Some confusion has also arisen with respect to the Hebrew name of the magnet. Sir W. Snow Harris makes the following statement (_Magnetism_, p. 5): "In the Talmud it [the loadstone] is termed _achzhàb'th_, the stone which attracts; and in their ancient prayers it has the European name _magn[=e]s_." On this point Dr. A. Löwy has furnisht the following notes. The loadstone is termed in one of the Talmudical sections and in the Midrash, _Eben Shoebeth_ (lapis attrahens). This would of course be written [Hebrew: 'BN SHW'BT]. Omitting the [Hebrew: W] which marks the participial construction, the words would stand thus: [Hebrew: 'BN SH'BT] A person referring to Buxtorf's _Lexicon_ Talmudicum would in the index look out for "Lapis magnesius," or for "magnes." He would then, in the first instance, be referred to the two words already quoted. Not knowing the value of the letters of the Hebrew alphabet, he reads [Hebrew: 'BN SH'BT] thus: [Hebrew: 'KZSH'BT] achzhab'th. It is true that Buxtorf has inserted in his _Lexicon_ the vocable [Hebrew: MAGNIYSEIS], "corruptum ex gr. [Greek: magnês, magnêtês, magnêtis], named after the Asiatic city Magnesia." He goes on to say, "Inde Achilles Statius istum lapidem vocavit [Greek: magnêsian lithon]. Hinc [Hebrew: 'BN HMGNJSS CHMSHWK HBRZL]. Lapis Magnesius trahit ferrum." Here he quotes from (Sepher) Ikkarem IV., cap. 35.
Kircher, in his _Magnes, sive de Arte magnetica_ (Coloniæ, 1643), gives several other references to Hebrew literature. Others have supposed that the word [Hebrew: CHLMYSH] _khallamish_, which signifies pebble, rock, or hard rock, to be used for the magnet.
As to the other Greek name, [Greek: sidêritis], or [Greek: lithos sidêritis] this was given not only to the loadstone but also to non-magnetic iron. In the _Etymologicum magnum_ (under the word [Greek: magnêtis]), and in Photius (_Quæst. amphiloch._, q. 131), it is stated that the name _sideritis_ was given to the loadstone either because of its action on iron, or of its resemblance in aspect to iron, _or rather_, they say, _because the loadstone was originally found in the mines of this metal_. Alexander of Aphrodisias expressly says (_Quætiones Physicæ_, II. 23) that { 22} the loadstone appears to be nothing else than [Greek: gê sidêritis], the earth which yields iron, or the earth of iron.