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Golden Bell from a Priest’s Robe Found

April 26, 2012 5 Comments

gold bellI got a kick out of a recent archaeological finding in Jerusalem – a golden bell that was likely sown on the hem of a high official’s garment.

Remember how God stipulated that the high priest’s robe was to have bells and pomegranates hanging from it (Exodus 28:34)? Well, they found a golden bell that likely fell off of his or some other important official’s garment in the first century.

High Priest RobeThis is of special interest to me personally, because several years ago, I was taking care of a high priest costume that had been ordered online. It arrived with little jingle bells hanging from the hem. I thought they looked odd – they reminded me of sleighs and reindeer. So I took them all off and sewed on little square cowbells that I bought at a craft store. Now we find out that the round bells weren’t so far off! (That’s Bruce Okkema, a.k.a. “Mr. High Priest” to school kids we visited.)

You can even listen to the sound of the bell – an audio file is online. If you imagine that sound multiplied a few dozen times, you can hear the sound of the high priest walking in the Temple.

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: Biblical Archaeology, Levitical laws

Comments

  1. Sandy says

    June 22, 2012 at 3:45 am

    I really like this! I have to admit the story about your cat was so close to home for me. I have always automatically prayed when losing something. I imagine in my mind God looking and knowing where it is and hope He will clue me in. The other night I was about to leave for Bible study and misplaced my purse. I never lose this item. It is just an odd thing for me to misplace but here I did. I searched around. getting a bit flustered (yes, silly shameful me I did) but I still asked God, could you help me out? You know exactly where this is? After much searching He reminded me it was in my mother’s car, of which she no longer drives and she gave to me. To decide if I want to keep or sell. Well I had been charging the battery and sat it on the front passenger seat. I tell you I would not have found it so easily had not God reminded me of this! I was so embarrassed when I did find it, I sheepishly told God, thank you! Isn’t it funny and humbling how God caring-ly ( is this a word? he-he) helps us on the day to day small things? I am reminded that I am to trust Him, not the outcome of my prayer. Also to look to Him not for the benefits of trust but for Him Alone!

    Reply
  2. Thomas Walker says

    January 14, 2023 at 9:01 pm

    Golden bells;
    We must consider this is a building outside. I don’t think the priest asked everyone to be quiet.
    The whole world is out there and not everyone is Jewish.
    Golden bells don’t make a ringing sound, they make a clunky sound.
    I guess that golden bells have a different meaning

    Reply
    • Lois Tverberg says

      January 20, 2023 at 4:44 pm

      From the recording, you can hear that the gold bell they found made a clicking sound. It’s not a ding or a jingle, but a click or clinking sound.

      Interestingly, Greek Orthodox priests use an incense censer that have bells on them that make a very similar sound, and they’ve done so for many centuries. I wonder if they are trying to create the sound and smell of the original Temple.

      Reply
  3. Terry Lawrence says

    April 10, 2024 at 1:21 am

    I’m working on a concept for a children’s book set in the time of Jesus’ birth. I’d like to know if it could be possible that a small bell like one sewn in priests’ robes could have “fallen off” and therefore would no longer be sacred so that — for the storyline— the priest could give it to a young shepherd to put on a leather-type string and tie it around a lamb’s neck to keep track of the lamb.

    Reply
    • Lois Tverberg says

      April 19, 2024 at 12:48 pm

      Terry – It’s nice you’re working on a book about Jesus’ birth!

      But I’m pretty sure it would be forbidden to use a bell from the high priest’s robe as an ornament around a lamb’s neck. Jesus even quotes the reason why in Matthew 7:6, when he says, “Do not give to dogs what is holy.” He’s quoting a line that everyone knew, that is found in several places in Jewish writing. The earliest reference is from the Mishnah (200 AD), Temura 6:4:

      “All holy things which became blemished — they do not redeem them. For they do not redeem holy things to feed them to the dogs.”

      The discussion here is about what to do with an animal that has been consecrated (made “holy”) as an offering, but then is found to be blemished. It can’t be offered on the altar but it also can’t be bought back by the owner to use as dog food.

      It would be utterly sacrilegious for a sacred offering to be eaten by dogs, even if it wasn’t used in worship. The phrase about “giving what is holy to dogs” was used in various other contexts where it had a metaphorical sense of “treating sacred things irreverently” or “to commit sacrilege.”

      The high priest’s robe was one of the most distinctly holy things in the Temple. It had been anointed with anointing oil and had that fragrance on it. It would be totally inappropriate to bring a bell from the robe into the barn and tie it around an animals neck.

      Sorry, but I think you should find another story line.

      Reply

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