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Ring

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

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Ring (in Attire).

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Concordances
Nave Topical Bible
• Ring
• Ear-Ring
Thompson Chain Reference
• Rings
Treasury of Biblical Knowledge
• Jewels; Ear & Nose Rings, Anklets Etc
Torrey Topical Textbook
• Rings
Dictionaries
American Church Dictionary
• Wedding Ring
• Ring
American Tract Society
• Rings
• Ring-Streaked
Easton's Bible Dictionary
• Ring
Fausset Bible Dictionary
• Ring
Holman Bible Dictionary
• Ring
• Nose Rings
Hastings' BibleDictionary
• Ring
• Ear-Ring
Hastings' NT Dictionary
• Ring (2)
• Ring
King James Dictionary
• Ring
Morrish Bible Dictionary
• Ear-Ring
1910 New Catholic Dictionary
• Rings, Liturgical Use of
• Rings, Jesuit
• Ring of the Fisherman
•   (only first 3 shown)
Hawker's Poor Man's Dictionary
• Rings
• Ring
Smith Bible Dictionary
• Ring
Vines' Expository Dictionary
• Ring
• Gold Ring
Wilson's Bible Types
• Ring
Webster Dictionary
• Ringing
• Ringed
• Ring-Tailed
•   (only first 3 shown)
Watson's Theological Dictionary
• Ear-Rings
• Rings
Encyclopedias
1911 Encyclopedia Britannica
• Cramp-Rings
• Ear-Ring
• Fairy Ring
•   (only first 3 shown)
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
• Ring
McClintock and Strong's Bible Encyclopedia
• Bridal Ring.
• Bridal Ring. (2)
• Cramp-Rings
•   (only first 3 shown)
The Nuttall Encyclopedia
• Fairy Rings
• Ring and the Book
• Solomon's Ring
The Catholic Encyclopedia
• Matthias Döring
• Rings
• The Ring of the Fisherman
The Jewish Encyclopedia
• Nose-Ring
• Ring, Max
• Rings
Lexicons
• ܙܰܡ
• ܥܶܙܶܩܬ݂ܳܐ
• δακτύλιος
• χρυσοδακτύλιος
• גַּב , גַּב
• גָּלִיל
• גָּלִיל
•   (only first 3 shown)

(usually טִבִּעִת, tabba'ath; δάκτυλος, occasionally גָּליל, galil, a circlet for the fingers, Esther 1:6; Song of Solomon 5:14, גָּב, gab, a rim of a wheel, Ezekiel 1:18). The ring was regarded as an indispensable article of a Hebrew's attire, inasmuch as it contained his signet, and even owed its name to this circumstance, the term tabbaath being derived from a root signifying "to impress a seal." It was hence the symbol of authority, and as such was presented by Pharaoh to Joseph (Genesis 41:42), by Ahasuerus to Haman (Esther 3:10), by Antiochus to Philip (1 Maccabees 6:15), and by the father to the prodigal son in the parable (Luke 15:22). It was treasured accordingly, and became a proverbial expression for a most valued object (Jeremiah 22:24; Haggai 2:23; Ecclesiastes 49:11). Such rings were worn not only by men, but by women (Isaiah 3:21; Mishna, Sabb. 6, § 3), and are enumerated among the articles presented by men and women for the service of the tabernacle (Exodus 35:22). The signet ring was worn on the right hand (Jeremiah loc. cit.). We may conclude, from Exodus 28:11, that the rings contained a stone engraven with a device, or with the owner's name. (See ORNAMENT).

The ancient Egyptians wore many rings, sometimes two and three on the same finger. The left was considered the hand peculiarly privileged to bear those ornaments; and it is remarkable that its third finger was decorated with a greater number than any other, and was considered by them, as by us, par excellence the ring finger, though there is no evidence of its having been so honored at the marriage ceremony. They even wore a ring on the thumb. Some rings were very simple; others were made with a scarabaeus, or an engraved stone; and they were occasionally in the form of a shell, a knot, a snake, or some fancy device. They were mostly of gold, and this metal seems to have always been preferred to silver for rings. Silver rings, however, are occasionally met with. Bronze was seldom used for rings, though frequently for signets. Some have been discovered of brass and iron (the latter of a Roman time); but ivory and blue porcelain were the materials of which those worn by the lower classes were usually made. The scarabaeus was the favorite form for rings; in some the stone, flat on both faces, turned on pins, like many of our seals at the present day, and the ring itself was bound round at each end, where it was inserted into the stone, with gold wire. This was common not only to rings, but to signets, and was intended for ornament as well as security. Numerous specimens of Egyptian rings have been discovered, most of them made of gold, very massive, and containing either a scarabaeus or an engraved stone (Wilkinson, Anc. Egypt. 2, 337). The ancient Assyrians seem to have been equally fond of similar ornaments. The same profusion was exhibited also by the Greeks and Romans, particularly by men (Smith, Dict. of Antiq. s.v. "Rings"). It appears also to have prevailed among the Jews of the apostolic age; for in James 2:2, a rich man is described as χρυσοδακτύλιος, meaning not simply "with a gold ring," as in the A.V., but "golden-ringed" (like the χρυσόχειρ , "golden-handed," of Lucian, Timon, 20), implying equally well the presence of several gold rings. (See JEWEL).

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