We have therefore brought an offering for the LORD, what every man has gotten, of ornaments of gold, chains, and bracelets, rings, earrings, and necklaces, to make an atonement for ourselves before the LORD.
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George Leo Haydock
AD 1849
His own. Gold, and such ornaments as might easily be concealed by the soldiers, where not required to be brought to the common stock to be equally divided. (Calmet)
There were 840,000 head of living creatures, including the 32,000 virgins, which were distributed. The gold, which was voluntarily presented to the Lord, amounted to above five talents. (Salien, B.C. 1470.)
The princes made a voluntary offering of their gold, but the common soldiers retained what each man had gotten. (Du Hamel)
Garters. Septuagint, "bracelets "put on the arm, 2 Kings i. 10. Sometimes the Eastern nations wore large precious rings on their legs.
Tablets. Hebrew tsamid, an ornament of the hand, Genesis xxiv. 22. The armillæ, or viriliæ, were worn by men near the shoulder.
Bracelets, (dextralia) for the right hand, Ecclesiasticus xxi. 14. Hebrew hagil, means an ear-ring, Ezechiel xvi. 12.
Chains of gold and silver interlaced, worn round the neck. (St. Jerome, ep. ad Marcel.) The Madianites went to battle in their richest attire, (Judges vi. 21,) as did also the Persians; (Bellon. 2,) and the Turks do so still, (Calmet) being descended from Ismael, the half brother of Madian, who both settled in Arabia. (Haydock)
