Dictionary of Bible Themes  »  4000 Creation  »  4300 Metals and minerals  »  4363 silver

A precious metal often surpassed in value only by gold. It had a variety of uses and by NT times was common in coinage.

Silver mined

Job 28:1-4

Silver acquired through trade

1 Kings 10:22 pp 2 Chronicles 9:20 See also Jeremiah 10:9; Ezekiel 27:12; Revelation 18:11-12

Silver refined

Psalm 66:10 See also Proverbs 17:3; Proverbs 27:21; Isaiah 48:10; Ezekiel 22:20-22; Zechariah 13:9; Malachi 3:3

Silver worked by silversmiths

Proverbs 25:4 See also 2 Chronicles 2:7,13-14; Acts 19:24

Possession of silver a sign of wealth

Genesis 13:2 See also Genesis 24:35; Numbers 22:18; Deuteronomy 8:13; Deuteronomy 17:17; Joshua 22:8; 2 Chronicles 32:27 Hezekiah's riches; Job 3:13-15; Job 27:16; Psalm 105:37; Ecclesiastes 2:8; Isaiah 2:7; Isaiah 60:17; Ezekiel 16:13 the adornments of unfaithful Jerusalem; Ezekiel 28:4; Daniel 11:43; Hosea 2:8; Zechariah 9:3; Zechariah 14:14

Silver given as offerings to God

Exodus 25:1-3 See also Exodus 35:5,24; Numbers 7:84-85; 2 Samuel 8:11 pp 1 Chronicles 18:11; 1 Chronicles 29:7; Ezra 1:1-11; Ezra 2:68-69; Ezra 7:13-16; Ezra 8:24-30; Nehemiah 7:71-72

Silver in the tabernacle

Exodus 38:17 See also Exodus 26:18-25 pp Exodus 36:23-30; Exodus 26:31-32 pp Exodus 36:35-36; Exodus 27:9-11 pp Exodus 38:9-12; Exodus 27:17; Exodus 38:18-19,25-28; Numbers 10:2

Silver in the temple

1 Chronicles 22:14 See also 1 Kings 7:51 pp 2 Chronicles 5:1; 1 Kings 15:15 pp 2 Chronicles 15:18; 2 Kings 25:15 pp Jeremiah 52:19; 1 Chronicles 28:14-17; 1 C 2-5; 2 Chronicles 24:14; Daniel 5:2

Silver abundant in Jerusalem in Solomon's time

1 Kings 10:27 pp 2 Chronicles 1:15 pp 2 Chronicles 9:27 See also 1 Kings 10:21 pp 2 Chronicles 9:20

Silver as currency

Genesis 37:28 See also Genesis 20:16; Genesis 23:15-16; Genesis 33:19; Genesis 42:35; Exodus 21:32; Exodus 38:25; Leviticus 5:15; Leviticus 27:6,16; Numbers 3:50; Numbers 18:16 the redemption of firstborn males; Deuteronomy 2:6,28; Deuteronomy 14:22-26; Deuteronomy 22:19,28-29; Joshua 24:32; Judges 9:4; Judges 16:5 The rulers of the Philistines offer to pay Delilah for the secret of Samson's great strength; Judges 17:10; 1 Samuel 9:8; 2 Samuel 18:11; Samuel 24:24 David buys Araunah's threshing-floor and oxen; 1 Kings 10:29 pp 2 Chronicles 1:17; 1 Kings 16:24; Kings 20:39; 2 Kings 6:25; 1 Chronicles 19:6; 2 Chronicles 25:6; Ezra 7:21-22; Nehemiah 5:15; Esther 3:9 Haman promises to pay those who destroy the Jews; Job 42:11; Isaiah 7:23; Jeremiah 32:9-10,44; Hosea 3:1-2; Amos 2:6; Amos 8:5-6; Zephaniah 1:11; Zechariah 11:12-13; Matthew 10:9; Matthew 26:15; Matthew 27:3-10 Judas returns the thirty silver coins; Luke 10:35; Acts 3:6

Silver as tribute

2 Kings 23:33-35 pp 2 Chronicles 36:3 See also 1 Kings 15:18-19 pp 2 Chronicles 16:2-3; 2 Kings 16:8; Kings 18:14-15; 2 Chronicles 9:13-14,23-24; 2 C 11; 2 C 5

Silver as plunder

Judges 5:19 See also Exodus 3:22; Numbers 31:21-23; Joshua 6:18-19,24; Joshua 7:21; 2 Kings 14:14 pp 2 Chronicles 25:24; Ezekiel 38:13; Nahum 2:9

Silver idols or statues

Exodus 20:23 See also Deuteronomy 7:25; Deuteronomy 29:17; Judges 17:1-4; Psalm 115:4; Isaiah 2:20; Isaiah 30:22; Isaiah 31:7; Isaiah 40:19; Isaiah 46:6; Jeremiah 10:3-4,8-9; Daniel 2:32 the statue in Nebuchadnezzar's dream; Daniel 5:4,23; Hosea 8:4; Hosea 13:2; Habakkuk 2:19; Acts 17:29; Acts 19:24; Revelation 9:20

Silver jewellery

Genesis 24:53 See also Songs 1:11; Ezekiel 16:17

Silver referred to metaphorically

Job 22:23-25 See also Psalm 12:6; Psalm 68:13; Psalm 119:72; Proverbs 2:1-5; Proverbs 3:13-14; Proverbs 8:10,19; Proverbs 10:20; Proverbs 16:16; Proverbs 22:1 Esteem is better than silver or gold; Proverbs 25:11; Ecclesiastes 12:6; Isaiah 1:22

See also

4303  metals
4333  gold
4348  mining
4351  refining
5260  coinage
5272  craftsmen
5412  money
5594  tribute
5615  weights
5915  ornaments
7402  offerings
8768  idolatry