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kor´al (ר×מות, raÌ„'moÌ„th, ×¤× ×™× ×™×, 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.
RaÌ„'moÌ„th, apparently from r. raÌ„'am, “to be high†(compare ruÌ„m, “to be highâ€), occurs in three passages. In , EVV have “too highâ€: “Wisdom is too high for a fool.†In -19, where various precious things are compared with wisdom, English Versions of the Bible has “coralâ€(King James Version, margin “Ramothâ€). It is mentioned here along with sÌ£eghoÌ„r, “gold†(the Revised Version, margin “treasureâ€); kethem, “gold of Ophirâ€; shoÌ„ham, “onyx†(the Revised Version, margin “berylâ€); sÌ£appı̄r, “sapphireâ€; zaÌ„haÌ„bh, “goldâ€; zekhuÌ„khı̄th, “crystal†(the Revised Version (British and American) “glassâ€); paÌ„z, “goldâ€; gaÌ„bhı̄sh, “pearls†(the Revised Version (British and American) “crystalâ€); penı̄nı̄m, “rubies†(the Revised Version, margin “red coral†or “pearlsâ€); pitÌ£edhaÌ„h, “topaz.†While the real meaning of some of these terms is doubtful (see STONES, PRECIOUS), they all, including raÌ„'moÌ„th, appear to be precious stones or metals. In , ×”, raÌ„'moÌ„th occurs with noÌ„phekh, “emeralds†(the Revised Version, margin “carbunclesâ€); 'argaÌ„maÌ„n, “purpleâ€; rikÌ£maÌ„h, “broidered workâ€; buÌ„c, “fine linenâ€; kadhkoÌ„dh, “agateâ€(King James Version, margin “chrysoprase,†the Revised Version (British and American) “rubiesâ€). 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 raÌ„'moÌ„th must be admitted to be doubtful.
Penı̄nı̄m (from the root paÌ„nan, “to divide up,†“to separateâ€; compare Arabic fanan, “a branch of a treeâ€) occurs in ; ; ; ; ; . In all these passages English Versions of the Bible has “rubies†(, the Revised Version, margin “red coral†or “pearlsâ€; , the Revised Version, margin “coralsâ€). Everywhere a precious substance is indicated, but nowhere does the context give any light as to the nature of the substance, except in , where we have the statement that the nobles of Jerusalem “were more ruddy in body†than penı̄nı̄mÌŒ. This and the etymology favor a branching red substance such as precious coral. The occurrence of penı̄nı̄m and raÌ„'moÌ„th together in is, if we give the precedence to penı̄nı̄m, a further argument against raÌ„'moÌ„th meaning “coral.â€