Dictionary of Bible Themes » 4000 Creation » 4300 Metals and minerals » 4303 metals
Gold, silver, bronze, iron, copper, tin and lead are all mentioned in Scripture. Prized for their value, they were used in a variety of ways. Scripture uses as an image a metal refiner's fire for the purification of the lives of believers.
Gold
Job 23:10 See also Exodus 25:10-22; Exodus 38:21-24; 1 Kings 6:27-35; Kings 7:48-50; Kings 10:14-21; Psalm 19:7-11; Revelation 3:18; Revelation 17:4
Silver
Psalm 12:6 See also Genesis 37:26-28; Exodus 38:25-28; 2 Chronicles 9:26-27; Psalm 119:72; Matthew 27:3-10
Bronze
Genesis 4:22 See also Exodus 27:1-7; Exodus 38:29-31; Numbers 16:31-40; 2 Chronicles 4:9-18
Iron
Deuteronomy 3:11 See also Deuteronomy 8:7-9; Judges 4:2-3; Job 40:15-18; Ezekiel 27:19
Copper
Job 28:2 See also Mark 12:41-44 pp Luke 21:1-4
Tin
Ezekiel 27:12 See also Ezekiel 22:18
Lead
It was an exceptionally heavy metal
Exodus 15:10 See also Zechariah 5:5-8
It was refined before use
Jeremiah 6:29 See also Numbers 31:21-23; Ezekiel 22:18-20
Inscriptions were sometimes made on lead
Job 19:23-24
It was traded between nations
Ezekiel 27:12
The value of metals
All metals were of value
Joshua 22:8 See also 1 Chronicles 18:10; 1 C 14; 1 C 1-7; Revelation 18:11-12
The relative value of metals
Isaiah 60:17 See also 1 Kings 10:21 pp 2 Chronicles 9:20; 1 Kings 14:25-28
Trade with metals
1 Kings 10:22 pp 2 Chronicles 9:21 See also Genesis 37:28; 1 Kings 10:11,14-15 pp 2 Chronicles 9:13-14; 1 Kings 22:48; Ezekiel 27:13,22; Zephaniah 1:11
Idols were often made from various metals
Leviticus 19:4 See also 1 Kings 14:9; Psalm 106:19; Isaiah 48:5; Daniel 5:22-23; Daniel 11:8
The refining of metals as an image of purification
Isaiah 48:10; Malachi 3:2 See also Psalm 12:6; Zechariah 13:9
See also
4306 minerals 4312 bronze 4321 copper 4333 gold 4336 iron 4345 metalworkers 4351 refining 4363 silver 4372 tin 5587 trade 7416 purification 8768 idolatry