below the earth. The six names on each of the stones were the six signs of the zodiac, which were denoted also by the twelve names on the breastplate. The miter was the sign of the crown which exalted the high priest above all earthly kings.  Josephus' explanation is this ("Ant." iii. 7, § 7): The coat was the symbol of the earth, the upper garment emblemized heaven, while the bells and pomegranates represented thunder and lightning. The ephod typified the four elements, and the interwoven gold denoted the glory of God. The breastplate was in the center of the ephod, as the earth formed the center of the universe; the girdle symbolized the ocean, the stones on the shoulders the sun and moon, and the jewels in the breastplate the twelve signs of the zodiac, while the miter was a token of heaven. St. Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica: According to some, the literal reason for these vestments was that they denoted the disposition of the terrestrial globe; as though the high-priest confessed himself to be the minister of the Creator of the world, wherefore it is written (Wis. 18:24): "In the robe" of Aaron "was the whole world" described. For the linen breeches signified the earth out of which the flax grows. The surrounding belt signified the ocean which surrounds the earth. The violet tunic denoted the air by its color: its little bells betoken the thunder; the pomegranates, the lightning. The ephod, by its many colors, signified the starry heaven; the two onyx stones denoted the two hemispheres, or the sun and moon. The twelve precious stones on the breast are the twelve signs of the zodiac: and they are said to have been placed on the rational because in heaven, are the types [rationes] of earthly things, according to Job 38:33: "Dost thou know the order of heaven, and canst thou set down the reason [rationem] thereof on the earth?" The turban or tiara signified the empyrean: the golden plate was a token of God, the governor of the universe. In St. John the Divine's vision of the Heavenly Jerusalem, the City stood on a foundation of 12 stones, each correlating with one of the stones of the breast plate. The stones, though, are in a different order -- with the last stone of the breastplate (the stone associated with the tribe of Benjamin) listed first. Apocalypse 21:19-21 And the foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper: the second, sapphire: the third; a chalcedony: the fourth, an emerald: The fifth, sardonyx: the sixth, sardius: the seventh, chrysolite: the eighth, beryl: the ninth, a topaz: the tenth, a chrysoprasus: the eleventh, a jacinth: the twelfth, an amethyst. And the twelve gates are twelve pearls, one to each: and every several gate was of one several pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, as it were, transparent glass. The true identity of these stones is a fascinating matter -- but one in much dispute due to the ancients' not having precise names for the various rocks and minerals. Below is a table which indicates the names of the stones as given in different texts, and "best guesses" as to their modern identities according to the Catholic and Jewish Encyclopediae.

Key:
BP: Breast Plate
FS: Foundation Stone 
DR: Douay-Rheims
KJV: King James Version
NIV: New International Version
NASB: New American Standard Bible
CE: Catholic Encyclopedia, 1905-1917
JE: Jewish Encyclopedia, 1901-1906
 

BP	FS	Hebrew acc. to CE (and JE)	Septuagint	Josephus	Vulgate	DR	KJV	NIV	NASB	CE	JE
1	6	Arm	Sardion	Sardonyx	Sardius	Sardius	Sardius	Ruby	Ruby	Red Carnelian, a species of Chalcedony	Sard or Blood red Jasper
2	9	Ghtrh (JE: Ptdh)	Topazion	Topaz	Topazius	Topaz	Topaz	Topaz	Topaz	Chrysolite	Chrysolite or Topaz
3	4	Brqm (JE: Yhlm)	Smaragdos	Smaragdos	Smaragdus	Emerald	Carbuncle	Beryl	Emerald	Emerald	Rock Crystal
4	3	Gphr (JE: Nfk)	Anthrax	Anthrax	Carbunculus	Chalcedony	Emerald	Turqoise	Turquoise	Oriental Ruby	Garnet or Emerald
5	2	Mghry	Sappheiron	Sappheiros	Sapphirus	Sapphire	Sapphire	Sapphire	Sapphire	Lapis lazuli or Sapphire	Lapis lazuli or Sapphire
6	8	Yhlm (JE: Yshphh)	Onychion	Beryllos	Beryllus	Beryl	Diamond	Emerald	Diamond	Beryl, Emerald, or Aquamarine	Opaque stone of green color
7	11	lshm	Ligurion	Liguros	Ligurius	Jacinth/ Ligurius	Ligure	Jacinth	Jacinth	Crimson, red, or orange zircon	Amber or Jacinth
8	10	Shbw	Achates	Achates	Achates	Agate/ Chrysoprasus	Agate	Agate	Agate	Agate	Agate
9	12	Ahlmh	Amethystos	Amethystos	Amethystus	Amethyst	Amethyst	Amethys t	Amethyst	Amethyst	Amethyst
10	7	Trshysh	Chrysolithos	Chrysolithos	Chrysolithus	Chrysolite	Beryl	Chrysolite	Beryl	Topaz	Beryl
11	5	Shhm	Beryllion	Onyx	Onychinus	Onyx/Sardonyx	Onyx	Onyx	Onyx	Onyx, quartz	Malachite
12	1	Yshphh	Iaspis	Iaepis	Iaspis	Jasper	Jasper	Jasper	Jasper	Jasper	Ring-stone

Each of the breastplate stones had a name of one of the 12 Tribes of Israel engraved on it, and each, as the writings of St. Thomas Aquinas indicate, is associated with one of the Mazzaroth (Signs of the Zodiac). Though I've seen endless variations as to which Zodiac sign goes with what Tribe, I list those mentioned in Bullinger's "The Witness of the Stars" (1893). At any rate, in the days of the early Church, Andreas of Cappadocia Caesarea (A.D. 431-506) associated each of foundation stones with one of the Apostles, including Paul, but omitting James the Greater, and, naturally, replacing the original Judas with Matthias. I don't vouch for the quality of the information in this last column as I've been unable to find his writings for myself, but include what I've found in various internet sources. (Note that sometimes the Tribe of Joseph is not counted, and the Tribe of Levi is often not counted as a separate Tribe. Instead, the Tribes headed by Joseph's sons, Mannaseh and Ephraim, are counted).

Key:
After Tribes' names:
(R) born of Rachel
(L) born of Lia (Leah)
(B) born of Bala (Bilhah), Rachel's handmaid
(Z) born of Zelpha (Zilpah), Lia's handmaid

BP	FS	Vulgate	Douay-Rheims	CE	Tribe	Tribal Symbol (Zodiac Sign)	Apostle
1	6	Sardius	Sardius	Carnelian, a species of Chalcedony	Ruben (Reuben) (L)	Mandrake (Aquarius)	Philip
2	9	Topazius	Topaz	Chrysolite	Simeon (L)	City of Schechem (Pisces)	Matthew
3	4	Smaragdus	Emerald	Emerald	Levi (L)	Urim and Thummim (Libra)	John
4	3	Carbunculus	Chalcedony	Oriental Ruby	Juda (Judah) (L)	Lion (Leo)	Andrew
5	2	Sapphirus	Sapphire	Lapis lazuli or Sapphire	Zabulon (L)	Ship (Virgo)	Paul
6	8	Beryllus	Beryl	Beryl, Emerald, or Aquamarine	Issachar (L)	Sun and moon (Cancer)	Thomas
7	11	Ligurius	Jacinth/Ligurius	Crimson, red, or orange zircon	Dan (B)	Eagle or serpent (Scorpio)	Simon
8	10	Achates	Agate/Chrysoprasus	Agate	Gad (Z)	Camp (Aries)	Jude
9	12	Amethystus	Amethyst	Amethyst	Aser (Asher) (Z)	Female figure and olive-tree (Sagittarius)	Matthias
10	7	Chrysolithus	Chrysolite	Topaz	Nephtali (Napthali) (B)	Deer, stag (Capricornus)	Bartholomew
11	5	Onychinus	Sardonyx	Onyx, quartz	Joseph (R) (Menasseh and Ephraim) NT: Joseph and Menasseh; Dan omitted Note: Manasses (Menasseh) and Ephraim were Joseph's sons	Joseph: Egypt; sheaf of wheat Ephraim: Ox (Taurus) Menasseh: Unicorn; arrows and olive branch (Taurus)	James the Less
12	1	Iaspis	Jasper	Jasper	Benjamin (R)	Wolf (Gemini)	Peter