An ornament is an item of adornment, such as jewelry, decorated clothing, or priestly attire. Scripture warns against prideful reliance on outward beauty while emphasizing holiness and inward character as the greater adornment.
Definition
An ornament is an object or item of dress used for adornment. It may include decorated fabrics, priestly garments, veils, girdles, turbans, rings, bracelets, earrings, nose-rings, anklets, head-bands, and necklaces. Ornament may also refer more broadly to attractive attire and outward display.
Biblical Usage
Scripture records both the use of ornaments and prophetic rebukes of extravagant adornment. It places greater value on inward holiness than on outward jewelry or clothing. Ornaments were also laid aside in mourning, while attractive attire is shown receiving sanction in a divine example.
Historical Background
The Hebrews, like other Orientals, greatly valued ornaments. Wealthier people used richly worked clothing and precious-metal jewelry, including seal-rings, bracelets, earrings, chains, and other adornments.
Historical Bible Dictionaries
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE)
<p>or'-na-ment (`adhi, "adornment"): In common with all the Orientals, the Hebrews were very fond of wearing ornaments, and their tendency to extravagance of this kind often met with stern prophetic rebuke (Isa 3:16-24; Eze 13:18-20). On this subject, little is said in the New Testament apart from Jesus' (Lu 7:25; 12:23) and James' (Jas 2:2) invectives against meretricious estimates of moral character. Yet the employment of attractive attire receives sanction in the divine example of Eze 16:10-14.</p><p>Ornaments in general would include finely embroidered or decorated fabrics, such as the priest's dress or the high-priestly attire, and the richly wrought veil, girdle and turban used by the wealthier class. But the term may be limited here to the various rings, bracelets and chains made of precious metals and more or less jeweled (compare Jer 2:32).</p><p>These latter, described in detail under their own titles, may be summarized here as finger-rings, particularly prized as seal-rings (Ge 38:18,25; Jer 22:24); arm-rings or bracelets (Ge 24:22; 2Sa 1:10); earrings (Ge 35:4; Ex 32:2); noserings (Ge 24:47; Eze 16:12); anklets or ankle-chains (Isa 3:16,18); head-bands or fillets or cauls (referred to in Isa 3:18 only), and necklaces or neck-chains (Ge 41:42; Eze 16:11).</p><p>Figurative: The universal devotion to ornament among the Orientals is the occasion for frequent Biblical allusions to the beauty and splendor of fine jewelry and attire. But everywhere, in divine injunctions, the emphasis of value is placed upon the beauty of holiness as an inward grace rather than on the attractions of outward ornament (Job 40:10; Ps 110:3; Joe 2:13; 1Ti 2:9,10; 1Pe 3:4). In grievous sorrow, all ornament was to be laid aside in token of mourning (Ex 33:4-6).</p><p>Leonard W. Doolan</p>
