Silver

A precious metal often surpassed in value only by gold. It had a variety of uses and by NT times was common in coinage.

Silver mined

Job 28:1–4

“Surely there is a mine for silver and a place where gold is refined. Iron is taken from the earth, and copper is smelted from ore. Man puts an end to the darkness; he probes the farthest recesses for ore in deepest darkness. Far from human habitation he cuts a shaft in places forgotten by the foot of man. Far from men he dangles and sways.

Silver acquired through trade

1 Kings 10:22 parallel 2 Chronicles 9:20 See also Jeremiah 10:9; Ezekiel 27:12; Revelation 18:11–12

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.

Silver refined

Psalm 66:10 See also Proverbs 17:3, Proverbs 27:21; Isaiah 48:10; Ezekiel 22:20–22; Zechariah 13:9; Malachi 3:3

For You , O God, have tested us; You have refined us like silver.

Silver worked by silversmiths

Proverbs 25:4 See also 2 Chronicles 2:7, 2 Chronicles 2:13–14; Acts 19:24

Remove the dross from the silver, and a vessel for a silversmith will come forth.

Possession of silver a sign of wealth

Genesis 13:2 See also Genesis 24:35; Numbers 22:18; Deuteronomy 8:13, Deuteronomy 17:17; Joshua 22:8; 2 Chronicles 32:27 Hezekiah's riches; Job 3:13–15, Job 27:16; Psalm 105:37; Ecclesiastes 2:8; Isaiah 2:7, Isaiah 60:17; Ezekiel 16:13 the adornments of unfaithful Jerusalem; Ezekiel 28:4; Daniel 11:43; Hosea 2:8; Zechariah 9:3, Zechariah 14:14

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

Silver given as offerings to God

Exodus 25:1–3 See also Exodus 35:5, Exodus 35:24; Numbers 7:84–85; 2 Samuel 8:11 parallel 1 Chronicles 18:11; 1 Chronicles 29:7; Ezra 1:1–11, Ezra 2:68–69, Ezra 7:13–16, Ezra 8:24–30; Nehemiah 7:71–72

Then the LORD said to Moses, “Tell the Israelites to bring Me an offering. You are to receive My offering from every man whose heart compels him. This is the offering you are to accept from them: gold, silver, and bronze;

Silver in the tabernacle

Exodus 38:17 See also Exodus 26:18–25 parallel Exodus 36:23–30; Exodus 26:31–32 parallel Exodus 36:35–36; Exodus 27:9–11 parallel Exodus 38:9–12; Exodus 27:17, Exodus 38:18–19, Exodus 38:25–28; Numbers 10:2

The bases for the posts were bronze, the hooks and bands were silver, and the plating for the tops of the posts was silver. So all the posts of the courtyard were banded with silver.

Silver in the temple

1 Chronicles 22:14 See also 1 Kings 7:51 parallel 2 Chronicles 5:1; 1 Kings 15:15 parallel 2 Chronicles 15:18; 2 Kings 25:15 parallel Jeremiah 52:19; 1 Chronicles 28:14–17, 1 Chronicles 29:2–5; 2 Chronicles 24:14; Daniel 5:2

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.

Silver abundant in Jerusalem in Solomon's time

1 Kings 10:27 parallels 2 Chronicles 1:15, 2 Chronicles 9:27 See also 1 Kings 10:21 parallel 2 Chronicles 9:20

The king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar as abundant as sycamore in the foothills.

Silver as currency

Genesis 37:28 See also Genesis 20:16, Genesis 23:15–16, Genesis 33:19, Genesis 42:35; Exodus 21:32, Exodus 38:25; Leviticus 5:15, Leviticus 27:6, Leviticus 27:16; Numbers 3:50, Numbers 18:16 the redemption of firstborn males; Deuteronomy 2:6, Deuteronomy 2:28, Deuteronomy 14:22–26, Deuteronomy 22:19, Deuteronomy 22:28–29; Joshua 24:32; Judges 9:4, Judges 16:5 The rulers of the Philistines offer to pay Delilah for the secret of Samson's great strength; Judges 17:10; 1 Samuel 9:8; 2 Samuel 18:11, 2 Samuel 24:24 David buys Araunah's threshing-floor and oxen; 1 Kings 10:29 parallel 2 Chronicles 1:17; 1 Kings 16:24, 1 Kings 20:39; 2 Kings 6:25; 1 Chronicles 19:6; 2 Chronicles 25:6; Ezra 7:21–22; Nehemiah 5:15; Esther 3:9 Haman promises to pay those who destroy the Jews; Job 42:11; Isaiah 7:23; Jeremiah 32:9–10, Jeremiah 32:44; Hosea 3:1–2; Amos 2:6, Amos 8:5–6; Zephaniah 1:11; Zechariah 11:12–13; Matthew 10:9, Matthew 26:15, Matthew 27:3–10 Judas returns the thirty silver coins; Luke 10:35; Acts 3:6

So when the Midianite traders passed by, his brothers pulled Joseph out of the pit and sold him for twenty shekels of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took him to Egypt.

Silver as tribute

2 Kings 23:33–35 parallel 2 Chronicles 36:3 See also 1 Kings 15:18–19 parallel 2 Chronicles 16:2–3; 2 Kings 16:8, 2 Kings 18:14–15; 2 Chronicles 9:13–14, 2 Chronicles 9:23–24, 2 Chronicles 17:11, 2 Chronicles 27:5

And Pharaoh Neco imprisoned Jehoahaz at Riblah in the land of Hamath so that he could not reign in Jerusalem, and he imposed on Judah a levy of a hundred talents of silver and a talent of gold. Then Pharaoh Neco made Eliakim son of Josiah king in place of his father Josiah, and he changed Eliakim’s name to Jehoiakim. But Neco took Jehoahaz and carried him off to Egypt, where he died. So Jehoiakim paid the silver and gold to Pharaoh Neco, but to meet Pharaoh’s demand he taxed the land and exacted the silver and the gold from the people, each according to his wealth.

Silver as plunder

Judges 5:19 See also Exodus 3:22; Numbers 31:21–23; Joshua 6:18–19, Joshua 6:24, Joshua 7:21; 2 Kings 14:14 parallel 2 Chronicles 25:24; Ezekiel 38:13; Nahum 2:9

Kings came and fought; then the kings of Canaan fought at Taanach by the waters of Megiddo, but they took no plunder of silver.

Silver idols or statues

Exodus 20:23 See also Deuteronomy 7:25, Deuteronomy 29:17; Judges 17:1–4; Psalm 115:4; Isaiah 2:20, Isaiah 30:22, Isaiah 31:7, Isaiah 40:19, Isaiah 46:6; Jeremiah 10:3–4, Jeremiah 10:8–9; Daniel 2:32 the statue in Nebuchadnezzar's dream; Daniel 5:4, Daniel 5:23; Hosea 8:4, Hosea 13:2; Habakkuk 2:19; Acts 17:29, Acts 19:24; Revelation 9:20

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

Silver jewellery

Genesis 24:53 See also Song of Solomon 1:11; Ezekiel 16:17

Then he brought out jewels of silver and gold, and articles of clothing, and he gave them to Rebekah. He also gave precious gifts to her brother and her mother.

Silver referred to metaphorically

Job 22:23–25 See also Psalm 12:6, Psalm 68:13, Psalm 119:72; Proverbs 2:1–5, Proverbs 3:13–14, Proverbs 8:10, Proverbs 8:19, Proverbs 10:20, Proverbs 16:16, Proverbs 22:1 Esteem is better than silver or gold; Proverbs 25:11; Ecclesiastes 12:6; Isaiah 1:22

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.