Earring

A ring often made of silver or gold, worn in the ear or nose for decoration.

Gold earrings
Gold earrings (Metropolitan Museum of Art, Public domain, MMA) Earring, nose ring

About Earring

The earring was worn on the ear and the nose ring in the nose for decoration. They were small rings, usually made of silver or gold. They could have more or less elaborate decorative work attached to them.

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Key References

Genesis 24:22

And 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.

Exodus 32:2

So Aaron told them, “Take off the gold earrings that are on your wives and sons and daughters, and bring them to me.”

Judges 8:26

The weight of the gold earrings he had requested was 1,700 shekels, in addition to the crescent ornaments, the pendants, the purple garments of the kings of Midian, and the chains from the necks of their camels.

All Scripture References (18)

Genesis (4)
Genesis 24:22

And 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.

Genesis 24:30

As soon as he saw the ring, and the bracelets on his sister’s wrists, and heard Rebekah’s words, “The man said this to me,” he went and found the man standing by the camels near the spring.

Genesis 24:47

Then 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 her wrists.

Genesis 35:4

So they gave Jacob all their foreign gods and all their earrings, and Jacob buried them under the oak near Shechem.

Exodus (3)
Exodus 32:2

So Aaron told them, “Take off the gold earrings that are on your wives and sons and daughters, and bring them to me.”

Exodus 32:3

Then all the people took off their gold earrings and brought them to Aaron.

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.

Numbers (1)
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.”

Judges (3)
Judges 8:24

Then he added, “Let me make a request of you, that each of you give me an earring from his plunder.” (For the enemies had gold earrings because they were Ishmaelites.)

Judges 8:25

“We will give them gladly,” they replied. So they spread out a garment, and each man threw an earring from his plunder onto it.

Judges 8:26

The weight of the gold earrings he had requested was 1,700 shekels, in addition to the crescent ornaments, the pendants, the purple garments of the kings of Midian, and the chains from the necks of their camels.

Job (1)
Job 42:11

All his brothers and sisters and prior acquaintances came and dined with him in his house. They consoled him and comforted him over all the adversity that the LORD had brought upon him. And each one gave him a piece of silver and a gold ring.

Proverbs (2)
Proverbs 11:22

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

Proverbs 25:12

Like an earring of gold or an ornament of fine gold is a wise man’s rebuke to a listening ear.

Isaiah (2)
Isaiah 3:19

their pendants, bracelets, and veils;

Isaiah 3:21

their signet rings and nose rings;

Ezekiel (1)
Ezekiel 16:12

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

Hosea (1)
Hosea 2:15

There I will give back her vineyards and make the Valley of Achor into a gateway of hope. There she will respond as she did in the days of her youth, as in the day she came up out of Egypt.