Topical Encyclopedia
Armlets, also referred to as bracelets or bands worn around the arm, are mentioned in the Bible as ornaments that were often part of the attire of both men and women in ancient times. These decorative items were typically made from precious metals such as gold or silver and sometimes adorned with jewels. They served not only as adornments but also as symbols of status and wealth.
Biblical ReferencesIn the Old Testament, armlets are mentioned in several contexts, often associated with wealth and beauty. In
Numbers 31:50, the Israelites presented armlets as part of the spoils of war: "So we have brought as an offering to the LORD the gold articles each of us acquired—armlets, bracelets, rings, earrings, and necklaces—to make atonement for ourselves before the LORD" . This passage highlights the value and significance of armlets as items worthy of being offered to God.
Ezekiel 16:11-12 describes the adornment of Jerusalem, personified as a woman, with various ornaments, including armlets: "I adorned you with jewelry, and I put bracelets on your wrists and a chain around your neck. I put a ring in your nose, earrings on your ears, and a beautiful crown on your head" . Here, armlets are part of a larger ensemble of jewelry symbolizing beauty and divine favor.
Cultural and Historical ContextIn ancient Near Eastern cultures, armlets were common among the wealthy and were often given as gifts or used in trade. They were crafted with intricate designs and sometimes inscribed with names or symbols. The use of armlets was not limited to Israel but was widespread across various civilizations, including Egypt and Mesopotamia.
The presence of armlets in biblical narratives underscores their role as indicators of social status and wealth. They were often part of the dowry or bridal gifts, signifying the bride's value and the groom's wealth. In some cases, armlets were also used as amulets, believed to offer protection or convey blessings.
Symbolism and Spiritual SignificanceIn the biblical context, armlets can symbolize both the blessings of God and the potential for idolatry or vanity. The prophets often warned against excessive adornment and the pride that could accompany it.
Isaiah 3:18-20 speaks of the judgment on the daughters of Zion, listing armlets among the items that would be taken away: "In that day the Lord will take away the finery of their anklets, headbands, and crescents, the pendants, bracelets, and veils" . This passage serves as a reminder of the transient nature of earthly wealth and beauty.
The use of armlets in the Bible reflects the broader theme of God's provision and the human tendency to misuse His gifts. While they can be symbols of God's blessing, they also serve as a caution against placing too much value on material possessions.
ConclusionArmlets in the Bible are multifaceted symbols, representing wealth, beauty, and sometimes spiritual danger. They remind believers of the importance of prioritizing spiritual adornment over physical, as emphasized in
1 Peter 3:3-4: "Your beauty should not come from outward adornment such as braided hair or gold jewelry or fine clothes, but from the inner disposition of your heart, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in God’s sight" .
Strong's Hebrew
685. etsadah -- an armlet... 684, 685. etsadah. 686 . an armlet. Transliteration: etsadah Phonetic Spelling:
(ets-aw-daw') Short Definition:
armlets. Word Origin
...Library
King David's Little Boy.
... Black slaves glided to and fro with naked feet, and the women took off their tinkling
armlets and talked in whispers; for in a little chamber, with shaded...
Manifold Struggles
... The attendant guards were decked with golden chains andarmlets, and the heads of
their lances were gilded, with silken streamers of purple pendent from them....
On Dress.
... the curls and the fringes, and the crescents, and the chains, and the ornaments
of their faces, and the array of glorious ornaments, and thearmlets, and the...
Change not Always Improvement.
... the overseer of brothels airs her swelling silk, and consoles her neck"more impure
than her haunt"with necklaces, and inserts in thearmlets (which even...
Temples of God
... When explorers land upon some untravelled island and meet the gentle inhabitants
witharmlets of rough gold upon their wrists, they say there must be many a...
Here Followeth the Life of Abraham
... After they had drunk, he gave her two rings to hang on her ears weighing two shekels,
and as manyarmlets weighing ten shekels, and asked her whose daughter...
Treatise ii. On the Dress of virgins.
... and their curls, and their round tires like the moon, and their crisping-pins, and
their bracelets, and their clusters of pearls, and theirarmlets and rings...
The Bishop Elect and Consecrate
... There is a story of a six months' old infant which jumped in its mother's arms to
see him, waved itsarmlets, wagged its head, and made mysterious wrigglings...
Under Ban of the Ritual
... gauze. She wore not one, but many kinds of jewels, and her anklets andarmlets
tinkled with fringes of cats and hawks in carnelian....
The Evening of the Third Day in Passion-Week - on the Mount of...
... hand, it is certainly grossly materialistic, when we read how the skin of slaughtered
Leviathan is to be made into tents, girdles, necklets, orarmlets for the...
Thesaurus
Armlets (3 Occurrences)... Multi-Version Concordance
Armlets (3 Occurrences). Exodus 35:22 They came,
both men and women, as many as were willing-hearted, and
...Armlet (1 Occurrence)
... worn upon the right arm, was an "armlet," as is seen from the list given of Judith's
ornaments: who "decked herself bravely with herarmlets (the Revised...
Jewels (54 Occurrences)
... (BBE). Exodus 35:22 They came, both men and women, as many as were willing-hearted,
and brought brooches, earrings, signet rings, andarmlets, all jewels of gold...
Girdles (13 Occurrences)
... Exodus 35:22 And they came, both men and women, as many as were willing-hearted,
and brought brooches, and ear-rings, and signet-rings, andarmlets, all jewels...
Ear-rings (12 Occurrences)
... Exodus 35:22 And they came, both men and women, as many as were willing-hearted,
and brought brooches, and ear-rings, and signet-rings, andarmlets, all jewels...
Earrings (14 Occurrences)
... Exodus 35:22 They came, both men and women, as many as were willing-hearted, and
brought brooches, earrings, signet rings, andarmlets, all jewels of gold...
Signet-rings (2 Occurrences)
... Exodus 35:22 And they came, both men and women, as many as were willing-hearted,
and brought brooches, and ear-rings, and signet-rings, andarmlets, all jewels...
Signet (21 Occurrences)
... Exodus 35:22 They came, both men and women, as many as were willing-hearted, and
brought brooches, earrings, signet rings, andarmlets, all jewels of gold...
Rings (46 Occurrences)
... Exodus 35:22 They came, both men and women, as many as were willing-hearted, and
brought brooches, earrings, signet rings, andarmlets, all jewels of gold...
Necklaces (2 Occurrences)
... Numbers 31:50 We have brought Yahweh's offering, what every man has gotten, of jewels
of gold,armlets, and bracelets, signet rings, earrings, and necklaces...
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