Original Word: חֲלִי
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: chaliy
Pronunciation: khaw-lee'
Phonetic Spelling: (khal-ee')
KJV: jewel, ornament
NASB: jewels, ornament
Word Origin: [from H2470 (חָלָה - To be weak)]

1. a trinket (as polished)

jewel, ornament

From chalah; a trinket (as polished) -- jewel, ornament.

see HEBREW chalah

Word Origin
from an unused word
Definition
an ornament
NASB Translation
jewels (1), ornament (1).

I. חֲלִי noun masculine ornament, נֶזֶם זָחָב וַחֲלִיכָּֿ֑תֶם Proverbs 25:12 a (nose-or-ear-) ring of gold and (neck-or breast-) ornament of fine gold; plural חֲלָאִים Cant 7:2, in simile of grace and beauty.

Scope and Symbolism

Appearing only twice in the Old Testament, חֲלִי portrays precious, expertly fashioned jewelry. By presenting ornamentation formed by gifted hands, Scripture uses the word to convey worth, beauty, and the intentional placement of value. Both occurrences lie in Hebrew poetry, assigning the image to matters of wisdom (Proverbs) and covenant love (Song of Solomon), thereby linking the term to the adornment of both character and relationship.

Canonical Occurrences

• Proverbs 25:12 – “Like a gold ring or an ornament of gold is a wise reprover to a receptive ear.”

Here the ornament figures the priceless benefit of constructive correction. Gold is rare and tested by fire; the righteous rebuke likewise refines one who is willing to listen. The proverb teaches that accepting reproof is not humiliating but ennobling, as it decorates the hearer with discernment.

• Song of Solomon 7:1 – “How beautiful are your feet in sandals, O daughter of the prince! The curves of your hips are like jewels, the work of the hands of a master craftsman.”

The beloved’s form is compared to master-wrought jewels. The verse celebrates marital delight and mutual admiration within covenant boundaries, urging readers to esteem lawful love as something exquisitely fashioned rather than casual or common.

Cultural Context

Jewelry in the Ancient Near East functioned beyond decoration; it signified honor, covenant pledges, and even conveyed authority. Wedding gifts, dowries, and royal insignia often employed finely wrought gold pieces. A single earring or nose ring could mark belonging to a household (Genesis 24:22), while entire collections adorned kings’ treasuries (1 Kings 10:16–17). Against this backdrop, חֲלִי evokes items meticulously hammered, polished, and worn close to the body, underscoring both intimacy and status.

Theological Insights

1. Valuation of Wisdom. Proverbs places the ornament on the recipient’s ear, the organ of hearing. The imagery presses home that obedience to truth is the loveliest adornment a person can wear (compare Isaiah 61:10).

2. Sanctified Desire. Song of Solomon sets the jewel imagery within marriage, revealing that physical beauty and desire, when governed by covenant, are gifts “by design,” not accidents of evolution or unholy impulses.

3. Crafted by Another. Both verses suggest artistry external to the wearer—the reproof delivered by a wise person, or the craftsmanship that shapes the jewel. So righteousness is never self-generated; it is bestowed, ultimately by the LORD who “adorns the humble with salvation” (Psalm 149:4).

Intertextual Echoes

Exodus 35:22 records voluntary offerings of “brooches, earrings, rings, and necklaces” toward tabernacle construction, showing that earthly ornaments can become instruments of worship when yielded to God. Isaiah 3:18–23 contrasts faithful adornment with the judgment that strips away prideful baubles, warning against vanity divorced from virtue. 1 Peter 3:3–4 draws the lesson forward: “Your beauty should not come from outward adornment… but from the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit.”

Ministry Application

• Discipleship and Correction. Proverbs 25:12 sanctions loving confrontation. Leaders must prize clarity over flattery, confident that Spirit-led rebuke, though momentarily painful, beautifies the church.

• Marriage Counseling. Song of Solomon 7:1 affirms the goodness of physical attraction within marriage, providing biblical warrant against both prudishness and lust. Counselors can point couples to celebrate God-given bodies while safeguarding purity.

• Worship and Stewardship. Like Israel’s artisans, believers should dedicate every precious possession and skill to the glory of God, ensuring that adornment serves worship, not idolatry.

Christological Foreshadowing

The ultimate Craftsman is the Lord Jesus Christ, who shapes His people into “a glorious church, without spot or wrinkle” (Ephesians 5:27). His correction through the Word polishes character; His covenant love beautifies the redeemed bride. Thus חֲלִי anticipates the final scene where the New Jerusalem descends “prepared as a bride adorned for her husband” (Revelation 21:2), showcasing a community perfected by grace.

Conclusion

Though brief in textual footprint, חֲלִי distills a theology of adornment: wisdom treasured, love celebrated, and holiness handcrafted by God. Such ornament does not merely rest upon the surface; it bears witness from ear to heart, from marriage chamber to eternal city, declaring that what the LORD fashions is both beautiful and enduring.

וַחֲלִי־ וחלי־ חֲלָאִ֔ים חלאים chalaIm ḥă·lā·’îm ḥălā’îm vachali wa·ḥă·lî- waḥălî-Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts