Earring
Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary [1]
We find that in the Old Testament scripture, the earring was a token and pledge of overtures to marriage. Thus Abraham's servant's first present, in his master's name, to Rebekah, was a golden earring. ( Genesis 24:22) And hence Laban, her brother's, invitation, in consequence thereof. ( Genesis 24:30-31) In allusion to this, we find the Lord Jesus speaking of his church, "I put a jewel on thy forehead, and earrings in thine ears, and a beautiful crown upon thine head." ( Ezekiel 16:12) And certain it is, that when the Lord Jesus is going forth in the graces of his Holy Spirit, to make his people willing in the day of his power; he doth all this and infinitely more. Yea, all the persons of the Godhead give of their golden blessings, the most precious jewels. "We will make thee borders of gold, with studs of silver." ( Song of Song of Solomon 1:11)
Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types [2]
Genesis 24:22 (c) The jewelry given to Rebecca is a picture and a type of the blessings which GOD gives in this present world through the Holy Spirit, a sample of the greater riches that a wait us when we actually meet the Lord face to face. The Holy Spirit gives us samples of joy, peace, rest, zeal, vision and divine understanding, so that we too may be drawn to that unseen Lord with whom we shall spend eternity.
Proverbs 25:12 (a) This is a type of an ear that accepts reproof and instructions from another, and is glad to have constructive criticisms about his ways.
Ezekiel 16:12 (a) We learn from this that the Lord gave His people ears that love to hear His voice, and desire to know His Word and to obey His will. This is described as ornaments of the ears.
Hosea 2:13 (a) The figure is used here to describe those who make themselves attractive to the world and to GOD's enemies, and turn their affections to those things and those people who do not love the Lord, nor want His presence.
People's Dictionary of the Bible [3]
Earring. Earrings were usually worn by the Hebrew women, and by the children of both sexes, Exodus 32:2; more rarely by the men. Asiatic males have, in both ancient and modern times, worn earrings; and the presumption is that the male Hebrews would observe the same custom. The original word generally translated "earring" is ambiguous, and may signify an ornament for the ear or for the nose. In Genesis 35:4; Exodus 32:2, it is so qualified as to mean clearly an earring. In Genesis 24:47; Proverbs 11:22; Isaiah 3:21; Ezekiel 16:12, it is as clearly a nose-jewel; while in Judges 8:24-25; Job 42:11; Proverbs 25:12; Hosea 2:13, it is uncertain.
King James Dictionary [4]
E'ARRING, n. A pendant an ornament, sometimes set with diamonds, pearls or other jewels, worn at the ear, by means of a ring passing through the lobe.
Webster's Dictionary [5]
(n.) An ornament consisting of a ring passed through the lobe of the ear, with or without a pendant.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia [6]
ēr´ring : An ornamental pendant of some kind hanging from the ears has been worn by both sexes in oriental lands from the earliest times. Among the Greeks and Romans, as with western peoples in general, its use was confined to females. The ears in the statue of the Medicean Venus are pierced and probably were originally ornamented with earrings. It is clear, however, that among the Hebrews and related oriental peoples earrings were worn by both sexes. Abraham's servant "put the earring upon (Rebekah's) face, and the bracelets upon her hands" ( Genesis 24:47 the King James Version), in accordance with custom, evidently, but it is implied that it was customary for men also to wear earrings, in that the relatives and friends of Job "every one (gave him) an earring of gold" ( Job 42:11 the King James Version). Such ornaments were usually made of gold, finely wrought, and often set with precious stones, as archaeology has shown. Such jewels were worn in ancient times for protective as well as for decorative purposes. the Revised Version (British and American) renders "amulets" for the King James Version "earrings" in Isaiah 3:20 , the Hebrew word ( leḥāshı̄m ) being elsewhere associated with serpent-charming; but the earrings of Genesis 35:4 , also, were more than mere ornaments, so the King James Version and the Revised Version (British and American) may both be right in their renderings here (Kennedy). The influence of Egypt, where amulets of various kinds were worn by men and gods, by the living and the dead, is shown by recent excavations at Gezer, Taanach and Megiddo. See Amulet; Ornament .
