Ring

How Nave’s arranged it

• Of goldNumbers 31:50
• Worn as a badge of officeGenesis 41:42
• Given as a tokenEsther 3:10Esther 3:12Esther 8:2–10
• Worn in the noseProverbs 11:22Isaiah 3:21
• Offerings of, to the tabernacleExodus 35:22Numbers 31:50

The passages, in Bible order (8)

The same references, sorted Genesis to Revelation. The first 8 are quoted in full; the rest are one click beneath them, book by book.

1. Genesis 41:42

   Then Pharaoh removed the signet ring from his finger, put it on Joseph’s finger, clothed him in garments of fine linen, and placed a gold chain around his neck.

   ›Commentary on Genesis 41:422 voices

   “Therefore, I believe that Joseph deserved the more mystical rewards because he spoke of mysteries. For what does the ring inserted on his finger mean, if not that the priesthood of faith was bestowed upon him, so that he might mark others himself? What does the stole, which is the garment of wisdom, mean, if not the tribute given to him by the heavenly king, the principality of prudence? The golden torque also seems to express good understanding. The chariot, likewise, signifies the lofty peak of merits.

   “And Pharaoh took off his ring - and put it upon Joseph’s hand - In this ring was probably set the king’s signet, by which the royal instruments were sealed; and thus Joseph was constituted what we would call Lord Chancellor, or Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal. Vestures of fine linen - שש shesh. Whether this means linen or cotton is not known. It seems to have been a term by which both were denominated; or it may be some other substance or cloth with which we are unacquainted.

   Everything gathered on Genesis 41:42→

   Verse page →Original language →

2. Exodus 35:22

   So all who had willing hearts, both men and women, came and brought brooches and earrings, rings and necklaces, and all kinds of gold jewelry. And they all presented their gold as a wave offering to the LORD.

   ›Commentary on Exodus 35:221 voice

   “As many as were willing-hearted - For no one was forced to lend his help in this sacred work; all was a free-will offering to the Lord. Bracelets - חח chach, whatever hooks together; ornaments for the wrists, arms, legs, or neck. Ear-rings - נזם nezem, see this explained Gen 24:22 (note). Rings - טבעת tabbaath, from טבי taba, to penetrate, enter into; probably rings for the fingers. Tablets - כומז cumaz, a word only used here and in Num 31:50, supposed to be a girdle to support the breasts.

   Everything gathered on Exodus 35:22→

   Verse page →Original language →

3. Numbers 31:50

   So we have brought to the LORD an offering of the gold articles each man acquired—armlets, bracelets, rings, earrings, and necklaces—to make atonement for ourselves before the LORD.”

   ›Commentary on Numbers 31:501 voice

   “We have - brought an oblation for the Lord - So it appears there was a great deal of booty taken which did not come into the general account; and of this the soldiers, of their own will, made a very extensive offering to God, because he had preserved them from falling in battle. That not one man should have been slain is a most extraordinary circumstance, and powerfully marks the peculiar superintendence of God’s especial providence. The Midianites must certainly have made some resistance; but that was ineffectual, because it was against the Lord.

   Everything gathered on Numbers 31:50→

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4. Esther 3:10

   So the king removed the signet ring from his finger and gave it to Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews.

   ›Commentary on Esther 3:102 voices

   “And the king took his ring from his hand, and gave it unto Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the Jews' enemy. As a token of his affection for him, and a mark of honour to him; with the Persians (w) for a king to give a ring to anyone was a token and bond of the greatest love and friendship imaginable; and it may be this was given to Haman, to seal with it the letters that were or should be written, giving order for the destruction of the Jews.

   “The king took his ring - In this ring was no doubt included his privy seal, and he gave this to Haman, that when he had formed such a decree as he thought fit, he might seal it with this ring, which would give it its due force and influence among the rulers of the provinces. The privy seal of many of our sovereigns appears to have been inserted in their rings; and the seals of Eastern potentates were worn in rings upon their fingers.

   Everything gathered on Esther 3:10→

   Verse page →Original language →

5. Esther 3:12

   On the thirteenth day of the first month, the royal scribes were summoned and the order was written exactly as Haman commanded the royal satraps, the governors of each province, and the officials of each people, in the script of each province and the language of every people. It was written in the name of King Xerxes and sealed with the royal signet ring.

   ›Commentary on Esther 3:122 voices

   “Then were the king's scribes called . . . and there was written--The government secretaries were employed in making out the proclamation authorizing a universal massacre of the Jews on one day. It was translated into the dialects of all the people throughout the vast empire, and swift messengers were sent to carry it into all the provinces.

   “Unto the king’s lieutenants - אחשדרפני achashdarpeney. This is in all probability another Persian word, for there is nothing like it in the Hebrew language, nor can it be fairly deduced from any roots in that tongue. The Vulgate translates ad omnes satrapas regis, to all the satraps of the king.

   Everything gathered on Esther 3:12→

   Verse page →Original language →

6. Esther 8:2–10

   The king removed the signet ring he had recovered from Haman and presented it to Mordecai. And Esther appointed Mordecai over the estate of Haman.

   ›Commentary on Esther 8:2–102 voices

   “Ring - That ring which he had formerly given to Haman he now gives to Mordecai, and with it that power whereof this ring was a sign, making him, as Haman had been, the keeper of his signet.

   “And the king took off his ring, which he had taken from Haman, and gave it unto Mordecai,.... which, with the Persians, was a token of the strongest affection and strictest friendship (z); the Targum calls it his signatory ring, that with which he signed laws, edicts, letters, patents, &c. and so hereby made him keeper of the seals: and Esther set Mordecai over the house of Haman; appointed him her steward of the estate of Haman, the king had given her. (z) Alex. ab Alex. Genial. Dier. l. 1. c. 26. & l. 2. c. 19.

   Everything gathered on Esther 8:2–10→

   Verse page →Original language →

7. Proverbs 11:22

   Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout is a beautiful woman who lacks discretion.

   ›Commentary on Proverbs 11:222 voices

   “Reason also forbids us to do violence to nature by piercing the lobes of the ear. Why not pierce the nostrils also? The Scriptures would then be accomplished indeed: "As a ring in the nose of the swine, so is beauty in a foolish woman." To conclude, if anyone thinks he is decorated when he wears gold, then he is less than his gold, and he who is less than gold is not its master.

   “A jewel of gold in a swine’s snout - That is, beauty in a woman destitute of good breeding and modest carriage, is as becoming as a gold ring on the snout of a swine. Coverdale translates thus: “A fayre woman without discrete maners, is like a ringe of golde in a swyne’s snoute.” In Asiatic countries the nose jewel is very common: to this the text alludes.

   Everything gathered on Proverbs 11:22→

   Verse page →Original language →

8. Isaiah 3:21

   their signet rings and nose rings;

   ›Commentary on Isaiah 3:212 voices

   “The rings,.... On their finger, as Aben Ezra observes: and nose jewels; the same with the jewels on the forehead or nose, Eze 16:12 not that they hung upon the nose, but were fastened upon the forehead, and hung down to the nose, see Gen 24:22; an allusion to this is in Pro 11:22 though Austin says it was a custom of the women of Mauritania to put jewels in their nose; and which is still kept in Persia, Arabia, and other countries, as travellers affirm.

   “The rings - Usually worn on the fingers. And nose-jewels - The custom of wearing jewels in the “nose” has generally prevailed in savage tribes, and was common, and is still, in Eastern nations - among the Arabians, Persians, etc. Sir John Chardin says, ‘It is the custom in almost all the East for the women to wear rings in their noses, in the left nostril, which is bored low down in the middle. These rings are of gold, and have commonly two pearls and one ruby between, placed in the ring.

   Everything gathered on Isaiah 3:21→

   Verse page →Original language →