Silver

Silver - (Easton's Bible Dictionary)

Used for a great variety of purposes, as may be judged from the frequent references to it in Scripture. It first appears in commerce in Gen. 13:2; 23:15, 16. It was largely employed for making vessels for the sanctuary in the wilderness (Ex. 26:19; 27:17; Num. 7:13, 19; 10:2). There is no record of its having been found in Syria or Palestine. It was brought in large quantities by foreign merchants from abroad, from Spain and India and other countries probably.

Silver - (Webster's 1828 Dictionary)

SIL'VER, n.

1. A metal of a white color and lively brilliancy. It has neither taste nor smell; its specific gravity is 10.552, according to Bergman, but according to Kirwan it is less. A cubic foot weighs about 660 lbs. Its ductility is little inferior to that of gold. It is harder and more elastic that tin of iron. It is found native in thin plates or leaves, or in fine threads, or it is found mieralized by various substances. Great quanitities of the metal are furnished by the mines of South America, and it is found in small quantities in Norway, Germany, Spain, the United State, _c.

2. Money; coin made of silver.

3. Any thing of soft splendor. Pallas-piteous of her plaintive cries, In slumber clos'd her silver-streaming eyes.

SIL'VER, a.

1. Made of silver; as a silver cup.

2. White like silver; as silver hair. Others on silver lakes and rivers bath'd Their downy breast.

3. White, or pale; of a pale luster; as the silver moon.

4. SOft; as a silver voice or sound.

SIL'VER, v. t.

1. To cover superficially with a coat of silver; as, to silver a pin or a dialplate.

2. To foliate; to cover with tinfoil amalgamated with quicksilver; as, to silver glass.

3. To adorn with mild luster; to make smooth and bright. And smiling calmness silver'd o'er the deep.

4. To make hoary. His head was silver'd o'er with age.

sil'-ver (keceph; argurion, arguros): Silver was known in the earliest historic times. Specimens of early Egyptian and Babylonian silver work testify to the skill of the ancient silversmiths. In Palestine, silver objects have been found antedating the occupation of the land by the Hebrews. This metal was used for making all kinds of ornamental objects. In the mound of Gezer were found bowls, vases, ladles, hairpins, rings and bracelets of silver. The rings and settings for scarabs or seals were commonly of this metal. The first mention of silver in the Bible is in Ge 13:2, where it says that Abraham was rich in cattle, in silver and gold. At that time it was commonly used in exchange in the form of bars or other shapes. Coins of that metal were of a much later date (Ge 20:16; 23:15; 24:53; 37:28, etc.). Booty was collected in silver (Jos 6:19); tribute was paid in the same (1Ki 15:19). It was also used for jewelry (Ge 44:2). The Children of Israel systematically despoiled the Egyptians of their silver before the exodus (Ex 3:22; 11:2; 12:35, etc.). Ex 20:23 implies that idols were made of it. It was largely used in the fittings of the tabernacle (Ex 26) and later of the temple (2Ch 2).

It is likely that the ancient supply of silver came from the mountains of Asia Minor where it is still found in abundance associated with lead as argentiferous galena, and with copper sulfide. The Turkish government mines this silver on shares with the natives. The Sinaitic peninsula probably also furnished some silver. Later Phoenician ships brought quantities of it from Greece and Spain. The Arabian sources are doubtful (2Ch 9:14). Although silver does not tarnish readily in the air, it does corrode badly in the limestone soil of Palestine and Syria. This probably partly accounts for the small number of objects of this metal found. On the site of the ancient jewelers' shops of Tyre the writer found objects of gold, bronze, lead, iron, but none of silver.

Figurative:

Silver to be as stones in Jerusalem (1Ki 10:27) typified great abundance (compare Job 3:15; 22:25; 27:16; also Isa 60:17; Zec 9:3). The trying of men's hearts was compared to the refining of silver (Ps 66:10; Isa 48:10). Yahweh's words were as pure as silver refined seven times (Ps 12:6). The gaining of understanding is better than the gaining of silver (Pr 3:14; compare Pr 8:19; 10:20; 16:16; 22:1; 25:11). Silver become dross denoted deterioration (Isa 1:22; Jer 6:30). Breast and arms of silver was interpreted by Daniel to mean the inferior kingdom to follow Nebuchadnezzar's (Da 2:32,39).

In the New Testament, reference should be made especially to Ac 19:24; Jas 5:3; Re 18:12.

James A. Patch

Definition

Silver is a shiny, gray precious metal used to make coins, jewelry, containers, and ornaments.

• The various containers that are made from silver include silver cups and bowls, and other things used for cooking, eating, or serving.
• Silver and gold were used in the building of the tabernacle and the temple. The temple in Jerusalem had containers made of silver.
• In Bible times, a shekel was a unit of weight, and a purchase was often priced at a certain number of shekels of silver. By New Testament times there were silver coins of various weights that were measured in shekels.
• Joseph’s brothers sold him as a slave for twenty shekels of silver.
• Judas was paid thirty silver coins for betraying Jesus.
• If your culture does not have silver you could translate this term as “precious metal”

(See also: tabernacle, temple)

Bible References

• 1 Chronicles 18:9-11
• 1 Samuel 2:36
• 2 Kings 25:13-15
• Acts 3:6
• Matthew 26:15

Word Data

• Strong’s: H3701, H3702, H7192, G06930, G06940, G06950, G06960, G14060