Crown

A headdress made of precious metals and jewels, worn by kings, queens, and officials as a symbol of authority and status.

King wearing a crown
King wearing a crown (© CNG Wikimedia Commons) Crown

About Crown

Headpiece symbolizing honor or high office. In addition to using the word metaphorically, the Old Testament refers to three kinds of crowns.

One type of crown was worn by the high priest and Hebrew kings. The high priest’s “holy crown” was a gold plate engraved with the words “Holy to the Lord” and fastened to the front of a turban (Exodus 29:6; 39:30). [A turban is a type of headwear (usually made of cloth) that wraps around the head.] The high priest's "holy crown" symbolized his consecration as the people’s representative before God. The Hebrew kings wore a crown light enough to be worn into battle (2 Samuel 1:10)—perhaps a narrow band of silk studded with jewels. Like the high priest’s crown, the king’s crown also indicated a divinely appointed office (2 Kings 11:12; Psalms 89:39; 132:18).

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The object itself Article

Form, use in ancient daily life, and how translators render the term.

Key References

Exodus 39:30

They also made the plate of the holy crown of pure gold, and they engraved on it, like an inscription on a seal: HOLY TO THE LORD.

Esther 1:11

to bring Queen Vashti before him, wearing her royal crown, to display her beauty to the people and officials. For she was beautiful to behold.

Matthew 27:29

And they twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on His head. They put a staff in His right hand, knelt down before Him, and mocked Him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!”

All Scripture References (50)

Exodus (2)
Exodus 29:6

Put the turban on his head and attach the holy diadem to the turban.

Exodus 39:30

They also made the plate of the holy crown of pure gold, and they engraved on it, like an inscription on a seal: HOLY TO THE LORD.

Leviticus (1)
Leviticus 8:9

Moses also put the turban on Aaron’s head and set the gold plate, the holy diadem, on the front of the turban, as the LORD had commanded him.

2 Samuel (2)
2 Samuel 1:10

So I stood over him and killed him, because I knew that after he had fallen he could not survive. And I took the crown that was on his head and the band that was on his arm, and I have brought them here to my lord.”

2 Samuel 12:30

Then he took the crown from the head of their king. It weighed a talent of gold and was set with precious stones, and it was placed on David’s head. And David took a great amount of plunder from the city.

2 Kings (1)
2 Kings 11:12

Then Jehoiada brought out the king’s son, put the crown on him, presented him with the Testimony, and proclaimed him king. They anointed him, and the people clapped their hands and declared, “Long live the king!”

1 Chronicles (1)
1 Chronicles 20:2

Then David took the crown from the head of their king. It was found to weigh a talent of gold and was set with precious stones, and it was placed on David’s head. And David took a great amount of plunder from the city.

2 Chronicles (1)
2 Chronicles 23:11

Then Jehoiada and his sons brought out the king’s son, put the crown on him, presented him with the Testimony, and proclaimed him king. They anointed him and shouted, “Long live the king!”

Esther (4)
Esther 1:11

to bring Queen Vashti before him, wearing her royal crown, to display her beauty to the people and officials. For she was beautiful to behold.

Esther 2:17

And the king loved Esther more than all the other women, and she found grace and favor in his sight more than all of the other virgins. So he placed the royal crown upon her head and made her queen in place of Vashti.

Esther 6:8

have them bring a royal robe that the king himself has worn and a horse on which the king himself has ridden—one with a royal crest placed on its head.

Esther 8:15

Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal garments of blue and white, with a large gold crown and a purple robe of fine linen. And the city of Susa shouted and rejoiced.

Job (2)
Job 19:9

He has stripped me of my honor and removed the crown from my head.

Job 31:36

Surely I would carry it on my shoulder and wear it like a crown.

Psalms (1)
Psalm 21:4

He asked You for life, and You granted it—length of days, forever and ever.

Proverbs (5)
Proverbs 4:9

She will set a garland of grace on your head; she will present you with a crown of beauty.”

Proverbs 12:4

A wife of noble character is her husband’s crown, but she who causes shame is like decay in his bones.

Proverbs 14:24

The crown of the wise is their wealth, but the effort of fools is folly.

Proverbs 16:31

Gray hair is a crown of glory; it is attained along the path of righteousness.

Proverbs 17:6

Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of a son is his father.

Song of Solomon (1)
Song of Solomon 3:11

Come out, O daughters of Zion, and gaze at King Solomon, wearing the crown with which his mother crowned him on the day of his wedding—the day of his heart’s rejoicing.

Isaiah (4)
Isaiah 28:1

Woe to the majestic crown of Ephraim’s drunkards, to the fading flower of his glorious splendor, set on the summit above the fertile valley, the pride of those overcome by wine.

Isaiah 28:3

The majestic crown of Ephraim’s drunkards will be trampled underfoot.

Isaiah 28:5

On that day the LORD of Hosts will be a crown of glory, a diadem of splendor to the remnant of His people,

Isaiah 62:3

You will be a crown of glory in the hand of the LORD, a royal diadem in the palm of your God.

Jeremiah (1)
Jeremiah 13:18

Say to the king and to the queen mother: “Take a lowly seat, for your glorious crowns have fallen from your heads.”

Lamentations (1)
Lamentations 5:16

The crown has fallen from our head. Woe to us, for we have sinned!

Ezekiel (3)
Ezekiel 16:12

I put a ring in your nose, earrings on your ears, and a beautiful crown upon your head.

Ezekiel 21:31

I will pour out My anger upon you; I will breathe the fire of My fury against you; I will hand you over to brutal men, skilled in destruction.

Ezekiel 23:42

accompanied by the sound of a carefree crowd. Drunkards were brought in from the desert along with men from the rabble, who put bracelets on your wrists and beautiful crowns on your head.

Zechariah (3)
Zechariah 6:11

Take silver and gold, make an ornate crown, and set it on the head of the high priest, Joshua son of Jehozadak.

Zechariah 6:14

The crown will reside in the temple of the LORD as a memorial to Helem, Tobijah, Jedaiah, and the gracious son of Zephaniah.

Zechariah 9:16

On that day the LORD their God will save them as the flock of His people; for like jewels in a crown they will sparkle over His land.

Matthew (1)
Matthew 27:29

And they twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on His head. They put a staff in His right hand, knelt down before Him, and mocked Him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!”

Mark (1)
Mark 15:17

They dressed Him in a purple robe, twisted together a crown of thorns, and set it on His head.

John (2)
John 19:2

The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns, set it on His head, and dressed Him in a purple robe.

John 19:5

When Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe, Pilate said to them, “Here is the man!”

1 Corinthians (1)
1 Corinthians 9:25

Everyone who competes in the games trains with strict discipline. They do it for a crown that is perishable, but we do it for a crown that is imperishable.

1 Thessalonians (1)
1 Thessalonians 2:19

After all, who is our hope, our joy, our crown of boasting, if it is not you yourselves in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming?

James (1)
James 1:12

Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him.

1 Peter (1)
1 Peter 5:4

And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.

Revelation (9)
Revelation 4:4

Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and on these thrones sat twenty-four elders dressed in white, with golden crowns on their heads.

Revelation 4:10

the twenty-four elders fall down before the One seated on the throne, and they worship Him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying:

Revelation 6:2

So I looked and saw a white horse, and its rider held a bow. And he was given a crown, and he rode out to overcome and conquer.

Revelation 9:7

And the locusts looked like horses prepared for battle, with something like crowns of gold on their heads; and their faces were like the faces of men.

Revelation 12:1

And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed in the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head.

Revelation 12:3

Then another sign appeared in heaven: a huge red dragon with seven heads, ten horns, and seven royal crowns on his heads.

Revelation 13:1

Then I saw a beast with ten horns and seven heads rising out of the sea. There were ten royal crowns on its horns and blasphemous names on its heads.

Revelation 14:14

And I looked and saw a white cloud, and seated on the cloud was One like the Son of Man, with a golden crown on His head and a sharp sickle in His hand.

Revelation 19:12

He has eyes like blazing fire, and many royal crowns on His head. He has a name written on Him that only He Himself knows.