Reference: Ring
Easton
Used as an ornament to decorate the fingers, arms, wrists, and also the ears and the nose. Rings were used as a signet (Ge 38:18). They were given as a token of investment with authority (Ge 41:42; Es 3:8-10; 8:2), and of favour and dignity (Lu 15:22). They were generally worn by rich men (Jas 2:2). They are mentioned by Isiah (Isa 3:21) among the adornments of Hebrew women.
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And he said - What is the pledge that I shall give thee? And She said - Thy signet-ring, and thy guard, and thy staff that is in thy hand. So he gave them to her and came in unto her and she conceived by him.
So Pharaoh took his ring from off his hands and put it upon Joseph's hand, - and clothed him in garments of fine linen, and put the chain of gold upon his neck;
Then said Haman unto King Ahasuerus, There is a certain people, scattered abroad and dispersed among the peoples, throughout all the provinces of thy kingdom, - whose laws, are diverse from every people, and, the laws of the king, they observe not, for the king, therefore, it is not fit, to suffer them. If, unto the king, it seem good, let it be written, to destroy them, - and, ten thousand talents of silver, will I weigh out upon the hands of them who are doing the business, to bring it into the treasuries of the king. read more. So then the king took his signet-ring from off his hand, and gave it unto Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the adversary of the Jews;
And the king took off his signet-ring, which he had taken from Haman, and gave it unto Mordecai, - and Esther set Mordecai over the house of Haman.
But the father said unto his servants - Quick! bring forth a robe - the best! and put on him, and get out a ring for his hand, and sandals for his feet.
For, if there enter into your synagogue a man wearing gold rings in gay clothing, and there enter a destitute man also, in soiled clothing, -
Fausets
tabaath, "to impress with a seal." (See EARRING.) Used as "a signet" (Ge 38:18, chothem), worn on the hand, or suspended, as the Arabs do, by a cord from the neck. Pharaoh's transfer of his ring from his finger to Joseph betokened his investing him with royal authority (Ge 41:42; a device, as the beetle or the owner's name, was engraven on it, Ex 28:11). So Ahasuerus in the case of Haman (Es 3:8-10), and Mordecai (Es 8:2). In Lu 15:22 it is the father's token of favor, dignity, and sonship to the prodigal; Roman slaves wore no gold rings. We are no longer slaves, but God's free sons when we believe, and receive the Holy Spirit as the pledge of sonship and earnest of sharing the Father's glory (Ga 4:3-7). Rich men (especially Romans of the equestrian order, whose badge the ring was) wore many rings on the left hand (Jas 2:2). Greek "golden-ringed," not merely with one ring.
Christians derived the usage of the wedding ring from the Jews. The ring was treasured much, and so symbolizes what is most precious to us (Jer 22:24, Jehoiachin's popularity is alluded to); the signet ring was worn on the right hand (contrast Hag 2:23). A costly sacrifice to the Lord (Ex 35:22). Song 5:14, "his hands" bent are compared to "rings" in which "beryls" are set, as the nails in the fingers; compare as to our names being "sealed" upon His heart, Song 8:6, and palms, Isa 49:16. The bride desires herself to be a signet ring on His arm. God in turn seals us with His signet (Re 7:2-4), "I will make thee as a signet" (Hag 2:23), i.e. an object of constant regard, as the ring is ever before the eye. Christ the Antitype is always in the Father's presence, ever pleasing in His sight; so we, through Him our representative. The signet represents legally the owner; so Christ wields the Father's delegated authority (Mt 28:18; Joh 5:22-23).
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And he said - What is the pledge that I shall give thee? And She said - Thy signet-ring, and thy guard, and thy staff that is in thy hand. So he gave them to her and came in unto her and she conceived by him.
So Pharaoh took his ring from off his hands and put it upon Joseph's hand, - and clothed him in garments of fine linen, and put the chain of gold upon his neck;
with the work of a stone engraver, like seal-ring engravings, shalt thou engrave the two stones, after the names of the sons of Israel, - to be encircled with settings of gold, shalt thou make them.
Yea they brought in - the men with the women, - all who were willing-hearted, brought in - bracelets and nose-ornaments and rings, and buckles, all manner of jewels of gold, even every man who waved a wave-offering of gold unto Yahweh.
Then said Haman unto King Ahasuerus, There is a certain people, scattered abroad and dispersed among the peoples, throughout all the provinces of thy kingdom, - whose laws, are diverse from every people, and, the laws of the king, they observe not, for the king, therefore, it is not fit, to suffer them. If, unto the king, it seem good, let it be written, to destroy them, - and, ten thousand talents of silver, will I weigh out upon the hands of them who are doing the business, to bring it into the treasuries of the king. read more. So then the king took his signet-ring from off his hand, and gave it unto Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the adversary of the Jews;
And the king took off his signet-ring, which he had taken from Haman, and gave it unto Mordecai, - and Esther set Mordecai over the house of Haman.
His hands, cylinders of gold, set with topaz, - His body, wrought work of ivory, covered with sapphires:
SHESet me as a seal, upon thy heart, as a seal upon thine arm, For, mighty as death, is love, Exacting as hades, is jealousy, - The flames thereof, are flames of fire, The flash of Yah!
Lo! on the palms of my hands, have portrayed thee, - Thy walls are before me continually.
As I live, Declareth Yahweh, - Even though Coniah son of Jehoiakim king of Judah were the signet-ring upon my right hand, yet, from thence, would I pull thee off;
On that day, declareth Yahweh of hosts, will I take thee, O Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel - my servant, declareth Yahweh, and will set thee as a signet-ring; For, thee, have I chosen, Declareth Yahweh of hosts.
On that day, declareth Yahweh of hosts, will I take thee, O Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel - my servant, declareth Yahweh, and will set thee as a signet-ring; For, thee, have I chosen, Declareth Yahweh of hosts.
And Jesus, coming near, spake unto them, saying - All authority, in heaven and on earth, hath been given unto me;
But the father said unto his servants - Quick! bring forth a robe - the best! and put on him, and get out a ring for his hand, and sandals for his feet.
For neither doth, the Father, judge anyone, - but, all the judging, hath given unto the Son: That, all, may honour the Son, just as they honour the Father: he that doth not honour the Son, doth not, in fact, honour the Father who sent him.
So also, we, when we were infants, under the elementary principles of the world, were held in servitude; But, when the fulness of the time came, God sent forth his Son, who came to be of a woman, who came to be under law, - read more. That, them who were under law, he might redeem, that, the sonship, we might duly receive; - And, because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, exclaiming, Abba! Oh Father! So that, no longer, art thou a servant, but a son; and, if a son, an heir also, through God.
For, if there enter into your synagogue a man wearing gold rings in gay clothing, and there enter a destitute man also, in soiled clothing, -
And I saw another messenger, ascending from the rising of the sun, holding the seal of the Living God; and he cried out with a loud voice unto the four messengers unto whom it had been given to injure the land and the sea, saying - Do not injure the land, or the sea, or the trees, until we have sealed the servants of our God upon their foreheads. read more. And I heard the number of the sealed, - a hundred and forty-four thousand, - sealed out of every tribe of the sons of Israel: -
Hastings
Smith
Ring.
The ring was regarded as an indispensable article of a Hebrew's attire, inasmuch as it contained his signet. It was hence the symbol of authority.
Rings were worn not only by men, but by women.
We may conclude from
that the rings contained a stone engraven with a device or with the owner's name. The custom appears also to have prevailed among the Jews of the apostolic age.
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So Pharaoh took his ring from off his hands and put it upon Joseph's hand, - and clothed him in garments of fine linen, and put the chain of gold upon his neck;
So then the king took his signet-ring from off his hand, and gave it unto Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the adversary of the Jews;
For, if there enter into your synagogue a man wearing gold rings in gay clothing, and there enter a destitute man also, in soiled clothing, -