King James Bible Dictionary

Was known to the Egyptians at a very early period of their national history, at least B.C. 1500. Various articles both useful and ornamental were made of it, as bottles, vases, etc. A glass bottle with the name of Sargon on it was found among the ruins of the north-west palace of Nimroud. The Hebrew word zekukith (Job 28:17), rendered in the Authorized Version "crystal," is rightly rendered in the Revised Version "glass." This is the only allusion to glass found in the Old Testament. It is referred to in the New Testament in Revelation 4:6; 15:2; 21:18, 21. In Job 37:18, the word rendered "looking-glass" is in the Revised Version properly rendered "mirror," formed, i.e., of some metal. (Comp. Exodus 38:8- "looking-glasses" are brazen mirrors, R.V.). A mirror is referred to also in James 1:23.

General references
Job 28:17

Symbolic
Revelation 21:18; Revelation 21:21

Sea of
Revelation 15:2
Mirror

The Hebrew word occurs only in (Job 28:17) where in the Authorized Version it is rendered "crystal." In spite of the absence of specific allusion to glass in the sacred writings, the Hebrews must have been aware of the invention from paintings representing the process of glass-blowing, which have been discovered at Beni-hassan, and in tombs at other places, we know that the invention vas known at least 3500 years ago. Fragments too of wine-vases as old as the exodus have been discovered in Egypt. The art was also known to the ancient Assyrians. In the New Testament glass is alluded to as an emblem of brightness. (Revelation 4:6; 15:2; 21:18)

GL'ASS, noun [Latin glastum; glesid, blueness. Greenness is usually named from vegetation or growing, as Latin viridis, from vireo.]

1. A hard, brittle, transparent, factitious substance, formed by fusing sand with fixed alkalies.

In chimistry, a substance or mixture, earthy, saline or metallic, brought by fusion to the state of a hard, brittle, transparent mass, whose fracture is conchoidal.

2. A glass vessel of any kind; as a drinking glass

3. A mirror; a looking-glass.

4. A vessel to be filled with sand for measuring time; as an hour-glass.

5. The destined time of man's life. His glass is run.

6. The quantity of liquor that a glass vessel contains. Drink a glass of wine with me.

7. A vessel that shows the weight of the air.

8. A perspective glass; as an optic glass

9. The time which a glass runs, or in which it is exhausted of sand. The seamen's watch-glass is half an hour. We say, a ship fought three glasses.

10. Glasses, in the plural, spectacles.

GL'ASS, adjective Made of glass; vitreous; as a glass bottle.

GL'ASS, verb transitive To see as in a glass [Not used.]

1. To case in glass [Little used.]

2. To cover with glass; to glaze.

[In the latter sense, glaze is generally used.]

GL'ASSBLOWER, noun One whose business is to blow and fashion glass.

GL'ASSFULL, noun As much as a glass holds.

GL'ASSFURNACE, noun A furnace in which the materials of glass are melted.

GL'ASS-GAZING, adjective Addicted to viewing one's self in a glass or mirror; finical.

GL'ASSGRINDER, noun One whose occupation is to grind and polish glass.

GL'ASSHOUSE, noun A house where glass is made.

GL'ASSINESS, noun The quality of being glassy or smooth; a vitreous appearance.

GL'ASSLIKE, adjective Resembling glass.

GL'ASSMAN, noun One who sells glass.

GL'ASSMETAL, noun Glass in fusion.

GL'ASSPOT, noun A vessel used for melting glass in manufactories.

GL'ASSWORK, noun Manufacture of glass.

GL'ASSWORKS, noun plural The place or buildings where glass is made.

GL'ASSWORT, noun A plant, the Salsola, of several species, all which may be used in the manufacture of glass. The Barilla of commerce, is the semifused ashes of the Salsola soda, which is largely cultivated on the Mediterranean in Spain.

GL'ASSY, adjective Made of glass; vitreous; as a glassy substance.

1. Resembling glass in its properties, as in smoothness, brittleness, or transparency; as a glassy stream; a glassy surface; the glassy deep.