HYACINTH

(hyʹa·cinth) [Gr., hy·aʹkin·thos].

A deep-blue semiprecious stone; primarily the word referred to the flower by that name, probably describing the dark-blue iris. At Revelation chapter 21 the New Jerusalem is described as seen by the apostle John in vision. The eleventh of its foundation stones is said to be hyacinth (vs. 20).

Hyacinth blue (hyacinthine) is one of the colors of the breastplates in the description of the heavenly armies of cavalry, at Revelation 9:16, 17. The breastplates spoken of were probably those worn by the riders of the horses. Fire-red and sulphur are mentioned as the other two breastplate colors. In view of the later statement that the horses breathed out fire, smoke and sulphur, the hyacinth blue may represent the darkness of smoke, which, along with fire and sulphur, may be destructive to life.