דְּהַב
de.hav
gold
Lexicon Entry
Lexicon data from STEPBible TIPNR, Tyndale House, Cambridge. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
What Original Readers Understood
Supported# Gold (דְּהַב): A Hebrew Word Study The Hebrew word *dehav* denotes gold and appears 389 times throughout the biblical text, making it a frequently referenced material in Scripture. This high frequency of occurrence suggests that gold held considerable importance in ancient Israelite culture and religious practice. The straightforward definition—"gold"—indicates the word refers to the precious metal itself rather than metaphorical or abstract concepts, though the extensive biblical presence points to its multifaceted role in the society described in these texts. The sheer number of occurrences (389) across the biblical corpus indicates that gold functioned in multiple practical and symbolic contexts. It would have been used for jewelry, vessels, religious ornaments, and wealth accumulation, as befitted an ancient Near Eastern society. The consistent use of this single term across diverse biblical narratives—from accounts of kings and temples to descriptions of religious implements—suggests a stable, well-established vocabulary for discussing this material across different historical periods and literary genres represented in the Hebrew Bible. Without additional lexical data specifying contextual variations or metaphorical uses, the evidence indicates that *dehav* served as a straightforward, essential term for discussing a material central to ancient religious, economic, and aesthetic life. Its prevalence in the biblical text reflects gold's practical importance and its symbolic weight in the cultures and religious traditions that produced and preserved these scriptures.
Source data & methodology
Occurrences in Scripture
389 total occurrences across the text — showing 50
Their father gave them great gifts of silver, of gold, and of precious things, with fortified cities in Judah; but he gave the kingdom to Jehoram, because he was the firstborn.
2 Chronicles 24:14When they had finished, they brought the rest of the money before the king and Jehoiada, from which were made vessels for Yahweh’s house, even vessels with which to minister and to offer, including spoons and vessels of gold and silver. They offered burnt offerings in Yahweh’s house continually all the days of Jehoiada.
2 Chronicles 25:24He took all the gold and silver, and all the vessels that were found in God’s house with Obed-Edom, and the treasures of the king’s house, the hostages also, and returned to Samaria.
2 Chronicles 32:27Hezekiah had exceedingly much riches and honor. He provided himself with treasuries for silver, for gold, for precious stones, for spices, for shields, and for all kinds of valuable vessels;
2 Chronicles 36:3The king of Egypt removed him from office at Jerusalem, and fined the land one hundred talents of silver and a talent of gold.
Ezra 1:4Whoever is left, in any place where he lives, let the men of his place help him with silver, with gold, with goods, and with animals, in addition to the free will offering for God’s house which is in Jerusalem.’ ”
Ezra 1:6All those who were around them strengthened their hands with vessels of silver, with gold, with goods, with animals, and with precious things, in addition to all that was willingly offered.
Ezra 1:9This is the number of them: thirty platters of gold, one thousand platters of silver, twenty-nine knives,
Ezra 1:10thirty bowls of gold, four hundred ten silver bowls of a second sort, and one thousand other vessels.
Ezra 1:11All the vessels of gold and of silver were five thousand four hundred. Sheshbazzar brought all these up when the captives were brought up from Babylon to Jerusalem.
Ezra 2:69They gave according to their ability into the treasury of the work sixty-one thousand darics of gold, and five thousand minas of silver, and one hundred priests’ garments.
Ezra 8:25and weighed to them the silver, the gold, and the vessels, even the offering for the house of our God, which the king, his counselors, his princes, and all Israel there present, had offered.
Ezra 8:26I weighed into their hand six hundred fifty talents of silver, one hundred talents of silver vessels; one hundred talents of gold,
Ezra 8:27twenty bowls of gold weighing one thousand darics; and two vessels of fine bright bronze, precious as gold.
Ezra 8:27twenty bowls of gold weighing one thousand darics; and two vessels of fine bright bronze, precious as gold.
Ezra 8:28I said to them, “You are holy to Yahweh, and the vessels are holy. The silver and the gold are a free will offering to Yahweh, the God of your fathers.
Ezra 8:30So the priests and the Levites received the weight of the silver and the gold, and the vessels, to bring them to Jerusalem to the house of our God.
Ezra 8:33On the fourth day the silver and the gold and the vessels were weighed in the house of our God into the hand of Meremoth the son of Uriah the priest; and with him was Eleazar the son of Phinehas; and with them was Jozabad the son of Jeshua, and Noadiah the son of Binnui, the Levite;
Nehemiah 7:70Some from among the heads of fathers’ households gave to the work. The governor gave to the treasury one thousand darics of gold, fifty basins, and five hundred thirty priests’ garments.
Nehemiah 7:71Some of the heads of fathers’ households gave into the treasury of the work twenty thousand darics of gold, and two thousand two hundred minas of silver.
Nehemiah 7:72That which the rest of the people gave was twenty thousand darics of gold, plus two thousand minas of silver, and sixty-seven priests’ garments.
Esther 1:6There were hangings of white and blue material, fastened with cords of fine linen and purple to silver rings and marble pillars. The couches were of gold and silver, on a pavement of red, white, yellow, and black marble.
Esther 1:7They gave them drinks in golden vessels of various kinds, including royal wine in abundance, according to the bounty of the king.
Esther 4:11“All the king’s servants, and the people of the king’s provinces, know, that whoever, whether man or woman, comes to the king into the inner court without being called, there is one law for him, that he be put to death, except those to whom the king might hold out the golden scepter, that he may live. I have not been called to come in to the king these thirty days.”
Esther 5:2When the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, she obtained favor in his sight; and the king held out to Esther the golden scepter that was in his hand. So Esther came near, and touched the top of the scepter.
Esther 8:4Then the king held out to Esther the golden scepter. So Esther arose, and stood before the king.
Esther 8:15Mordecai went out of the presence of the king in royal clothing of blue and white, and with a great crown of gold, and with a robe of fine linen and purple; and the city of Susa shouted and was glad.
Job 3:15or with princes who had gold, who filled their houses with silver:
Job 23:10But he knows the way that I take. When he has tried me, I will come out like gold.
Job 28:1“Surely there is a mine for silver, and a place for gold which they refine.
Job 28:6Sapphires come from its rocks. It has dust of gold.
Job 28:17Gold and glass can’t equal it, neither will it be exchanged for jewels of fine gold.
Job 31:24“If I have made gold my hope, and have said to the fine gold, ‘You are my confidence;’
Job 37:22Out of the north comes golden splendor. With God is awesome majesty.
Job 42:11Then came there to him all his brothers, and all his sisters, and all those who had been of his acquaintance before, and ate bread with him in his house. They comforted him, and consoled him concerning all the evil that Yahweh had brought on him. Everyone also gave him a piece of money, and everyone a ring of gold.
Psalms 19:10They are more to be desired than gold, yes, than much fine gold, sweeter also than honey and the extract of the honeycomb.
Psalms 45:13The princess inside is all glorious. Her clothing is interwoven with gold.
Psalms 72:15They shall live, and to him shall be given of the gold of Sheba. Men shall pray for him continually. They shall bless him all day long.
Psalms 105:37He brought them out with silver and gold. There was not one feeble person among his tribes.
Psalms 115:4Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands.
Psalms 119:72The law of your mouth is better to me than thousands of pieces of gold and silver.
Psalms 119:127Therefore I love your commandments more than gold, yes, more than pure gold.
Psalms 135:15The idols of the nations are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands.
Proverbs 11:22Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout, is a beautiful woman who lacks discretion.
Proverbs 17:3The refining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold, but Yahweh tests the hearts.
Proverbs 20:15There is gold and abundance of rubies, but the lips of knowledge are a rare jewel.
Proverbs 22:1A good name is more desirable than great riches, and loving favor is better than silver and gold.
Proverbs 25:11A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.
Proverbs 25:12As an earring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, so is a wise reprover to an obedient ear.
Proverbs 27:21The crucible is for silver, and the furnace for gold; but man is refined by his praise.