Isaiah 3:21 — Word Study
WLCהַטַּבָּע֖וֹת וְנִזְמֵ֥י הָאָֽף׃
BSA[their] signet ringsṭabbaʻath [a ring or signet] and noseʼaph ringsnezem [jewels, nose ornaments, rings on the face]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| הַטַּבָּע֖וֹת | the signet-rings | Particle, noun common feminine plural absolute |
| וְנִזְמֵ֥י | and [the] rings of | Conjunction, noun common masculine plural construct |
| הָאָֽף׃ | the nose | Particle, noun common masculine singular absolute |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | their signet rings and nose rings; |
| KJV | The rings, and nose jewels, |
| ASV | the rings, and the nose-jewels; |
| YLT | Of the seals, and of the nose-rings, |
| WEB | the signet rings, the nose rings, |
| BBE | The rings, and the nose-jewels, |
All translations agree on the rendering of the key terms in this verse.
The verse consists of a single main clause listing items.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Isaiah 3:21
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — The Judgment Against Jerusalemgenerated
Isaiah 3:21 is part of a broader passage where the prophet Isaiah describes the impending judgment on Jerusalem and Judah. This judgment includes the loss of their luxurious adornments, which symbolize their pride and social status. The items listed reflect the extravagance of the people, and their removal signifies a humbling and a return to dependence on God.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Genesis 41:42 | Then Pharaoh removed the signet ring from his finger, put it on Joseph’s finger, clothed him in garments of fine linen, and placed a gold chain around his neck. |
| 2 | Esther 8:12 | The single day appointed throughout all the provinces of King Xerxes was the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar. |
| 3 | Song of Solomon 5:14 | |
| 4 | Luke 15:22 | But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. |
| 5 | James 2:2 | Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 8 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — הַטַּבָּע֖וֹת, ha.ta.ba.'otgenerated
The word הַטַּבָּע֖וֹת (*ha.tabba'ot*) is a feminine plural noun meaning 'the signet rings.' It originates from the root טַבַּ֫עַת (*tabba`ath*), which refers to a ring or signet used for sealing documents. In this context, it symbolizes authority and status, as these rings were often used to authenticate important documents.
The use of this word in Isaiah emphasizes the significance of these rings as symbols of identity and power. The loss of such items during judgment serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of pride and disobedience.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
All translations agree on the rendering of הַטַּבָּע֖וֹת as 'signet rings' and וְנִזְמֵ֥י as 'nose rings.'
The BSB, KJV, ASV, YLT, WEB, and BBE all maintain the same wording for these items, reflecting their importance in the cultural context of the passage.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The finite verb is absent here, as this verse consists of a series of noun phrases listing items: הַטַּבָּע֖וֹת (the signet rings) and וְנִזְמֵ֥י (and the rings of the nose). This structure emphasizes the items themselves rather than an action.
The Hebrew word order places the items in a way that highlights their significance, with the conjunction וְ (and) linking them together.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
In the Septuagint, הַטַּבָּע֖וֹת is rendered as τοὺς (*tous*), indicating a direct translation of the noun phrase. This choice maintains the focus on the items being described.
The translation of וְנִזְמֵ֥י as ἐνώτια (*enōtia*) suggests a specific cultural understanding of nose rings, which were significant in both Hebrew and Greek contexts.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Isaiah 3:21 lists items that symbolize pride and beauty, such as signet rings and nose rings. These adornments represent the extravagance of the people, which will be lost in the coming judgment.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
Signet rings often symbolize authority and identity, as they were used to seal documents and signify ownership or approval.
Nose rings were common adornments in ancient times, representing beauty and social status, and their mention highlights the loss of luxury during judgment.
The items listed reflect the pride and extravagance of the people, and their loss signifies a humbling judgment from God.
This verse illustrates the consequences of the people's pride and disobedience, which is a recurring theme throughout the book of Isaiah.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What do the items listed in this verse reveal about the values of the people in Isaiah's time?
- How can we see similar attitudes of pride and extravagance in our own culture today?
- In what ways can we ensure that our identity is rooted in God rather than in material possessions?
- What lessons can we learn from the judgment described in this passage?
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Isaiah 3:21 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleThe rings,.... On their finger, as Aben Ezra observes: and nose jewels; the same with the jewels on the forehead or nose, Ezekiel 16:12 not that they hung upon the nose, but were fastened upon the
Read John Gill on Isaiah 3 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryThe rings, and nose jewels, Nose jewels. The cartilage between the nostrils was bored to receive them: they usually hung from the left nostril.
Read Robert Jamieson on Isaiah 3 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleWhich were fastened to the head, and hung down upon the forehead to the beginning of the nose; of which see ,47 Jude 8:24, &c.
Read Matthew Poole on Isaiah 3 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsIsaiah 3:21 The rings, and nose jewels, Ver. 21.
Read John Trapp on Isaiah 3 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(21) The rings, and nose jewels.—The first word points to the signet ring, worn both by men and women of wealth (Exodus 35:22; Numbers 31:50; Esther 3:12; Esther 8:8; Jeremiah 22:24); the latter to the ornaments worn pendent from the nostrils as by modern Arabian women (Genesis 24:22).
Read Charles John Ellicott on Isaiah 3 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 21. Nose-jewels - "The jewels of the nostril."] נזמי האף nizmey haaph. Schroederus explains this, as many others do, of jewels, or strings of pearl hanging from the forehead, and reaching to the upper part of the nose; than which nothing can be more ridiculous, as such are seldom seen on an Asiatic face. But it appears from many passages of Holy Scripture that the phrase is to be literally and properly understood of nose-jewels, rings set with jewels hanging from the nostrils, as ear-rings from the ears, by holes bored to receive them. Ezekiel, enumerating the common ornaments of women of the first rank, has not omitted this particular, and is to be understood in the same manner…
Read AdamClarke on Isaiah 3 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges21. rings] seal-rings, worn on the finger. nose jewels] Genesis 24:47.
Read Cambridge on Isaiah 3 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleThe rings - Usually worn on the fingers. And nose-jewels - The custom of wearing jewels in the “nose” has generally prevailed in savage tribes, and was common, and is still, in Eastern nations - among the Arabians, Persians, etc.
Read Albert Barnes on Isaiah 3 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
their signet rings and nose rings;
the signet rings, the nose rings,
their signet rings and nose rings;
rings, nose rings,
Tyndale line
The rings, and nose jewels,
the rings, and the nose-jewels;
the rings, and the nose jewels;
The rings, and nose-jewels,
The rings and the mufflers,
Strictly literal
the finger-rings, and the nose-rings;
Of the seals, and of the nose-rings,
Of the seals, and of the nose-rings,
The finger-rings, and nose-jewels,
He will remove the rings and the nose jewels;
From the Latin
And rings, and jewels hanging on the forehead,
Simplified
rings, nose rings,
The rings, and the nose-jewels,
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text reads "הַטַּבָּע֖וֹת וְנִזְמֵ֥י הָאָֽף׃" which translates to "their signet rings and nose rings." The Septuagint, while not providing a direct translation here, corresponds with the same three words in a different order, indicating agreement in content. The Dead Sea Scrolls from 1Qisaa also preserve the same phrase as the Masoretic Text, confirming the reading. However, 4Q56 lacks the text for this verse, with the words supplied by an editor, indicating a gap in the manuscript. Overall, the primary witnesses agree on the key terms, with the exception of the 4Q56's missing text.
הַטַּבָּע֖וֹת וְנִזְמֵ֥י הָאָֽף׃
3 of the 3 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
והטבעות ונזמי האפ
3 words on the leather.
[הטבעות] [ונזמי] [האף]
nothing on the leather here — 3 supplied entire by an editor.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Isaiah 3:21
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
The Hebrew word טַבַּ֫עַת (*tabba`ath*) means a signet or ring, often used for sealing. It can refer to a signet ring symbolizing authority or a decorative ring. The term appears primarily in Exodus, associated with sacred items like the ark and ephod.
טַבַּ֫עַת n.f. signet, signet-ring, ring
signet-ring
ring, as ornament
most often (only in Ex.) of rings for staves of ark, for curtains, for ephod, and other sacred furniture
base
H2885 טַבַּ֫עַת signet, signet-ring, ring
2885 tabba`ath tab-bah'-ath
from 2883; properly, a seal (as sunk into the wax), i.e.
signet (for sealing); hence (generally) a ring of any
kind:--ring.
see HEBREW for 02883
טַבַּ֫עַת (tab.ba.at) — ring.
1) ring, signet, signet ring
1a) signet ring (as symbol of authority)
1b) ring (as ornament)
Art | N-fp — Particle · noun common feminine plural absoluteHTd/Ncfpa
Ornaments for the ears, nose, legs, arms, or fingers. The antiquity of rings appears from Scripture and from profane authors. Judah left his ring with Tamar, Ge 1:1-50:26 38:18. When Pharaoh committed the government of Egypt to Joseph, he gave him his ring from his finger, Ge 41:42. After the victory of the Israelites over the Midianites, they offered to the Lord the rings, the bracelets, and the golden necklaces taken from the enemy. Nu 31:50. The Israelitish women wore rings, not only on their fingers, but also in their nostrils and their ears, and on their ankles. See BRACELETS. James distinguishes a man of wealth and dignity by the ring of gold on his finger, Jas 2:2. At…
נֶ֫זֶם (nexem) refers to a type of ring, specifically a nose-ring or earring, often noted to be made of gold. The word is derived from an uncertain root and is used in contexts relating to jewelry, both for men and women.
נֶ֫זֶם n.m. ring, always of gold when material mentioned
base
H5141 נֶ֫זֶם ring, always of gold when material mentioned
5141 nexem neh'-zem
from an unused root of uncertain meaning; a
nose-ring:--earring, jewel.
נֶ֫זֶם (ne.zem) — ring.
1) ring, nose ring, earring
1a) nose ring (woman's ornament)
1b) earring (ornament of men or women)
Conj | N-mp — Conjunction · noun common masculine plural constructHC/Ncmpc
ov:
(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.
OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]
1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.
I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.
For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.
It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.
Lamentations 3:1.
The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.
Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.
That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.
Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…
The Hebrew word אַף (aph) primarily means nostril or nose, but it also refers to the face and is often associated with anger. It can denote a person's countenance or expressions of ire. The entries highlight its connection to rapid breathing in passionate states, indicating its use in contexts of anger or wrath.
אַף 277 n.m. nostril, nose, face, anger
nostril, as organ of breathing
Dn. face
mostly anger
base
H639 אַף nostril, nose, face, anger
639 'aph af
from 599; properly, the nose or nostril; hence, the face, and
occasionally a person; also (from the rapid breathing in
passion) ire:--anger(-gry), + before, countenance, face, +
forebearing, forehead, + (long-)suffering, nose, nostril,
snout, X worthy, wrath.
see HEBREW for 0599
אַף (aph) — face: anger.
: anger
1) nostril, nose, face
2) anger
אַף (aph) — face: nose.
: nose
1) nostril, nose, face
2) anger
אַף (aph) — face.
: face
1) nostril, nose, face
2) anger
Art | N-ms — Particle · noun common masculine singular absoluteHTd/Ncmsa
Several expressions in Scripture grew out of the fact that anger often shows itself by distended nostrils, hard breathing, and in animals by snorting, 2Sa 22:9 Job 39:20 Ps 18:8. Gold rings hung in the cartilage of the nose, or the left nostril, were favorite ornaments of eastern women, Pr 11:22 Eze 16:12. Rings were inserted in the noses of animals, to guide and control them; and according to the recently discovered tablets at Nineveh, captives among the Assyrians were sometimes treated in the same way, 2Ki 19:28