4333 gold
Dictionary of Bible Themes

Dictionary of Bible Themes  »  4000 Creation  »  4300 Metals and minerals  »  4333 gold

The most valuable of all metals, gold was indicative of wealth and prosperity in biblical times. It had a wide variety of uses and was employed extensively in both the tabernacle and the temple.

Gold was of great value

Isaiah 60:17 See also Joshua 6:18-19,24; 1 Kings 20:1-6; 2 Kings 7:8; Kings 14:14; 2 Chronicles 21:3; Job 28:12-19 Wisdom cannot be bought with gold; Psalm 45:9,13; Psalm 72:15; Psalm 105:37; Proverbs 20:15; Ezekiel 28:13; Daniel 11:8,38; Joel 3:4-5; 2 Timothy 2:20; Revelation 21:18,21 The streets of the new Jerusalem are to be paved with gold.

Gold was indicative of wealth

Genesis 13:2 See also Genesis 24:35; Deuteronomy 8:12-14; Deuteronomy 17:17; Joshua 22:8 Joshua sends the eastern tribes home; 2 Kings 20:13 pp Isaiah 39:2; 2 Chronicles 1:15; 2 C 27; Job 3:15; Job 31:24-28; Ecclesiastes 2:8; Isaiah 2:7; Ezekiel 16:13 the adornments of unfaithful Jerusalem; Ezekiel 28:4; Zephaniah 1:18; Zechariah 9:3; Zechariah 14:14; James 2:2; Revelation 18:16

Gold was relatively rare

Isaiah 13:12

Gold was mined from the earth

Job 28:5-6 See also Genesis 2:11-12

Gold was refined by fire

Revelation 3:18 See also Numbers 31:21-23; Job 28:1; Proverbs 17:3; Proverbs 27:21; Zechariah 13:9; Malachi 3:3; 1 Peter 1:7

Gold was obtained through trade

1 Kings 10:22 pp 2 Chronicles 9:21 See also 1 Kings 9:26-28 pp 2 Chronicles 8:17-18; 1 Kings 10:11 pp 2 Chronicles 9:9; 1 Kings 22:48; Isaiah 60:6; Jeremiah 10:9; Ezekiel 27:22; Revelation 18:11-13

Gold was worked by goldsmiths

Isaiah 46:6 See also 1 Chronicles 29:4-5; 2 Chronicles 2:7,13-14; Jeremiah 10:9

Gold was presented as offerings to God

Exodus 35:22 See also Exodus 25:1-7; Exodus 35:5; Numbers 7:84-86; Numbers 31:50-54; 2 Samuel 8:11; Ezra 1:1-11; Ezra 2:69; Ezra 7:12-18; Ezra 8:24-34; Nehemiah 7:70-72

Gold was given to rulers as tribute and bribes

1 Kings 10:14-15 pp 2 Chronicles 9:13-14 See also 1 Kings 10:24-25 pp 2 Chronicles 9:23-24; 2 Kings 12:18; Kings 16:7-9; Kings 18:13-16; Kings 23:33-35 pp 2 Chronicles 36:3; 2 Chronicles 16:2-3

Gold was given as gifts

Job 42:11 See also Genesis 24:53; 2 Samuel 8:9-10 pp 1 Chronicles 18:9-10; 1 Kings 10:10 pp 2 Chronicles 9:9; 2 Kings 5:5; Matthew 2:11

The use of gold in the tabernacle

Exodus 38:21-24 See also Exodus 25:11-13,17-18 the atonement cover and cherubim; Exodus 25:28-29,31,36,38; Exodus 26:6,29,32,37; Exodus 30:1-5 the altar; Exodus 39:37-38; Exodus 40:5; Leviticus 24:4; Numbers 8:4

The use of gold in priestly vestments

Exodus 28:4-5 See also Exodus 28:11-15,22-27,33-38; Exodus 39:15-20,25-26,30-31

The use of gold in the temple

1 Chronicles 22:14 See also 1 Kings 6:28,30,32,35; Kings 7:48-51; 2 Kings 18:16; 1 Chronicles 28:14-18; 1 C 1-7; 2 Chronicles 3:4-10; Corinthians 4:7-8,19-22

Gold symbols of office

Crown

2 Samuel 12:30 pp 1 Chronicles 20:2 See also Esther 8:15; Psalm 21:1-3; Zechariah 6:11; Revelation 4:4; Revelation 14:14

Throne

1 Kings 10:18-20 pp 2 Chronicles 9:17-19

Sceptre

Esther 4:11 See also Esther 5:2; Esther 8:4

Chain

Daniel 5:7 See also Genesis 41:42; Daniel 5:16,29

Other uses of gold

Jewellery

Exodus 35:22 See also Genesis 24:53,22; Exodus 3:22; Exodus 11:2; Exodus 12:35; Exodus 32:2,24 used to make the golden calf; Numbers 31:50; Judges 8:24-26 used to make Gideon's ephod; 2 Samuel 1:24; Proverbs 11:22; Proverbs 25:11; Songs 1:11; Jeremiah 4:30; Daniel 10:5; 1 Peter 3:3

Idols

Exodus 20:23 See also Exodus 32:31; Deuteronomy 7:25; Deuteronomy 29:17; Psalm 115:4; Psalm 135:15; Isaiah 2:20; Isaiah 30:22; Isaiah 31:7; Isaiah 40:19; Isaiah 46:6; Jeremiah 10:3-5; Ezekiel 16:17; Daniel 3:1 Nebuchadnezzar's image of gold; Daniel 3:4-7,14; Daniel 5:4,23; Hosea 8:4; Habakkuk 2:19; Acts 17:29; Revelation 9:20

Currency

Matthew 10:5-10 See also Numbers 22:18; Numbers 24:13; 2 Samuel 21:4; 1 Chronicles 21:25; Psalm 119:72; Ezekiel 7:19; Daniel 11:43; Acts 3:6; Acts 20:33; 1 Peter 1:18

Models

1 Samuel 6:4 See also 1 Samuel 6:8,11,15,17-18

Shields

1 Kings 10:16-17 pp 2 Chronicles 9:15-16 See also 2 Samuel 8:7; 1 Kings 14:26 pp 2 Chronicles 12:9

Goblets

1 Kings 10:21 pp 2 Chronicles 9:20 See also Esther 1:7; Jeremiah 51:7; Daniel 5:2-3,23; Revelation 17:4

Couches

Esther 1:6

Metaphorical and proverbial use of gold

Job 22:23-25 See also Job 23:8-10; Psalm 19:9-10; Psalm 68:13; Proverbs 3:13-14; Proverbs 16:16; Proverbs 22:1; Proverbs 25:11; Songs 5:10-15; Lamentations 4:1-2; Daniel 2:37-38

See also

4303  metals
4306  minerals
4345  metalworkers
4351  refining
4363  silver
5260  coinage
5272  craftsmen
5437  palaces
5615  weights
7306  ark of the covenant
7459  tabernacle, in OT
8809  riches



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