“Amber” in KJV

[Dale]

In the Book of Ezekiel, specifically, the visions of Ezekiel, the word “amber” appears three times in the KJV. Actually it is the “colour of amber” that appears three times.

The original word that the KJV translators translated as “amber” or the “colour of amber” is electrum. More recent translations have found this to be a mistaken rendering. Young’s Literal Translation renders the same word as the “colour of copper.” Young’s Literal Translation was published in the 1860’s, so as long as 160 years ago, scholars realized that electrum has to be rendered as some type of metal. The NIV renders electrum as “glowing metal.”

According to the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, a conservative source:
<< Amber” is undoubtedly a poor rendering, as the Hebrew term means
“polished brass. >>

The context of amber/copper/glowing metal is not trivial. Ezekiel is talking about the appearance of God or the appearance of a mighty angel who shows him great visions. While amber is rare and expensive, it does not imply strength. Polished metal or “glowing metal” does imply strength and power, clearly one point of Ezekiel’s visions of God and His holy angels.

Advocates of the exclusive use of the King James Bible expect us to believe that it avoids the errors that have crept into later versions. All the evidence shows us that there are substantial errors in the KJV which have been corrected in later versions.

 

[Dale]

The verses mentioned above, in three translations:

KJVKing James Version
YLTYoung’s Literal Version
NIVNew International Version

And I looked, and,
behold, a whirlwind came out of the north, a great cloud,
and a fire infolding itself, and a brightness [was] about it,
and out of the midst thereof as the colour of amber, out of​

the midst of the fire.
Ezekiel 1:4 KJV

And I saw as the colour of amber, as the appearance of fire
round about within it, from the appearance of his loins even
upward, and from the appearance of his loins even
downward, I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and it
had brightness round about.​

Ezekiel 1:27 KJV

Then I beheld,
and lo a likeness as the appearance of fire: from the
appearance of his loins even downward, fire; and from his
loins even upward, as the appearance of brightness, as the
colour of amber. {8:3} And he put forth the form of an
hand, and took me by a lock of mine head; and the spirit
lifted me up between the earth and the heaven, and brought
me in the visions of God to Jerusalem, to the door of the
inner gate that looketh toward the north; where [was] the
seat of the image of jealousy, which provoketh to jealousy.​

Ezekiel 8:2-3 KJV

And I look, and lo, a tempestuous wind is coming
from the north, a great cloud, and fire catching itself, and
brightness to it round about, and out of its midst as the colour
of copper, out of the midst of the fire.
Ezekiel 1:4 YLT

And I see as the colour of copper, as
the appearance of fire within it round about, from the
appearance of his loins and upward, and from the appearance
of his loins and downward, I have seen as the appearance of
fire, and brightness [is] to it round about.
Ezekiel 1:27 YLT

...and I look, and lo, a
likeness as the appearance of fire, from the appearance of His
loins and downward—fire, and from His loins and upward,
as the appearance of brightness, as the colour of copper.
Ezekiel 8:2 YLT

I looked, and I saw a windstorm coming out of the north —
an immense cloud with flashing lightning and surrounded by
brilliant light. The centre of the fire looked like glowing
metal … Ezekiel 1:4 NIV

I saw that from what appeared to be his waist up he looked
like glowing metal, as if full of fire, and that from there down
he looked like fire; and brilliant light surrounded him.
Ezekiel 1:27 NIV

I looked, and I saw a figure like that of a man. [Or saw a
fiery figure] From what appeared to be his waist down he
was like fire, and from there up his appearance was as bright
as glowing metal.
He stretched out what looked like a hand and took me by the
hair of my head. The Spirit lifted me up between earth and
heaven and in visions of God he took me to Jerusalem, to the
entrance to the north gate of the inner court, where the idol
that provokes to jealousy stood.
Ezekiel 8:2-3 NIV

 

[Dale]

Another insight or comment on the meaning of electrum in Ezekiel.

“J. N. Darby says in his note on Ezekiel 1:4 that some would suggest that electrum is a kind of shining metal, a mixture of gold and silver. One Jewish version also uses this word electrum. Electrum is a metal that is a mixture of gold and silver. The King James Version renders it as amber because the color of this shining metal is the color of amber. Amber is a color somewhat like the color of gold.”​

--https://www.ministrysamples.org/excerpts/THE-ELECTRUM-1.HTML​

 

[Quentin]

In the Book of Ezekiel, specifically, the visions of Ezekiel, the word “amber” appears three times in the KJV. Actually it is the “colour of amber” that appears three times.

The original word that the KJV translators translated as “amber” or the “colour of amber” is electrum.

Electrum is (naturally occurring) an alloy of gold and silver.

 

[SabbathBlessings]

In the Book of Ezekiel, specifically, the visions of Ezekiel, the word “amber” appears three times in the KJV. Actually it is the “colour of amber” that appears three times.

The original word that the KJV translators translated as “amber” or the “colour of amber” is electrum. More recent translations have found this to be a mistaken rendering. Young’s Literal Translation renders the same word as the “colour of copper.” Young’s Literal Translation was published in the 1860’s, so as long as 160 years ago, scholars realized that electrum has to be rendered as some type of metal. The NIV renders electrum as “glowing metal.”

According to the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, a conservative source:
<< Amber” is undoubtedly a poor rendering, as the Hebrew term means
“polished brass. >>

The context of amber/copper/glowing metal is not trivial. Ezekiel is talking about the appearance of God or the appearance of a mighty angel who shows him great visions. While amber is rare and expensive, it does not imply strength. Polished metal or “glowing metal” does imply strength and power, clearly one point of Ezekiel’s visions of God and His holy angels.

Advocates of the exclusive use of the King James Bible expect us to believe that it avoids the errors that have crept into later versions. All the evidence shows us that there are substantial errors in the KJV which have been corrected in later versions.

I think amber is the Glory of God...

Ezekiel 1:1 Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the River Chebar, that the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God. 2 On the fifth day of the month, which was in the fifth year of King Jehoiachin’s captivity, 3 the word of the Lord came expressly to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the River Chebar; and the hand of the Lord was upon him there. 4 Then I looked, and behold, a whirlwind was coming out of the north, a great cloud with raging fire engulfing itself; and brightness was all around it and radiating out of its midst like the color of amber, out of the midst of the fire.

Ezekiel 8:1 And it came to pass in the sixth year, in the sixth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I sat in my house with the elders of Judah sitting before me, that the hand of the Lord God fell upon me there. 2 Then I looked, and there was a likeness, like the appearance of fire—from the appearance of His waist and downward, fire; and from His waist and upward, like the appearance of brightness, like the color of amber.