Topical Encyclopedia
In biblical times, ornaments were used extensively for both personal adornment and religious purposes. The term "ornament" in the Bible can refer to a variety of decorative items, including jewelry, clothing embellishments, and even architectural details. These items often held cultural, social, and spiritual significance.
Personal AdornmentOrnaments were commonly used for personal adornment in ancient Israel and surrounding cultures. Jewelry such as rings, bracelets, earrings, and necklaces were worn by both men and women. In
Genesis 24:22, Abraham's servant gives Rebekah a gold nose ring and bracelets as a sign of betrothal: "Then the man took a gold ring weighing a half shekel, and two bracelets for her wrists weighing ten shekels of gold."
Ornaments were also a sign of wealth and status. In
Isaiah 3:18-23, the prophet lists the various ornaments worn by the women of Jerusalem, including anklets, headbands, and sashes, as a symbol of their pride and the impending judgment: "In that day the Lord will take away the finery of their anklets, headbands, and crescents, the pendants, bracelets, and veils, the headdresses, ankle chains, and sashes, the perfume bottles, and charms."
Religious and Cultural SignificanceOrnaments also held religious significance. In
Exodus 28, God commands Moses to make sacred garments for Aaron, the high priest, for glory and beauty. These garments included a breastplate, ephod, robe, and a turban, all adorned with gold, blue, purple, and scarlet yarns, and fine linen. The breastplate was set with twelve precious stones, each representing one of the tribes of Israel (
Exodus 28:17-21).
In some instances, ornaments were associated with idolatry and were removed as a sign of repentance. In
Exodus 33:4-6, after the Israelites sinned by worshiping the golden calf, God commanded them to remove their ornaments: "When the people heard these bad tidings, they went into mourning, and no one put on any ornaments. For the LORD had said to Moses, 'Tell the Israelites, "You are a stiff-necked people. If I were to go with you even for a moment, I might destroy you. Now take off your ornaments, and I will decide what to do with you."' So the Israelites stripped themselves of their ornaments from Mount Horeb onward."
Symbolism and MetaphorOrnaments are often used metaphorically in Scripture to convey spiritual truths. In
Proverbs 1:8-9, wisdom and instruction are likened to graceful ornaments: "Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction, and do not forsake your mother’s teaching. For they are a garland of grace on your head and a pendant around your neck."
The New Testament also uses the concept of adornment to teach about inner beauty and godliness. In
1 Peter 3:3-4, women are encouraged to focus on the inner beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit rather than external adornment: "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."
ConclusionOrnaments in the Bible serve as a reflection of cultural practices, spiritual truths, and moral teachings. They illustrate the human desire for beauty and status, while also pointing to the deeper, spiritual adornment that God values.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (
n.) That which embellishes or adorns; that which adds grace or beauty; embellishment; decoration; adornment.
2. (v. t.) To adorn; to deck; to embellish; to beautify; as, to ornament a room, or a city.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
ORNAMENTor'-na-ment (`adhi, "adornment"): In common with all the Orientals, the Hebrews were very fond of wearing ornaments, and their tendency to extravagance of this kind often met with stern prophetic rebuke (Isaiah 3:16-24Ezekiel 13:18-20). On this subject, little is said in the New Testament apart from Jesus' (Luke 7:25;Luke 12:23) and James' (James 2:2) invectives against meretricious estimates of moral character. Yet the employment of attractive attire receives sanction in the divine example ofEzekiel 16:10-14.
Ornaments in general would include finely embroidered or decorated fabrics, such as the priest's dress or the high-priestly attire, and the richly wrought veil, girdle and turban used by the wealthier class. But the term may be limited here to the various rings, bracelets and chains made of precious metals and more or less jeweled (compareJeremiah 2:32).
These latter, described in detail under their own titles, may be summarized here as finger-rings, particularly prized as seal-rings (Genesis 38:18, 25Jeremiah 22:24); arm-rings or bracelets (Genesis 24:222 Samuel 1:10); earrings (Genesis 35:4Exodus 32:2); noserings (Genesis 24:47Ezekiel 16:12); anklets or ankle-chains (Isaiah 3:16, 18); head-bands or fillets or cauls (referred to inIsaiah 3:18 only), and necklaces or neck-chains (Genesis 41:42Ezekiel 16:11).
Figurative: The universal devotion to ornament among the Orientals is the occasion for frequent Biblical allusions to the beauty and splendor of fine jewelry and attire. But everywhere, in divine injunctions, the emphasis of value is placed upon the beauty of holiness as an inward grace rather than on the attractions of outward ornament (Job 40:10Psalm 110:3Joel 2:131 Timothy 2:9, 101 Peter 3:4). In grievous sorrow, all ornament was to be laid aside in token of mourning (Exodus 33:4-6).
Leonard W. Doolan
Greek
5553. chrusion -- a piece of gold, gold... piece of gold, gold. Part of Speech: Noun, Neuter Transliteration: chrusion Phonetic
Spelling: (khroo-see'-on) Short Definition: a golden
ornament Definition: a
...5557. chrusos -- gold
... gold. Perhaps from the base of chraomai (through the idea of the utility of the
metal); gold; by extension, a golden article, as anornament or coin -- gold....
1238. diadema -- a diadem, a crown
... diadem. 1238 -- properly, a crown: "a narrow filet encircling the brow,"
a "kinglyornament for the head" (R. Trench, 78). 1238...
Strong's Hebrew
2481. chali -- anornament... 2480, 2481. chali. 2482 . an
ornament. Transliteration: chali Phonetic
Spelling: (khal-ee') Short Definition: jewels.
... jewel,
ornament.
...1926. hadar -- anornament, honor, splendor
... 1925, 1926. hadar. 1927 . anornament, honor, splendor. Transliteration:
hadar Phonetic Spelling: (haw-dawr') Short Definition: majesty....
5717. Adiel -- "God is anornament," three Israelites
... 5716, 5717. Adiel. 5718 . "God is anornament," three Israelites. Transliteration:
Adiel Phonetic Spelling: (ad-ee-ale') Short Definition: Adiel....
7242. rabid -- a chain (ornament for the neck)
... 7241, 7242. rabid. 7243 . a chain (ornament for the neck). Transliteration:
rabid Phonetic Spelling: (raw-beed') Short Definition: necklace....
5141. nezem -- a ring (worn as anornament)
... 5140, 5141. nezem. 5142 . a ring (worn as anornament). Transliteration:
nezem Phonetic Spelling: (neh'-zem) Short Definition: ring....
5710b. adah -- toornament or deck oneself
... 5710a, 5710b. adah. 5711 . toornament or deck oneself. Transliteration:
adah Short Definition: adorned. Word Origin a prim. root...
3558. kumaz -- (a goldenornament) perhaps a bracelet
... 3557, 3558. kumaz. 3559 . (a goldenornament) perhaps a bracelet. Transliteration:
kumaz Phonetic Spelling: (koo-mawz') Short Definition: bracelets....
1925. heder -- anornament, adornment, splendor
... 1924, 1925. heder. 1926 . anornament, adornment, splendor. Transliteration:
heder Phonetic Spelling: (heh'-der) Short Definition: Jewel....
5914. ekes -- an anklet, bangle
... stocks, tinklingornament. From akac; a fetter; hence, an anklet -- stocks, tinkling
ornament. see HEBREW akac. 5913, 5914. ekes. 5915 . Strong's Numbers.
5913. akas -- to shake bangles, rattle, tinkle
... NASB Word Usage tinkle the bangles (1). make a tinklingornament, put on
anklets. A primitive root; properly, to tie, specifically...
Library
TheOrnament
... The Treasury of Sacred Song. Book First CXXX THEORNAMENT. The lucky World
shew'd me one day Her gorgeous mart and glittering store,....
Chastity the ChiefOrnament of the True Tabernacle; Seven
... Discourse IX."Tusiane. Chapter I."Chastity the ChiefOrnament of the True
Tabernacle; Seven. Days Appointed to the Jews for Celebrating...
The Mind Clearer when Cleansed from Sin; the Ornaments of the Mind...
... IV."The Mind Clearer When Cleansed from Sin; The Ornaments of the Mind and the Order
of Virtue; Charity Deep and Full; Chastity the LastOrnament of All; The...
On the True Beauty.
... Now, God alone is in need of nothing, and rejoices most when He sees us bright with
theornament of intelligence; and then, too, rejoices in him who is arrayed...
V. ...
... Peter here says ofornament is commanded or not.... So also of Judith. But near by it
is recorded, that she despised theornament and wore it from necessity....
1 Timothy ii. 10-Aug
... things which are only the indications of wealth, as gold, and pearls, and costly
array; how much more those things which imply studiedornament, as painting...
The Fourth Book
... What else is high office without lofty merits but an honorable title without the
man honored, or what is lofty rank without worth but anornament in the midst...
On Clothes.
... away anxious care for clothes and food, and superfluities in general, as unnecessary;
what are we to imagine ought to be said of love ofornament, and dyeing...
Fifth Sunday after Epiphany
... and his misfortunes. Such love is called theornament of a Christian
character"anornament in the eyes of men. 3. Observe the...
The Study of Words
... adds authority to man; but an effeminate dress, the garb of luxury and softness,
lays open the corruption of the heart without adding to theornament of the...
Thesaurus
Ornament (23 Occurrences)... 2. (vt) To adorn; to deck; to embellish; to beautify; as, to
ornament a room,
or a city. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia.
ORNAMENT.
...Flourish (26 Occurrences)
... 4. (vi) To make bold and sweeping, fanciful, or wanton movements, by way ofornament,
parade, bravado, etc.; to play with fantastic and irregular motion....
Knop (4 Occurrences)
... Easton's Bible Dictionary Some architecturalornament. (1.) Hebrews kaphtor (Exodus
25:31-36), occurring in the description of the candlestick....
Ornamental (4 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (a.) Serving toornament; characterized byornament;
beautifying; embellishing. Multi-Version Concordance Ornamental (4 Occurrences)....
Jewel (12 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (n.) Anornament of dress usually made of a precious
metal, and having enamel or precious stones as a part of its design....
Earring (7 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (n.) Anornament consisting of a ring passed through the
lobe of the ear, with or without a pendant.... See AMULET;ORNAMENT. George....
Boss
... 2. (n.) A protuberantornament on any work, either of different material from that
of the work or of the same, as upon a buckler or bridle; a stud; a knob; the...
Crest (2 Occurrences)
... 1. (n.) A tuft, or other excrescence or naturalornament, growing on an animal's
head; the comb of a cock; the swelling on the head of a serpent; the...
Scroll (70 Occurrences)
... 2. (n.) Anornament formed of undulations giving off spirals or sprays, usually
suggestive of plant form. Roman architecturalornament...
Headdress (1 Occurrence)
... It was used especially for purposes ofornament (Job 29:14; Isaiah 3:23; 62:3).
The Hebrew word here used, tsaniph, properly means a turban, folds of linen...
Resources
What is emblematic parallelism in Hebrew poetry? | GotQuestions.orgWhat does the Bible say about discernment? | GotQuestions.orgWhat is the meaning of root of Jesse in the Bible? | GotQuestions.orgOrnament: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
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