Chapter 5

Judges, would read: “Asher remained on the seashore and abode near his bays.”

In all these Biblical allusions to the tribe of Asher there is nothing out of harmony with the sign Capricorn; in fact, in every line the connection is clearly marked.

The tenth stone in the Breastplate is the Serpentine and on it was engraved the tribe Naphtali.

=The Eleventh Stone of the Breastplate=

For reasons stated the Sapir is placed in the eleventh division of the Breastplate instead of the SHOHAM, and we thus have complete harmony between the eleventh sign of the zodiac, Aquarius, the eleventh division of the Breastplate and the Sapir stone which is translated as Sapphire in the Hebrew Bible, the Authorized Version, the Vulgate; as Lapis Lazuli or Sapphire by Mr. Wodiska; and as Lapis Lazuli by Dr. Hirsch, Rev. J. R. Dummelow, and others. The Targums indicate a stone of blue colour, and that this is the Lapis Lazuli there is no reason to doubt. In ancient times the Lapis Lazuli was termed SAPPHIRUS; Pliny describes it accurately as “opaque, sprinkled with specks of gold,” and many antique intagli in this stone have been found. The Lapis Lazuli was a very highly esteemed stone amongst the old world peoples, who called it “The Stone of Heaven,” “The Gem of the Stars,” and the Zemech Stone connected with all things heavenly. Traditionally it is the stone on which was engraved the law of Moses. In a quabalistic “Piut” is written: “O, how dreadful is the place of the heavenly abode; for there the light dwelleth with him: and above the firmament is a precious stone, as the appearance of the Sapphire stone which forms the glorious throne, and thereon He who is clothed with light is seated.” A close translation of Ezekiel 1. 26, reads: “And above, the vault that was over their head was like the appearance of a sapphire stone, the likeness of a throne: and upon the likeness of the throne was a likeness as the appearance of a man above it.”