International Standard Bible Encyclopedia: Diadem

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International Standard Bible Encyclopedia: Diadem


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dı̄´a-dem: There are seven Bible references to the diadem, four in the Old Testament and three in the New Testament. The Hebrew words do not mark any clear distinctions.

(1) צניף, cānı̄ph, צנוף, cānōph, צניפה, cānı̄phāh (all from צנף, cānaph, primarily “to wrap,” “dress,” “roll”) mean a headdress in the nature of a turban or piece of cloth wrapped or twisted about the head. The word is also rendered “hood,” “mitre.” : “My justice was as a robe and a diadem” (RVm, “turban”); : “a royal diadem in the hand of thy God.”

(2) צפירה, cephı̄rāh, means “a crown,” “diadem,” i.e. something round about the head; “a diadem of beauty, unto the residue of his people.”

(3) מצנפת, micnepheth, means an official turban or tiara of priest or king, translated also “mitre.” : “Remove the mitre, and take off the crown.”

(4) διάδημα, diádēma, the Greek word in the New Testament for “diadem,” means “something bound about the head.” Found 3 t, all in : “a great red dragon ... and upon his heads seven diadems” (the King James Version “crowns”); : “a beast ... and on his horns ten diadems”; , : “a white horse ... and upon his head are many diadems.” See CROWN.