שַׂהֲרוֹן (sa.ha.ron)
sa.ha.ron
crescent
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 3 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun saharon refers to a crescent, specifically describing the shape of the moon or an object modeled after it. In the biblical text, this term appears only three times, always in the context of jewelry. The sources identify it as an ornament, likely a pendant or earring shaped like the waxing or waning moon.
Its usage is restricted to descriptive passages about attire rather than theological discourse. For instance, Isaiah 3:18 lists saharon among the various trinkets and ornaments worn by the daughters of Zion, placing it alongside rings, bracelets, and veils. This specific placement highlights its role as a marker of wealth and fashion in ancient Israelite society.
While the word literally denotes the celestial body’s phase, the biblical writers use it to describe crafted metalwork. The term does not carry astrological or cultic connotations in these instances; it is simply a technical descriptor for a specific style of jewelry. Translators typically render it as "crescents" or "moon-shaped ornaments," preserving the visual image of the accessory without adding symbolic weight that the original text does not support.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word saharon describes a crescent-shaped ornament, likely a pendant or earring made of gold or silver. In ancient Israel, these items were part of a woman’s jewelry collection, worn as markers of status and beauty. They reflect the craftsmanship of the time, where metalworkers shaped precious metals into forms that mimicked the night sky.
When Isaiah lists saharon among the things God will remove from the daughters of Zion, he is not condemning beauty itself. Instead, he points to a deeper truth: human adornment cannot replace divine protection. The same word appears in Judges, where Gideon collects these crescents as spoils of war, showing how objects of vanity can become symbols of judgment when placed above God.
This reminder invites us to examine what we value most. Are our treasures temporary ornaments, or do they point toward eternal realities? Scripture calls us to trust in the Lord rather than in gold or fashion. Our worth is found not in what we wear, but in who we are in Christ.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 3 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- the/ ornaments2×
- and/ the/ ornaments1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- וְ/הַ/שַּׂהֲרֹנִֽים\׃1×
- הַ/שַּׂהֲרֹנִ֨ים1×
- הַ/שַּׂ֣הֲרֹנִ֔ים1×
Key Verses
-
Judges 8:21
Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, “You rise and fall on us; for as the man is, so is his strength.” Gideon arose, and killed Zebah and Zalmunna, and took the crescents that were on their camels’ necks.
This verse shows saharon as tangible proof of victory, collected from defeated enemies and highlighting the shift from military triumph to material gain.
-
Judges 8:26
The weight of the golden earrings that he requested was one thousand and seven hundred shekels of gold, in addition to the crescents, and the pendants, and the purple clothing that was on the kings of Midian, and in addition to the chains that were about their camels’ necks.
Here the crescents are weighed alongside other spoils, emphasizing their high monetary value and Gideon’s request for them as a tribute to his leadership.
-
Isaiah 3:18
In that day the Lord will take away the beauty of their anklets, the headbands, the crescent necklaces,
The prophet lists saharon among the ornaments God will strip away, using it to illustrate how divine judgment removes human pride and false security.