Technology of silver in bible times

1. Silver in the Bible
Use and Symbology

2. Silver
• Silver is found only rarely in its native state, but is relatively easy to
extract from its (usually lead) ores. Very early, in the times before the
Exodus, native silver and rich silver ores were probably used: but the
evidence is that by the time of Moses, these rich sources had mainly
been worked out.
• The ores used for the recovery of silver were primarily lead-silver ores,
most usually lead sulfide, called galena. Silver was primarily used,
from the start, as ornaments: its lack of hardness made it useless as
an implement. Its value arises partly from its comparative rarity, and
partly from its resistance to corrosion, brilliant white luster,
malleability, and ductility which make it very suitable for artistic
decorations.

3. Silver Extraction
• First, the lead ores are, in the simplest form, simply heated in a
fire and the lead then is sifted out from the ashes. Lead always
contains a small percentage of silver.
• This is freed from the lead by heating in a furnace with a bed of
bone ash, which will absorb some of the lead. A blast of air is
used, and this causes the rest of the lead to oxidize, forming a
cake known technically as litharge. The silver rises to the surface
of the semi-liquid slag or “dross” as it is referred to in the Bible.
• This is removed, either with a blast of air or a scraper, and after
all the impurities are removed the silver will radiate a pure,
brilliant light.

4. Native Silver and Ores

5. Silver Refining in the Bible
•Psalms 12:6 The words of the LORD are pure words: as
silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.
•Jeremiah 6:27-30 I have set thee for a tower and a
fortress among my people, that thou mayest know and
try their way. They are all grievous revolters, walking
with slanders: they are brass and iron; they are all
corrupters. The bellows are burned, the lead is
consumed of the fire; the founder melteth in vain: for
the wicked are not plucked away. Reprobate silver shall
men call them, because the LORD hath rejected them.

6. Oldest Existing Biblical Writing
• Two small 2,600 year old silver scrolls were found in
the shoulder of the Hinnom Valley in Jerusalem in
1979. When the scrolls were unrolled, they were 39
mm and 97 mm in length. Two shorter versions of the
Aaronic or priestly blessing had been engraved by
hand, with the ancient Hebrew script on the thin silver
plaques, which were then rolled into scrolls. The full
blessing was from Numbers 6:24-26
• This priestly blessing, which is meaningful to us, was so
significant 2,600 years ago that is was worn around the
neck, with a leather strap, close to the heart.
• The word yhwh (the name of the Lord in Hebrew)
appears in writing for the first time ever.

7. Money, a synonym for silver
• The connection between money and silver in the Bible is quite intimate. Most
commonly when we see the term in our English Bible, the Hebrew or Greek is the
same as for silver. We know that gold and silver were used as a medium of
exchange well before Abraham: he came back from Egypt “Rich in cattle, gold and
silver.” (Gen. 13:2). There was no system of coinage than, nor would there be
until after the exile, but these metals were cast into convenient forms for use as
exchange, such as bars or rings.
• However, the pieces were not accurate enough to pass for money without
weighing, as we see in the case of the transaction between Abraham and the
children of Heth. Genesis 23:16 Notice here that Abraham weighed the silver:
this transaction indicates the common use of silver as currency, for it was “current
money with the merchant.” Earlier we have the mention of the use of silver by
Abraham as money: “he that is born in thy house and he that is bought with thy
money (Heb: silver).” (Gen 17:13)

8. Shekels and Coins in the OT
• Ornaments of silver and gold were apparently made to the shekel weight, so that
they might be used for money in emergency. So Abraham’s servant gave a gold ring
to Rebecca of half a shekel weight, and bracelets of ten shekels weight. (Gen 24:22)
The bundles of money carried by the sons of Jacob to Egypt for the purchase of corn
were probably silver rings tied together in bundles. (Gen 42:35)
• Although only indirectly connected with silver, other forms of the precious metal
were sometimes used. The Hebrew ksitah is used for money, and is translated by
the Septuagint as “Lambs.” It is used in Gen 33:19, Josh 24:32, and Job 42:11, and
would seem to indicate the use of silver (or gold) cast into the form of a lamb.
• We have to come down to the times after the exile before the use of coined money
began. We read in Ezra 2:69 that “they (the Jews) gave after their ability into the
treasury of the work three score and one thousand darics (RV) of gold, and five
thousand pounds of silver.” From the Greek drachma, still in current use, they
usually represent gold coins: the term is also to be found in Neh 7:70-2, 1 Chron
29:7 and Ezra 8:27.

9. Coins in The NT
• In the New Testament, as in the Old, money is still almost invariably
silver, although the metals copper and gold also circulate. The most
common term translated money is still silver (Gk. argyrion): see Lk 9:3,
Acts 8:20 etc. The most common silver coins are as follows
• The basic Greek coin was the drachme, mentioned only in Lk 15:8
• The 2-drachme piece was used to pay the half-shekel required for the annual
temple tax (Mt 17:24.)
• The Greek stater, found only in Mt. 17:27, where it is the coin which would pay
the temple tax for Jesus and Peter.
• The basic Roman coin was the silver denarius: it was consistently rendered as
“penny” by the translators of the KJV, owing to the fact that the British used d.
for denarius as the abbreviation for a penny.
2-drachme pieceece

10. Silver in Worship
• Silver was used in large quantities in the decoration of the Tabernacle, as
in (Ex 38:25): about 7500 lbs in total weight. The vast majority of the use
of silver was for the fittings, the “sockets” of the wooden boards and
pillars of the temple’s structure. Silver was also used for some of the
vessels for worship (Nu 7:13 etc.) and of course used for the two silver
trumpets that summoned the worshippers (Nu 10:2.)
• Silver was used in even greater abundance in Solomon’s Temple: we are
told that silver was “nothing accounted of” in the days of Solomon.” (1 Ki
10:21) David prepared for the house of the Lord a ?billion? talents of
silver, the booty of his wars against the nations round about (This was
about 38,000 tons). Vessels, tables, candlesticks, instruments, and basins
were all made of solid silver, and “refined silver” was used to overlay the
walls of the temple. (1 Chr 28-29)
• Silver was also the primary means of collecting money for the support of
worship from the earliest times. It was part of the trespass offering

11. Silver in the Tabernacle
•“Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring me
an offering: of every man that giveth it willingly with his
heart, ye shall take my offering. And this is the offering
which ye shall take of them: gold and silver and brass
(copper or bronze):... And let them make me a
sanctuary that I may dwell among them” (Exod. 25:2–
8).
•Silver clearly represents redemption in this context. It
was ordained that every man of twenty years old and
upwards should make an offering to the Lord of half a
shekel for atonement or ransom money.

12. Daniel’s Breast and Arms of
Silver
• The obvious interpretation of the various metals in
given in the text, but another is below
• The Babylonian Empire was totally autocratic;
the king was the absolute ruler, whose decrees
could never be changed. The golden head
represents a form of rule that foreshadows the
ideal rule of the future Kingdom, a wise, all-
powerful but absolute ruler.
• The Medo-Persian Empire was also ruled by an
absolute monarch, but one whose decrees could
be changed.
• The Macedonian or Greek Empire was governed
by one who ruled by agreement between the city
states.
• The Roman Empire was ruled by one who was at
least nominally subject to the rule of the people
via the senate

13. Symbolic Uses of Silver
•Abundance of silver a symbol of great wealth
•The trying of man likened to the refining of silver (Ps
66:10) – see Mal 3:3 in particular
•Pure silver as an analogy for pure speech (Prov 10:20)
•Silver on the wings of a dove (Ps 68:13)
•Silver as corruptible (1 Pe 1:18)-
• The very fact that silver and gold do not rust in normal human
lifetimes, nor are easily corruptible, renders the metaphor of the
eternity and stability of God even more strong.