Crown: 1. Denotes the plate of gold in the front of the high priest's
mitre
(Exodus 29:6; 39:30) The same Hebrew word so rendered
(ne'zer) denotes the diadem worn by Saul in battle
(2 Samuel 1:10)
and also that which was used at the coronation of Joash(2 Kings 11:12)
2. The more general name in Hebrew for a crown is 'atarah,
meaning a "circlet." This is used of crowns and head ornaments
of divers kinds, including royal crowns. Such was the crown
taken from the king of Ammon by David
(2 Samuel 12:30) The crown worn
by the Assyrian kings was a high mitre, sometimes adorned with
flowers. There are sculptures also representing the crowns worn
by the early Egyptian and Persian kings. Sometimes a diadem
surrounded the royal head-dress of two or three fillets. This
probably signified that the wearer had dominion over two or
three countries. In
(Revelation 12:3; 13:1) we read of "many crowns," a
token of extended dominion.
3. The ancient Persian crown
(Esther 1:11; 2:17; 6:8) was called kether;
i.e., "a chaplet," a high cap or tiara. Crowns were worn
sometimes to represent honour and power
(Ezekiel 23:42) They were
worn at marriages
(The Song of Solomon 3:11; Isaiah 61:10) "ornaments;" R.V., "a
garland"), and at feasts and public festivals. The crown was
among the Romans and Greeks a symbol of victory and reward. The
crown or wreath worn by the victors in the Olympic games was
made of leaves of the wild olive; in the Pythian games, of
laurel; in the Nemean games, of parsley; and in the Isthmian
games, of the pine. The Romans bestowed the "civic crown" on him
who saved the life of a citizen. It was made of the leaves of
the oak. In opposition to all these fading crowns the apostles
speak of the incorruptible crown, the crown of life
(James 1:12)
(Revelation 2:10) "that fadeth not away"
(1 Peter 5:4) Gr. amarantinos;
comp.
(1 Peter 1:4). Probably the word "amaranth" was applied to
flowers we call "everlasting," the "immortal amaranth."
(See DIADEM)
