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(Anglo-Saxon, Hring, “ringâ€): The word renders (the American Standard Revised Version) two Hebrew words (in the King James Version and the English Revised Version three) and two Greek words. טבּעת, tÌ£abba‛ath, the principal Hebrew word, is from טבע, tÌ£aÌ„bha‛, “sink,†either because the ring is something “cast†or molded, or, more probably, since the principal use of the ring was as a seal, because it “sank†into the wax or clay that received the impression. In Exodus, tÌ£abba‛ath, “ring,†is a detail of furniture or equipment, as the rings of the ark through which the staves were thrust (, etc.), rings for curtains, in the high priest's ephod (; ), etc. Its other use was perhaps the original, to describe the article of personal adornment worn on the finger, apparently in the Old Testament always a signet-ring, and as such an indispensable article of masculine attire. Such a ring Pharaoh gave Joseph as a symbol of authority (); and Ahasuerus gave Haman (); with it the royal missive was sealed (; twice, 10). It was also a feminine ornament in Isaiah's list of the fashionable feminine paraphernalia, “the rings and the nose-jewels†(quite likely rings also) (). Either as ornaments or for their intrinsic value, or both, rings were used as gifts for sacred purposes from both men and women: “brooches, and ear-rings, and signet-rings†(margin “nose-ringsâ€) (); “bracelets, rings (the American Standard Revised Version “signet-ringsâ€), ear-rings†( the King James Version). חות×, hÌ£oÌ„thaÌ„m, “signet,†mentioned in , ; , , ; , , ; ; , etc., was probably usually a seal ring, but in Gen 38 and elsewhere the seal may have been swung on wire, and suspended by a cord from the neck. It was not only an identification, but served as a stamp for signature. גּליל, gaÌ„lı̄l, “circle†(compare “Galilee,†“Circle†of the Gentiles), rendered “ring†in ; , may rather mean “cylinder†or “rod†of metal. Earring (which see) in the King James Version is from totally different words: × ×–×, nezem, whose etymology is unknown, עגיל, ‛aÌ„ghı̄l, “round,†or לחש×, lahÌ£ash, “amuletâ€; so the Revised Version (British and American). The “rings†of the wheels in (the King James Version) are גּב, gabh, “curved,†and mean “rims†(American Standard Revised Version), “felloes.†Egyptians especially wore a great profusion of rings, principally of silver or gold, engraved with scarabaei, or other devices. In the New Testament the ring, δακτυÌλιος, daktuÌlios, “finger-ring,†is a token of means, position, standing: “put a ring on his hand†(). Perhaps also it included the right to give orders in his father's name. To be χÏυσοδακτυÌλιος, chrusodaktuÌlios, “golden-ringed,†perhaps with more than one, indicated wealth and social rank: “a man with a gold ring†(). See also EARRING; SIGNET; SEAL.