Word Study for H5141 (נֶזֶם) | Strong's Concordance

nezem /neh'-zem/ Ask about this word

Rootfrom an unused root of uncertain meaning

Meaninga nose-ring

KJV usageearring, jewel.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of nezem — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Hebrew word nezem, represented by H5141, refers to a nose-ring, earring, or jewel. It appears 17 times across 16 unique verses in the Bible. This term generally describes a personal ornament, often of significant value, used in contexts ranging from simple adornment and gift-giving to religious offerings and powerful metaphors.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In the biblical narrative, H5141 is used in several significant contexts. It first appears as a valuable gift when Abraham's servant puts an earring on Rebekah's face, a gesture that is part of securing her as a wife for Isaac Genesis 24:47. These ornaments are also central to a major act of apostasy, as the Israelites give their golden earrings to Aaron to fashion the golden calf Exodus 32:2. Conversely, H5141 is also listed among the willing offerings of gold brought by the people for the construction of the tabernacle Exodus 35:22. Metaphorically, a jewel of gold in a swine's snout is likened to a beautiful woman without discretion Proverbs 11:22.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help define the use and context of jewelry:

H2091 zâhâb (gold): This word is almost always associated with H5141. From the "golden earring" given to Rebekah Genesis 24:22 to the gold ones used for the golden calf Exodus 32:3, the value of the nezem is often specified by its material.
H6781 tsâmîyd (bracelet, covering): This term for bracelet appears multiple times alongside nezem. In the account of Rebekah, she receives both an earring and bracelets, which are presented and observed together Genesis 24:30.
H5694 ʻâgîyl (earring): A term for a round ring for the ears, it is used in conjunction with nezem to describe complete adornment. God's symbolic beautification of Jerusalem includes putting a jewel H5141 on her forehead and earrings H5694 in her ears Ezekiel 16:12.

Theological Significance

The symbolic weight of H5141 is significant in scripture.

Sign of Blessing and Status: The nezem, typically made of gold H2091, functions as a sign of wealth and blessing. After his trials, Job's friends each give him a piece of money and an earring of gold, contributing to the restoration of his prosperity Job 42:11.
Object of Devotion and Idolatry: These valuable ornaments represent personal wealth that can be surrendered for a higher purpose. The Israelites willingly offered their earrings for the tabernacle Exodus 35:22, yet they also used the same items to create the golden calf, showing how personal treasures can be used for both true worship and idolatry Exodus 32:3. Similarly, Jacob's household gave up their earrings along with their foreign gods as an act of purification Genesis 35:4.
Metaphor for Character: The book of Proverbs uses the nezem to illustrate wisdom and folly. A wise reprover is compared to a valuable earring of gold to an obedient ear Proverbs 25:12, while a beautiful but foolish woman is a jewel of gold in a swine's snout Proverbs 11:22.

Summary

In summary, H5141 nezem is more than a simple piece of jewelry. It is an object of value that signifies wealth, is given as a significant gift, and is surrendered in acts of both holy devotion and grave idolatry. Its use in scripture illustrates how a common ornament can become a powerful symbol, representing a person's status, their allegiances, and the very nature of wisdom and folly.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Hebrew Old Testament, this word appears as a noun across 17 occurrences, inflected in 4 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form. Select any form to read what each part of its name means, and to filter the occurrence list to it.

נֶזֶם
נִזְמֵי
נֶּזֶם
נְּזָמִים

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

Appears in 16 verses across 8 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Genesis (4 verses); never once in the other 31.

Genesis

Exodus

Judges

Job

Proverbs

Isaiah

Ezekiel

Hosea

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, by grammatical form, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.