Bracelet

A bracelet on a sister’s wrist sets a whole story moving. In Genesis 24:30 Laban sees the earring and bracelets on Rebekah’s hands, hears her words, and runs out to welcome the servant of Abraham. Elsewhere bracelets are gifts given to God: in Exodus 35:22 everyone who was “willing hearted” brought gold jewels for the tabernacle, and in Numbers 31:50 officers offer theirs to make atonement for their souls. Ezekiel 16:11 uses the same ornament as a picture of being lovingly dressed by God. Genesis 24 is a good place to begin.

4 verses

Genesis

Genesis 24:30

And it came to pass, when he saw the earring and bracelets upon his sister's hands, and when he heard the words of Rebekah his sister, saying, Thus spake the man unto me; that he came unto the man; and, behold, he stood by the camels at the well.

Exodus

Exodus 35:22

And they came, both men and women, as many as were willing hearted, and brought bracelets, and earrings, and rings, and tablets, all jewels of gold: and every man that offered offered an offering of gold unto the LORD.

Numbers

Numbers 31:50

We have therefore brought an oblation for the LORD, what every man hath gotten, of jewels of gold, chains, and bracelets, rings, earrings, and tablets, to make an atonement for our souls before the LORD.

Ezekiel

Ezekiel 16:11

I decked thee also with ornaments, and I put bracelets upon thy hands, and a chain on thy neck.

From Easton's Bible Dictionary

Matthew George Easton, 1897

(1.) Anklets (Num. 31:50; 2 Sam. 1:10), and with reference to men.

(2.) The rendering of a Hebrew word meaning fasteners, found in Gen. 24:22, 30, 47.

(3.) In Isa. 3:19, the rendering of a Hebrew word meaning chains, i.e., twisted or chain-like bracelets.

(4.) In Ex. 35:22 it designates properly a clasp for fastening the dress of females. Some interpret it as a nose-ring.

(5.) In Gen. 38:18, 25, the rendering of a Hebrew word meaning “thread,” and may denote the ornamental cord with which the signet was suspended from the neck of the wearer.

Bracelets were worn by men as well as by women (Cant. 5:14, R.V.). They were of many various forms. The weight of those presented by Eliezer to Rebekah was ten shekels (Gen. 24:22).

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From Smith's Bible Dictionary

William Smith, 1884

[See ARMLET] Bracelets of fine twisted Venetian gold are still common in Egypt. In (Genesis 38:18,25) the word rendered "bracelet" means probably a string by which a seal-ring was suspended. Men as well as women wore bracelets, as we see from (Solomon 5:14) Layard says of the Assyrian kings, "The arms were encircled by armlets, and the wrists by bracelets."