Genesis 24:22
in Genesis 24And after the camels had finished drinking, he took out a gold ring weighing a beka, and two gold bracelets for her wrists weighing ten shekels.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And it came to pass, as the camels had done drinking, that the man took a golden ring of half a shekel weight, and two bracelets for her hands of ten shekels weight of gold,
KJV
And it came to pass, as the camels had done drinking, that the man took a golden earring of half a shekel weight, and two bracelets for her hands of ten shekels weight of gold;
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This verse in Genesis 24
Commentary
9 notes on this verseThe man took a golden ear-ring - נזם זהב nezem zahab. That this could not be an ear-ring is very probable from its being in the singular number. The margin calls it a jewel for the forehead; but it most likely means a jewel for the nose, or nose-ring, which is in universal use through all parts of Arabia and Persia, particularly among young women. They are generally worn in the left nostril. The word is very properly translated επιρῥινιον, an ornament for the nose, by Symmachus.
This site's exposition
the man watched her silently
on Genesis 24:21-23
He says nothing while she works. He watches to see if the LORD had brought the errand off, and when the camels have finished he puts a gold ring and two gold bracelets on her, before a word about her family. Only then does he ask whose daughter she is, and whether there is room in her father's house.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
(Verse 22.) And the man took a gold earring, its weight was two drachmas. Bace (), which is written here instead of drachma, is half an ounce. Secel (), which is inaccurately called a shekel in Latin, has a weight of one ounce.
For he also shows that he is familiar with virtues, so that each person may walk in the innocence of their heart, not mingling with earthly vices, and may tread an irreproachable path with an untainted mind, and may not open any place within themselves to corruption. Such was Isaac, as he awaited the arrival of Rebecca, preparing himself for spiritual union.
The servant brought gold earrings and gold bracelets and gave them to Rebekah. Those gold earrings signify the divine words; the gold bracelets signify good works, because works are designated by the hands.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
But when he has the desired success, he worships God, not the angel. Whatever benefit we have by the ministration of angels, all the glory must be given to the Lord of the angels, Rev. xxii.
Thus God swears his servants to their work, that, having sworn, they may perform it. Swearing being an ordinance, not peculiar to the church, but common to mankind, is to be performed by such signs as are the common usages of our country. God's angels are ministering spirits, sent forth, not only for the protection, but guidance of the heirs of promise, Heb. i, 14.
2 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And it came to pass, as the camels had done drinking,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
the man took a golden earring, &c.--The ring was not for the ear, but the nose; the armlets, such as young women in Syria and Arabia still appear daily at wells decked in. They are worn from the elbow to the wrist, commonly made of silver, copper, brass, or horn.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
The words behind it
18 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיְהִ֗י | vayhi | and it was | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר | kaasher | just as | H834 → | 5497 times |
| כִּלּ֤וּ | kilu | they had finished | H3615 → | 208 times |
| הַגְּמַלִּים֙ | hagemalim | the camels | H1581 → | 54 times |
| לִשְׁתּ֔וֹת | lishtot | to drink | H8354 → | 217 times |
| וַיִּקַּ֤ח | vaiyikach | and he took | H3947 → | 966 times |
| הָאִישׁ֙ | haish | the man | H376 → | 1663 times |
| נֶ֣זֶם | nezem | a ring of | H5141 → | 17 times |
| זָהָ֔ב | zahav | gold | H2091 → | 389 times |
| בֶּ֖קַע | beka' | [was] a beka | H1235 → | |
| מִשְׁקָל֑וֹ | mishkalo | weight its | H4948 → | 49 times |
| וּשְׁנֵ֤י | ushenei | and two | H8147 → | 768 times |
| צְמִידִים֙ | tzemidim | bracelets | H6781 → | 7 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| יָדֶ֔יהָ | yadeiha | hands her | H3027 → | 1618 times |
| עֲשָׂרָ֥ה | ʾasarah | [was] ten of | H6235 → | 176 times |
| זָהָ֖ב | zahav | gold | H2091 → | 389 times |
| מִשְׁקָלָֽם׃ | mishkalam | weight their | H4948 → | 49 times |
וַיְהִ֗יand it was
vayhiH1961 →3559 times
כַּאֲשֶׁ֨רjust as
kaasherH834 →5497 times
כִּלּ֤וּthey had finished
kiluH3615 →208 times
הַגְּמַלִּים֙the camels
hagemalimH1581 →54 times
לִשְׁתּ֔וֹתto drink
lishtotH8354 →217 times
וַיִּקַּ֤חand he took
vaiyikachH3947 →966 times
הָאִישׁ֙the man
haishH376 →1663 times
נֶ֣זֶםa ring of
nezemH5141 →17 times
זָהָ֔בgold
zahavH2091 →389 times
בֶּ֖קַע[was] a beka
beka'H1235 →
מִשְׁקָל֑וֹweight its
mishkaloH4948 →49 times
וּשְׁנֵ֤יand two
usheneiH8147 →768 times
צְמִידִים֙bracelets
tzemidimH6781 →7 times
עַל־on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
יָדֶ֔יהָhands her
yadeihaH3027 →1618 times
עֲשָׂרָ֥ה[was] ten of
ʾasarahH6235 →176 times
זָהָ֖בgold
zahavH2091 →389 times
מִשְׁקָלָֽם׃weight their
mishkalamH4948 →49 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Jeremiah 2:32Does a maiden forget her jewelry or a bride her wedding sash? Yet My people have forgotten Me for days without number.
it leads to
- Psalms 106:21
They forgot God their Savior, who did great things in Egypt,
- Jeremiah 13:25
This is your lot, the portion I have measured to you,” declares the LORD, “because you have forgotten Me and trusted in falsehood.
- Jeremiah 3:21
A voice is heard on the barren heights, the children of Israel weeping and begging for mercy, because they have perverted their ways and forgotten the LORD their God.
- Jeremiah 2:11
Has a nation ever changed its gods, though they are no gods at all? Yet My people have exchanged their Glory for useless idols.
- Isaiah 17:10
For you have forgotten the God of your salvation and failed to remember the Rock of your refuge. Therefore, though you cultivate delightful plots and set out cuttings from exotic vines—
- Psalms 106:21
Through
Genesis 24:47Then I asked her, ‘Whose daughter are you?’ She replied, ‘The daughter of Bethuel son of Nahor, whom Milcah bore to him.’ So I put the ring on her nose and the bracelets on…
it leads to
- Isaiah 62:3–5
You will be a crown of glory in the hand of the LORD, a royal diadem in the palm of your God.
- Psalms 45:13–14
All glorious is the princess in her chamber; her gown is embroidered with gold.
- Ezekiel 16:10–13
I clothed you in embroidered cloth and gave you sandals of fine leather. I wrapped you in fine linen and covered you with silk.
- Isaiah 62:3–5
Where this verse is studied
About Genesis
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Ambrose of Milan, On Isaac and the Soul; Caesarius of Arles, SERMON 85.3; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Hebrew Questions on Genesis; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.