The meaning of Jewel in the Bible
(From International Standard Bible Encyclopedia)
ju'-el, joo'-el: An ornament of gold, silver or of precious stones in the form of armlet, bracelet, anklet, nose-ring, etc. Oriental dress yields itself freely to such adornment, to which there are many allusions in Scripture. a frequent term in Hebrew is keli ("utensil," "vessel"), coupled with mention of "gold" or "silver" or both (Genesis 24:53; Exodus 3:22; Exodus 11:2; Exodus 12:35; Exodus 35:22; I Samuel 6:8, I Samuel 6:15, etc.; the Revised Version (British and American) in II Chronicles 32:27 translations "vessels"). In Song of Solomon 1:10, where the King James Version has "rows (of jewels)," the Revised Version (British and American) has "plaits (of hair)"; in Song of Solomon 7:1, the word is from a root chalah, meaning "to adorn." In 3 instances in the King James Version "jewel" represents the Hebrew nezem (Proverbs 11:22; Isaiah 3:21; Ezekiel 16:12); the American Standard Revised Version changes Proverbs 11:22 to "ring" Septuagint here = "earring"), and both the English Revised Version and the American Standard Revised Version have "ring" in Ezekiel 16:12. The familiar phrase in Malachi 3:17, "in that day when I make up my jewels," becomes in the English Revised Version, "in the day that I do make, even a peculiar treasure" (margin "or, wherein I do make a peculiar treasure"), and in the American Standard Revised Version, "even mine own possession, in the day that I make" (margin "or, do this").
See, further, ORNAMENT; DRESS; STONES, PRECIOUS.
James Orr
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