Original Word: עֶכֶס
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: `ekec
Pronunciation: eh'-kes
Phonetic Spelling: (eh'-kes)
KJV: stocks, tinkling ornament
NASB: anklets, fetters
Word Origin: [from H5913 (עָכַס - tinkle the bangles)]

1. a fetter
2. (hence) an anklet

stocks, tinkling ornament

From akac; a fetter; hence, an anklet -- stocks, tinkling ornament.

see HEBREW akac

Word Origin
from an unused word
Definition
an anklet, bangle
NASB Translation
anklets (1), fetters (1).

[עֶ֫כֶס] noun [masculine] anklet, bangle; — plural absolute הָעֲכֶסִים Isaiah 3:18 bangles, anklets (as ornaments); for singular absolute ׳ע Proverbs 7:22 read עֵגֶל Toy.

Physical and Cultural Setting

The term designates a small circular band fastened around the ankle. Archaeology, comparative literature, and iconography from Egypt to Mesopotamia confirm that such ornaments were commonplace among women of status and were often fashioned of bronze, silver, or gold. Besides decoration, they could emit a tinkling sound that drew attention while walking, underscoring notions of allure and social display. Similar rings of iron or wood were also employed as stocks—devices that confined the feet of a prisoner for correction or public shame. Thus the same object, depending on context, could signify either fashionable freedom or humiliating restraint.

Appearances in Scripture

1. Isaiah 3:18 sets the word among a catalogue of luxury items worn by the “daughters of Zion.” When the Lord rises to judge Judah’s pride, He threatens to remove “the anklets and headbands and crescents”.
2. Proverbs 7:22 places the word in an entirely different scene—one of moral folly: “He follows her on impulse, like an ox going to the slaughter, like a deer bounding toward a trap”. The “trap” translates the same Hebrew term, indicating the wooden stocks that would soon close upon the feet of a condemned fool.

Contrasting Themes: Ornament and Bondage

• Ornament—In Isaiah the anklet is part of an ensemble exalting outward beauty while the heart grows cold toward God. The impending stripping of jewelry dramatizes divine opposition to ostentatious pride.
• Bondage—In Proverbs the same item becomes an implement of discipline. The young man, seduced by adultery, ends where criminals sit: fettered and awaiting punishment. What once jingled around an ankle in revelry now clamps down in judgment.

Theological and Moral Insights

1. God’s Sovereignty over Human Pride: The anklet illustrates how He can invert symbols of self-exaltation into instruments of disgrace, reaffirming that “He mocks proud mockers but gives grace to the humble” (Proverbs 3:34).
2. The Deceptive Nature of Sin: What appears attractive at first (seductive jewelry, illicit invitation) swiftly changes into a mechanism of captivity. James 1:14-15 echoes the pattern—desire conceives, gives birth to sin, and sin when full-grown brings forth death.
3. True Adornment: Scripture consistently redirects attention from external display to inward devotion. 1 Peter 3:3-4 contrasts “outward adornment” with “the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit,” a principle already foreshadowed by the removal of anklets in Isaiah.

Applications for Ministry and Discipleship

• Preaching and Teaching: The dual usage furnishes a vivid sermon illustration—“Anklet or Ankle-stock?”—demonstrating how objects of vanity can become tools of correction.
• Counseling: When confronting sexual temptation or materialism, Proverbs 7 offers a cautionary picture of the rapid progression from attraction to bondage.
• Youth Ministry: Visual aids comparing decorative ankle jewelry with wooden stocks help students grasp the consequences of unchecked desires.
• Worship and Modesty: The Isaiah passage encourages believers to evaluate adornment practices, seeking beauty that honors the Lord rather than self.

Related Biblical Themes

Genesis 24:22 – jewelry as a token of covenant and generosity.

Numbers 31:50 – ornamental spoils dedicated to the Lord.

2 Kings 25:7 – stocks and fetters used in punitive captivity.

1 Timothy 2:9 – exhortation to modest attire.

In Scripture, the same small circle of metal can chime in carefree dance or clench in painful discipline. The deciding factor is the orientation of the heart toward God.

הָעֲכָסִ֛ים העכסים וּ֝כְעֶ֗כֶס וכעכס hā‘ăḵāsîm hā·‘ă·ḵā·sîm haachaSim ū·ḵə·‘e·ḵes ucheEches ūḵə‘eḵesInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts