Gold

The most valuable of all metals, gold was indicative of wealth and prosperity in biblical times. It had a wide variety of uses and was employed extensively in both the tabernacle and the temple.

Gold was of great value

Isaiah 60:17 See also Joshua 6:18–19, Joshua 6:24; 1 Kings 20:1–6; 2 Kings 7:8, 2 Kings 14:14; 2 Chronicles 21:3; Job 28:12–19 Wisdom cannot be bought with gold; Psalm 45:9, Psalm 45:13, Psalm 72:15, Psalm 105:37; Proverbs 20:15; Ezekiel 28:13; Daniel 11:8, Daniel 11:38; Joel 3:4–5; 2 Timothy 2:20; Revelation 21:18, Revelation 21:21 The streets of the new Jerusalem are to be paved with gold.

Instead of bronze I will bring you gold; I will bring silver in place of iron, bronze instead of wood, and iron instead of stones. I will appoint peace as your governor and righteousness as your ruler.

Gold was indicative of wealth

Genesis 13:2 See also Genesis 24:35; Deuteronomy 8:12–14, Deuteronomy 17:17; Joshua 22:8 Joshua sends the eastern tribes home; 2 Kings 20:13 parallel Isaiah 39:2; 2 Chronicles 1:15, 2 Chronicles 32:27; Job 3:15, Job 31:24–28; Ecclesiastes 2:8; Isaiah 2:7; Ezekiel 16:13 the adornments of unfaithful Jerusalem; Ezekiel 28:4; Zephaniah 1:18; Zechariah 9:3, Zechariah 14:14; James 2:2; Revelation 18:16

And Abram had become extremely wealthy in livestock and silver and gold.

Gold was relatively rare

Isaiah 13:12

I will make man scarcer than pure gold, and mankind rarer than the gold of Ophir.

Gold was mined from the earth

Job 28:5–6 See also Genesis 2:11–12

Food may come from the earth, but from below it is transformed as by fire. Its rocks are the source of sapphires, containing flecks of gold.

Gold was refined by fire

Revelation 3:18 See also Numbers 31:21–23; Job 28:1; Proverbs 17:3, Proverbs 27:21; Zechariah 13:9; Malachi 3:3; 1 Peter 1:7

I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, white garments so that you may be clothed and your shameful nakedness not exposed, and salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see.

Gold was obtained through trade

1 Kings 10:22 parallel 2 Chronicles 9:21 See also 1 Kings 9:26–28 parallel 2 Chronicles 8:17–18; 1 Kings 10:11 parallel 2 Chronicles 9:9; 1 Kings 22:48; Isaiah 60:6; Jeremiah 10:9; Ezekiel 27:22; Revelation 18:11–13

For the king had the ships of Tarshish at sea with Hiram’s fleet, and once every three years the ships of Tarshish would arrive bearing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.

Gold was worked by goldsmiths

Isaiah 46:6 See also 1 Chronicles 29:4–5; 2 Chronicles 2:7, 2 Chronicles 2:13–14; Jeremiah 10:9

They pour out their bags of gold and weigh out silver on scales; they hire a goldsmith to fashion it into a god, so they can bow down and worship.

Gold was presented as offerings to God

Exodus 35:22 See also Exodus 25:1–7, Exodus 35:5; Numbers 7:84–86, Numbers 31:50–54; 2 Samuel 8:11; Ezra 1:1–11, Ezra 2:69, Ezra 7:12–18, Ezra 8:24–34; Nehemiah 7:70–72

So all who had willing hearts, both men and women, came and brought brooches and earrings, rings and necklaces, and all kinds of gold jewelry. And they all presented their gold as a wave offering to the LORD.

Gold was given to rulers as tribute and bribes

1 Kings 10:14–15 parallel 2 Chronicles 9:13–14 See also 1 Kings 10:24–25 parallel 2 Chronicles 9:23–24; 2 Kings 12:18, 2 Kings 16:7–9, 2 Kings 18:13–16, 2 Kings 23:33–35 parallel 2 Chronicles 36:3; 2 Chronicles 16:2–3

The weight of gold that came to Solomon each year was 666 talents, not including the revenue from the merchants, traders, and all the Arabian kings and governors of the land.

Gold was given as gifts

Job 42:11 See also Genesis 24:53; 2 Samuel 8:9–10 parallel 1 Chronicles 18:9–10; 1 Kings 10:10 parallel 2 Chronicles 9:9; 2 Kings 5:5; Matthew 2:11

All his brothers and sisters and prior acquaintances came and dined with him in his house. They consoled him and comforted him over all the adversity that the LORD had brought upon him. And each one gave him a piece of silver and a gold ring.

The use of gold in the tabernacle

Exodus 38:21–24 See also Exodus 25:11–13, Exodus 25:17–18 the atonement cover and cherubim; Exodus 25:28–29, Exodus 25:31, Exodus 25:36, Exodus 25:38, Exodus 26:6, Exodus 26:29, Exodus 26:32, Exodus 26:37, Exodus 30:1–5 the altar; Exodus 39:37–38, Exodus 40:5; Leviticus 24:4; Numbers 8:4

This is the inventory for the tabernacle, the tabernacle of the Testimony, as recorded at Moses’ command by the Levites under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest. Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, made everything that the LORD had commanded Moses. With him was Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, an engraver, designer, and embroiderer in blue, purple, and scarlet yarn and fine linen. All the gold from the wave offering used for the work on the sanctuary totaled 29 talents and 730 shekels, according to the sanctuary shekel.

The use of gold in priestly vestments

Exodus 28:4–5 See also Exodus 28:11–15, Exodus 28:22–27, Exodus 28:33–38, Exodus 39:15–20, Exodus 39:25–26, Exodus 39:30–31

These are the garments that they shall make: a breastpiece, an ephod, a robe, a woven tunic, a turban, and a sash. They are to make these holy garments for your brother Aaron and his sons, so that they may serve Me as priests. They shall use gold, along with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and fine linen.

The use of gold in the temple

1 Chronicles 22:14 See also 1 Kings 6:28, 1 Kings 6:30, 1 Kings 6:32, 1 Kings 6:35, 1 Kings 7:48–51; 2 Kings 18:16; 1 Chronicles 28:14–18, 1 Chronicles 29:1–7; 2 Chronicles 3:4–10, 2 Chronicles 4:7–8, 2 Chronicles 4:19–22

Now behold, I have taken great pains to provide for the house of the LORD— 100,000 talents of gold, 1,000,000 talents of silver, and bronze and iron too great to be weighed. I have also provided timber and stone, and you may add to them.

Gold symbols of office

Crown

2 Samuel 12:30 parallel 1 Chronicles 20:2 See also Esther 8:15; Psalm 21:1–3; Zechariah 6:11; Revelation 4:4, Revelation 14:14

Then he took the crown from the head of their king. It weighed a talent of gold and was set with precious stones, and it was placed on David’s head. And David took a great amount of plunder from the city.

Throne

1 Kings 10:18–20 parallel 2 Chronicles 9:17–19

Additionally, the king made a great throne of ivory and overlaid it with pure gold. The throne had six steps, and its back had a rounded top. There were armrests on both sides of the seat, with a lion standing beside each armrest. Twelve lions stood on the six steps, one at either end of each step. Nothing like this had ever been made for any kingdom.

Sceptre

Esther 4:11 See also Esther 5:2, Esther 8:4

“All the royal officials and the people of the king’s provinces know that one law applies to every man or woman who approaches the king in the inner court without being summoned— that he be put to death. Only if the king extends the gold scepter may that person live. But I have not been summoned to appear before the king for the past thirty days.”

Chain

Daniel 5:7 See also Genesis 41:42; Daniel 5:16, Daniel 5:29

The king called out for the enchanters, astrologers, and diviners to be brought in, and he said to these wise men of Babylon, “Whoever reads this inscription and tells me its interpretation will be clothed in purple and have a gold chain placed around his neck, and he will be made the third highest ruler in the kingdom.”

Other uses of gold

Jewellery

Exodus 35:22 See also Genesis 24:53, Genesis 24:22; Exodus 3:22, Exodus 11:2, Exodus 12:35, Exodus 32:2, Exodus 32:24 used to make the golden calf; Numbers 31:50; Judges 8:24–26 used to make Gideon's ephod; 2 Samuel 1:24; Proverbs 11:22, Proverbs 25:11; Song of Solomon 1:11; Jeremiah 4:30; Daniel 10:5; 1 Peter 3:3

So all who had willing hearts, both men and women, came and brought brooches and earrings, rings and necklaces, and all kinds of gold jewelry. And they all presented their gold as a wave offering to the LORD.

Idols

Exodus 20:23 See also Exodus 32:31; Deuteronomy 7:25, Deuteronomy 29:17; Psalm 115:4, Psalm 135:15; Isaiah 2:20, Isaiah 30:22, Isaiah 31:7, Isaiah 40:19, Isaiah 46:6; Jeremiah 10:3–5; Ezekiel 16:17; Daniel 3:1 Nebuchadnezzar's image of gold; Daniel 3:4–7, Daniel 3:14, Daniel 5:4, Daniel 5:23; Hosea 8:4; Habakkuk 2:19; Acts 17:29; Revelation 9:20

You are not to make any gods alongside Me; you are not to make for yourselves gods of silver or gold.

Currency

Matthew 10:5–10 See also Numbers 22:18, Numbers 24:13; 2 Samuel 21:4; 1 Chronicles 21:25; Psalm 119:72; Ezekiel 7:19; Daniel 11:43; Acts 3:6, Acts 20:33; 1 Peter 1:18

These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not go onto the road of the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. As you go, preach this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven is near.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give. Do not take along any gold or silver or copper in your belts. Take no bag for the road, or second tunic, or sandals, or staff; for the worker is worthy of his provisions.

Models

1 Samuel 6:4 See also 1 Samuel 6:8, 1 Samuel 6:11, 1 Samuel 6:15, 1 Samuel 6:17–18

“What guilt offering should we send back to Him?” asked the Philistines. “Five gold tumors and five gold rats,” they said, “according to the number of rulers of the Philistines, since the same plague has struck both you and your rulers.

Shields

1 Kings 10:16–17 parallel 2 Chronicles 9:15–16 See also 2 Samuel 8:7; 1 Kings 14:26 parallel 2 Chronicles 12:9

King Solomon made two hundred large shields of hammered gold; six hundred shekels of gold went into each shield. He also made three hundred small shields of hammered gold; three minas of gold went into each shield. And the king put them in the House of the Forest of Lebanon.

Goblets

1 Kings 10:21 parallel 2 Chronicles 9:20 See also Esther 1:7; Jeremiah 51:7; Daniel 5:2–3, Daniel 5:23; Revelation 17:4

All King Solomon’s drinking cups were gold, and all the utensils of the House of the Forest of Lebanon were pure gold. There was no silver, because it was accounted as nothing in the days of Solomon.

Couches

Esther 1:6

Hangings of white and blue linen were fastened with cords of fine white and purple material to silver rings on the marble pillars. Gold and silver couches were arranged on a mosaic pavement of porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl, and other costly stones.

Metaphorical and proverbial use of gold

Job 22:23–25 See also Job 23:8–10; Psalm 19:9–10, Psalm 68:13; Proverbs 3:13–14, Proverbs 16:16, Proverbs 22:1, Proverbs 25:11; Song of Solomon 5:10–15; Lamentations 4:1–2; Daniel 2:37–38

If you return to the Almighty, you will be restored. If you remove injustice from your tents and consign your gold to the dust and the gold of Ophir to the stones of the ravines, then the Almighty will be your gold and the finest silver for you.