Bible Question:

What does God say about anklets?

Bible Answer:

The Bible refers to anklets only twice. Both of them occur in the book of Isaiah. The first time is in verse 16 and then 18. Here are the verses,

Moreover, the LORD said, “Because the daughters of Zion are proud
And walk with heads held high and seductive eyes,
And go along with mincing steps
And tinkle the bangles on their feet,
Therefore the Lord will afflict the scalp of the daughters of Zion with scabs,
And the LORD will make their foreheads bare.”
In that day the Lord will take away the beauty of their anklets, headbands, crescent ornaments . . . Isaiah 3:16–18 (NASB)

Ancient Egyptian Bracelets

In verse 16 the phrase “tinkle the bangles” refers to anklets that make noise as the person walks. They were common in ancient times and are still in use in modern times. In verse 18, the word is obvious since it is translated as “anklets.” Both women and men have worn anklets. Archaeologists have discovered many anklets throughout ancient Canaan. Anklets were made from various materials such as metal, gold, silver and bronze.[1]

The Bible says nothing positive or negative about wearing anklets. But that does not mean wearing an anklet is okay. Wearing an anklet could be sinful. It depends upon the reason why one wears the anklet. If wearing an anklet is connected to the worship of a false god or the occult, then wearing an anklet would be wrong. If there is some other motivation for wearing an anklet that does not glorify the true God or that reflects an immodest attitude, then wearing an anklet could be wrong. The situation and reason for wearing is the determining factor.

Conclusion:

Please note that when anklets are mentioned in Isaiah 3:16-18, the heart attitude of the women wearing them was wrong. They were dressing and adorning themselves with jewelry to attract attention to themselves. As a result, God was displeased with their pride and consequently removed their outward adornment. God is more concerned with our heart attitude than our external appearance. God wants us to have attractive hearts.

 

Related Links

1. Anklets. The Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible. Zondervan. Vol. 1. p. 169.

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