The Bible offers various principles on appearance, but it doesn’t specifically mention men wearing earrings. Jewelry in biblical times had cultural significance for both men and women, so it’s important to understand the context before making assumptions. In today’s world, personal style choices like earrings can mean different things, but understanding biblical principles can help guide these decisions.
Also Read: What Does The Bible Say About Abandoning Friends
What Does The Bible Say About men wearing earrings
Genesis 35:4
“They gave Jacob all the foreign gods they had and the gold earrings in their ears, and Jacob buried them under the oak at Shechem.”
This verse recounts the story of Jacob and his family, where his sons removed the foreign gods and the gold earrings from the people’s ears before burying them. It highlights the cultural significance of earrings during that time, suggesting that earrings were sometimes associated with pagan customs and practices.
It is important to note that biblical principles are not explicitly against men wearing earrings. However, this verse serves as a reminder to evaluate our adornments and consider the cultural and spiritual implications they may hold.
Exodus 32:2-3
“Aaron answered them, ‘Take off the gold earrings that your wives, your sons, and your daughters are wearing, and bring them to me.’ So all the people took off their earrings and brought them to Aaron.”
In this passage, Aaron instructs the Israelites to remove their gold earrings, which would later be used to create the golden calf idol. Here, the earrings symbolize a form of wealth or abundance that the Israelites, under their impatience and lack of faith, were willing to give up for a false deity.
While this verse does not specifically address men wearing earrings, it prompts us to examine our motives and intentions behind our possessions and adornments, ensuring that they do not lead us away from God.
Job 42:11
“All his brothers and sisters and everyone who had known him before came and ate with him in his house. They comforted and consoled him over all the trouble the LORD had brought on him, and each one gave him a piece of silver and a gold ring.”
After enduring numerous trials, Job’s friends and family come to console him, offering him comfort and gifts, including gold rings. These rings show a gesture of support, love, and restoration after Job’s suffering.
Here, we see earrings mentioned in a positive light, symbolizing love, care, and support. This verse reminds us that accessories, like earrings, can serve as meaningful gifts that express solidarity and compassion towards those in difficult circumstances.
Isaiah 3:20
“the headdresses and anklets and sashes, the perfume bottles and charms, the signet rings and nose rings,”
In this passage, Isaiah is describing various ornaments and accessories worn by the people of Judah, both men and women. The mention of nose rings implies that earrings were a form of adornment during that time.
As mentioned earlier, the Bible does not explicitly forbid men from wearing earrings. However, this verse reminds us to be cautious about our motivations and not to prioritize worldly adornments over spiritual matters.
Proverbs 25:12
“Like an earring of gold or an ornament of fine gold is the rebuke of a wise judge to a listening ear.”
In this proverb, a rebuke or correction from a wise judge is likened to a precious earring made of gold. This comparison emphasizes the value and importance of receiving wise counsel and correction in our lives.
Earrings, as mentioned here, serve as a symbol of refinement and beauty. This verse encourages us to embrace constructive criticism and guidance from wise individuals, recognizing their worth in shaping our character and leading us to righteousness.
Hosea 2:13
“I will punish her for the days she burned incense to the Baals; she decked herself with rings and jewelry, and went after her lovers, but me she forgot,” declares the LORD.”
This passage depicts God’s disappointment with Israel for turning away from Him, pursuing other gods, and adorning themselves with rings and jewelry to attract their lovers. It serves as a warning against idolatry and the pursuit of worldly desires.
Earrings, in this context, represent a superficial pursuit of pleasure and attention. It reminds us to prioritize our relationship with God and avoid allowing material possessions or external appearances to replace our devotion to Him.
Exodus 21:6
“Then his master must take him before the judges. He shall take him to the door or the doorpost and pierce his ear with an awl. Then he will be his servant for life.”
This verse outlines the procedure for a slave who chooses to remain with his master even after his term of service ends. The master would pierce the slave’s ear with an awl against the doorpost as a sign of permanence and commitment.
In this case, an earring represents lifelong servitude or dedication. While the practice of slavery is not condoned, this passage symbolizes the importance of commitment and loyalty in our relationships, both with God and with one another.
Exodus 35:22
“All who were willing, men and women alike, came and brought gold jewelry of all kinds: brooches, earrings, rings and ornaments. They all presented their gold as a wave offering to the LORD.”
This verse describes the abundance of gold jewelry brought as offerings to the Lord during the construction of the tabernacle. The earrings, among other ornamentations, were willingly given by both men and women and dedicated to the Lord.
Here, earrings serve as a symbol of generosity and devotion, highlighting the act of giving our best to God. It teaches us the importance of sacrificing our material possessions for the service and work of the Lord.
Exodus 32:35
“And the LORD struck the people with a plague because of what they did with the calf Aaron had made.”
Following the incident of the golden calf, when the Israelites worshiped it as an idol, the Lord inflicted a severe plague upon them as a consequence of their disobedience.
This verse serves as a reminder that our actions have consequences. It urges us to be mindful of the choices we make and how they may affect our relationship with God. It also emphasizes the importance of worshiping the one true God and avoiding idolatry in any form.
Exodus 33:4-6
“When the people heard these distressing words, they began to mourn and no one put on any ornaments. For the LORD had said to Moses, “Tell the Israelites, ‘You are a stiff-necked people. If I were to go with you even for a moment, I might destroy you. Now take off your ornaments, and I will decide what to do with you.'” So the Israelites stripped off their ornaments at Mount Horeb.”
After the incident of the golden calf, God reprimanded the Israelites for their disobedience and warned them of the consequences of their actions. In response, the people mourned and removed their ornaments as a sign of repentance and humbling themselves before the Lord.
This passage reminds us that genuine repentance requires a willingness to let go of our pride and any adornments associated with sinful actions. It highlights the importance of humility and seeking God’s forgiveness, recognizing that true beauty comes from a transformed heart.
Numbers 31:50
“So we have brought as an offering to the LORD the gold articles each of us acquired—armlets, bracelets, signet rings, earrings, and necklaces—to make atonement for ourselves before the LORD.”
This verse describes the offering brought by the commanders of the Israelite army after their victory in battle. They presented the spoils of war, including various gold articles such as earrings, as an offering to the Lord in order to seek atonement for themselves.
Earrings, in this context, represent the acknowledgment of sin and a desire for reconciliation with God. It teaches us the importance of repentance and seeking forgiveness through sacrificial giving and sincere devotion.
Proverbs 11:22
“Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout is a beautiful woman who shows no discretion.”
In this proverb, the beauty of a woman who lacks wisdom and discretion is compared to a gold ring in a pig’s snout. The analogy highlights the inner qualities of a person that should accompany external adornment.
While this verse does not specifically address men wearing earrings, it reminds us that true beauty is not solely based on outward appearance but is also reflected in one’s character, integrity, and wise choices.
Exodus 4:2-3
“Then the LORD said to him, “What is that in your hand?” “A staff,” he replied. The LORD said, “Throw it on the ground.” Moses threw it on the ground and it became a snake, and he ran from it.”
During Moses’ encounter with God at the burning bush, God asked him about the staff Moses held in his hand. God then transformed the staff into a snake before Moses’ eyes as a sign of His power and authority.
Though not directly related to earrings, this passage teaches us that objects we possess or hold can be used by God to demonstrate His power and fulfill His purposes. It encourages us to trust in God’s ability to use whatever resources or talents we have for His glory.
2 Chronicles 33:22
“He did evil in the eyes of the LORD, as his father Manasseh had done. Amon offered sacrifices to all the idols Manasseh had made, and bowed down to them.”
This verse describes the wicked reign of King Amon after the death of his father, Manasseh. Amon continued the idolatrous practices introduced by his father, including making sacrifices to idols and worshiping them.
Although not specifically referring to earrings, this passage emphasizes the dangers of idolatry and the importance of worshiping the one true God. It reminds us to evaluate our own practices and ensure that our devotion is solely directed towards the Lord.
Proverbs 1:8-9
“Hear, my son, your father’s instruction, and forsake not your mother’s teaching, for they are a graceful garland for your head and pendants for your neck.”
In this proverb, the father encourages his son to listen and learn from parental instruction, comparing it to a graceful garland for the head and pendants for the neck.
Although earrings are not explicitly mentioned, this verse highlights the importance of heeding wise counsel and instruction, viewing them as valuable adornments that bring beauty and wisdom to our lives.
1 Timothy 2:9-10
“Likewise, also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire but with what is proper for women who profess godliness—with good works.”
In the context of appropriate attire and adornment for women, this verse encourages modesty, self-control, and focusing on good works rather than extravagant external appearances.
Although this verse specifically addresses women, it carries an underlying message for all believers, highlighting the importance of prioritizing our inner character and actions rather than placing excessive value on material adornments.
Isaiah 61:10
“I will greatly rejoice in the LORD; my soul shall exult in my God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation; he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.”
At first glance, this verse may not directly mention earrings, but it poetically describes the joy of being clothed with the garments of salvation and the robe of righteousness offered by God.
This figurative language indicates the joy and celebration that comes with our relationship with God, comparing it to a bridegroom’s headdress or a bride’s jewelry. It reminds us that our true beauty and adornment come from being in a right relationship with God through faith in Jesus Christ.
Isaiah 3:16-21
“The LORD says, ‘The women of Zion are haughty, walking along with outstretched necks, flirting with their eyes, strutting along with swaying hips, with ornaments jingling on their ankles. Therefore, the Lord will bring sores on the heads of the women of Zion; the LORD will make their scalps bald.’ In that day the Lord will snatch away their finery: the bangles and headbands and crescent necklaces, the earrings and bracelets and veils, the headdresses and anklets and sashes, the perfume bottles and charms, the signet rings and nose rings.”
In this passage, Isaiah describes the excessive adornments worn by the women of Zion, which reflect their pride and arrogance. As a consequence of their disobedience, the Lord declares that these ornaments will be taken away along with other judgments.
Although this passage specifically addresses women, it serves as a warning against the excessive pursuit of external beauty and material possessions. It reminds us to focus on inner character and humbly seek the Lord rather than seeking validation through worldly adornments.
1 Peter 3:3-4
“Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear—but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious.”
In this passage, Peter advises believers not to place excessive importance on external adornments such as braided hair, gold jewelry, or fashionable clothing. Instead, he emphasizes the value of cultivating a gentle and quiet spirit, which is seen as precious in God’s sight.
This verse encourages us to prioritize inner character and pursue godly virtues over worldly adornments. It reminds us that our true beauty should come from a transformed heart and a life lived in accordance with God’s will.
James 2:1-4
“My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism. Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in. If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,” have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?”
In this passage, James reminds believers not to show favoritism based on outward appearances. He highlights the issue of discrimination, specifically pointing out the improper treatment of a poor man compared to a wealthy man based on their clothing and jewelry.
This verse emphasizes the need to look beyond surface-level appearances and treat all people with kindness, respect, and impartiality. It challenges us to evaluate our own attitudes and actions, ensuring that we do not judge others based on external adornments or social status.
Zechariah 14:20-21
“On that day, HOLY TO THE LORD will be inscribed on the bells of the horses, and the cooking pots in the LORD’s house will be like the sacred bowls in front of the altar. Every pot in Jerusalem and Judah will be holy to the LORD Almighty, and all who come to sacrifice will take some of the pots and cook in them. And on that day, there will no longer be a Canaanite in the house of the LORD Almighty.”
In this prophecy, Zechariah describes a future time when everything in Jerusalem and Judah, including ordinary cooking pots, will be considered holy to the Lord. The inscription of “HOLY TO THE LORD” on various objects suggests a complete dedication and consecration to God.
While earrings are not directly mentioned in this verse, it symbolizes the idea that all aspects of our lives should be dedicated to the Lord. It prompts us to offer every aspect of our lives as a living sacrifice, not just our external adornments but also our thoughts, words, and actions.
Psalm 45:10-11
“Listen, daughter, and pay careful attention: Forget your people and your father’s house. Let the king be enthralled by your beauty; honor him, for he is your lord.”
Within the beautiful poetic lines of Psalm 45, the author addresses the bride, encouraging her to leave behind her family and embrace her role as queen. The focus is on honoring the king and delighting in his presence.
Although earrings are not directly mentioned, this verse speaks to a deeper message. It reminds us to honor and surrender to our Lord and King, Jesus Christ, delighting in His presence and prioritizing our relationship with Him above all earthly ties.