In Scripture those expressions are frequently made use of to denote the constraining love of Christ. Thus Christ speaks of his church; (Song i. 10; 4: 9.) and again, by way of shewing Christ’s property in his church, "I put bracelets upon thine hands, and a chain on thy neck." (Ezek. 16. 11.) And Paul, the apostle, delighted to call himself the Lord’s prisoner. "For the hope of Israel (said he, ) I am bound with this chain." (Acts 28. 20.) "Be not thou, therefore, ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, of me his prisoner." (2 Tim. i.8.)
These are mentioned in scripture
1. as the insignia, of office: Joseph and Daniel were invested with gold chains. Gen 41:42; Dan 5:7.
2. As ornaments: they were placed on parts of the temple; were worn on the neck, and found among the spoils of war: Exo 28:14; Num 31:50; 2Ch 3:5; 2Ch 3:16; Son 1:10.
3. Used to secure prisoners. Jer 39:7; Lam 3:7; Act 12:6-7; 2Ti 1:16; Jud 1:6.
CHAINS.—The usual NT word for ‘chain’ is
In NT chains invariably denote instruments for binding, or restraining the liberty of the person, e.g. the demoniac (Mar 5:3), St. Peter (Act 12:8), the dragon (Rev 20:1). Imbeciles appear always to have received consideration, if not even reverence, in the East; but demoniacs, and persons suffering from certain forms of delirium, have been treated with horrible cruelty. Often they are loaded with chains and bound to a staple firmly fixed in the ground. The tortures applied are ostensibly for the purpose of driving out the evil spirit that possesses them.
Under the Roman law, vincula, was a form of punishment, or of safe custody. The prisoner was chained to a soldier, who was responsible for his safe keeping. The chain was fastened round the right wrist of the prisoner and the left wrist of his guard. To this chain St. Paul refers (Act 28:20, 2Ti 1:16). For greater safety two soldiers might be assigned as guards to one prisoner, a hand of each being chained to one of his. Thus St. Peter was confined in the stormy days of the persecution (Act 12:6); and St. Paul, when Lysias thought him a dangerous person (Act 21:33). The use of
W. Ewing.
By: Emil G. Hirsch, Charles J. Mendelsohn
A word employed in English versions of the Bible as an equivalent for the various Hebrew terms applied to devices consisting of a series of links and used (1) as means of restraint, or (2) for ornamental purposes on persons or on buildings. These Hebrew terms are as follows:
1.
: Occurring in Num. xxxi. 50; R. V., "ankle chains." In II Sam. i. 10 it is translated "bracelet"; and this is evidently its more exact meaning (see Driver and Klostermann on II Sam. i. 10, and compare 
below No. 11).
2.
: occurring in Dan. v. 7, 16, 29 (read 
), and indicating a necklace worn as a mark of distinction. One was conferred upon Daniel for interpreting Belshazzar's dream. In the Targum it is employed for 
(Gen. xli. 42) Compare No. 12 below.
3.
: Occurs in Nahum iii. 10, and Ps. cxlix. 8, where it indicates fetters, probably of iron, for binding captives.
4.
: Translated "chain" in Ezek. xix. 4, 9, A. V., but more correctly rendered "hook" in R. V. Inserted in the nose, it served as a means of leading captives (compare II Kings xix. 28). It is also indicated as an ornament (Ex. xxxv. 22, A. V. "bracelets"; R. V., "brooches"). From its insertion in the nose of the captive, it seems probable that as an ornament the 
was a nose-ring (compare 
).V03p659007.jpgAssyrian Captive in Chains.(After Botta, "Monuments de Ninive.")
5.
: Occurs in Song of Solomon i. 10 (R. V., "strings"). Ornamental chains for the neck, probably strings of coral, metal, or pearls, are meant.
6.
: This word occurs only in Ps. lxviii. 7 (6), and is translated as "chains" in A. V., but more correctly in R. V. as "prosperity" (compare dictionaries of Gesenius [-Buhl], Siegfried-Stade, and Baethgen, on Ps. lxviii. 7).
7.
and 
: Occurring in Lam. iii. 7, and often translated "fetters," as in Judges xvi. 21; II Kings xxv. 7. Chains for prisoners, made, as the name implies, of bronze. They consisted of two rings—one for each foot or arm—connected by a link.
8.
: Rendered "chains" in Isa. iii. 19, A. V., but better taken, in R. V., as "pendants"—obviously with reference to the drop-like form of the ornament. In Judges viii. 26, A. V., it is rendered "collars" [margin, "sweet jewels"]; in R. V., "pendants."
9.
: Employed in Ex. xxviii. 14, xxxix. 15 to designate the gold chains on the ephod and breastplate of the high priest.
10.
: An ornament for the neck mentioned in Song of Solomon iv. 9, etc. (compare 
, Ps. lxxiii. 6). The word is used in Judges viii. 26 to designate the chains worn by camels.
11.
: Rendered by R. V. in Isa. iii. 20 as "ankle chains"; A. V. has "ornaments of the legs." Compare 
(No. 1) above.
12.
: Occurs in Gen. xli. 42 and Ezek. xvi. 11, where it indicates a necklace evidently employed as a sign of distinction. Pharaoh adorned Joseph with a chain of this kind when investing him with office.
13.
: Applied (1) to chains of captivity (Ezek. vii. 23); (2) to the gold chains hung before the "oracle" (
) in the Temple (I Kings vi. 21); and (3) to silver chains hung upon a graven image (Isa. xl. 19).
14.
: Translated "bracelets" in Isa. iii. 19, both A. V. and R. V., but "chains" is the marginal rendering in the latter. The word seems to indicate arm-ornaments; compare the Arabic "siwar" (bracelet).
15.
: Chainwork used in ornamentation. It was employed in the Temple (II Chron. iii. 5, 16) and for the ephod and breastplate of the high priest (Ex. xxviii. 14, xxxix. 15). Compare 
(Ex. xxviii. 22), which is an abbreviated form of this word. See Fetters.
Bibliography:
Nowack, Lehrbuch der Hebräischen Archäologie, pp. 128et seq.; and the various Bible commentaries.
Emblems in Christian art associated with
Saint Adjutor from his period as a prisoner
Saint Balbina because of her discovery of Saint Peter’s chains
Saint Ignatius of Antioch
Saint Jerome Emiliani
Saint Leonard of Noblac due to his work with slaves
Saint Theodosius the Cenobiarch
New Catholic Dictionary