Dictionary Article

Gem formed within the shell of certain mollusks. The word appears only once in the OT (Jb 28:18). However, some think that the reference to a reddish stone in Lamentations 4:7 may be to the pink pearl found in the Red Sea. By the NT period, the pearl was a prized piece of feminine jewelry (1 Tm 2:9), an item of trade (Mt 13:45-46; Rv 18:12-16), and an object of high price. Being familiar objects, pearls were frequently used by Jesus in his illustrations. A fine pearl was an object of such great value that a man might sell all his accumulated wealth to purchase it (Mt 13:45-46). A pearl (used figuratively for the word of the Lord) would not be given to those who, like pigs, had no appreciation for its value (7:6).

Show passage in OET: JOB 28:18

OET-RV JOB 28:18

18 It’s not even worth mentioning coral and jasper.
⇔ ≈ Yes, wisdom is way more expensive than pearls.

OET-LV JOB 28:18

18 Corals and_crystal not it _is _remembered and_Meshek wisdom is_more_than _corals.

Show passage in OET: LAM 4:7

OET-RV LAM 4:7

7 Her religious leaders were purer than snow—whiter than milk.
⇔ Their bones were redder than coral—their parts were sapphire.

OET-LV LAM 4:7

7 Of _high _rank _of_its _ones they _were _bright more_than _snow they _were _dazzling more_than _milk bone they _were _red more_than _corals was_sapphire polishing _of_their.

Show passage in OET: TI1 2:9

OET-RV TI1 2:9

9 Similarly women should wear respectable clothes that are sensible and modest, not with hair extensions or gold or pearls or expensive clothing,

OET-LV TI1 2:9

9 Likewise women in respectable apparel to _be _adorning themselves with modesty and sobriety, not with braids, and gold, or pearls, or expensive clothing,

Show passage in OET: MAT 13:45–46

OET-RV MAT 13:45

45 “The heavenly kingdom is also like a trader wanting to buy beautiful pearls,

OET-RV MAT 13:46

46 and when they found one outstanding pearl, they went and sold everything they had so they could buy that pearl.

OET-LV MAT 13:45

45 Furthermore the kingdom of _the heavens is similar to_a_ merchant _man seeking beautiful pearls,

OET-LV MAT 13:46

46 and having _found one precious pearl, having _gone _away, he _has _sold all things as _many _as he _was _having, and bought it.

Show passage in OET: REV 18:12–16

OET-RV REV 18:12

12 gold and silver, precious stones and pearls, fine linen and purple cloth and silk and scarlet cloth, expensive wood and carved ivory containers and every kind of container made from the costliest wood and bronze and iron and marble,

OET-RV REV 18:13

13 cinnamon and spice, incense and myrrh and frankincense, wine and oil and fine flour and wheat, cattle and sheep and horses, and chariots and slaves and people’s souls.

OET-RV REV 18:14

14 People will say, “The good things the people of Bavel longed to have are gone. Their splendid and luxurious goods have been destroyed and won’t become available again.”

OET-RV REV 18:15

15 The merchants who became rich selling those things will stand at a distance from her because of the fear of becoming included in her torment, weeping and mourning,

OET-RV REV 18:16

16 saying, “That famous city that used to dress in fine linen and scarlet and be adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls has come to a bad end

OET-LV REV 18:12

12 cargo of _gold, and of _silver, and of _stone precious, and of _pearls, and of _linen, and of _purple, and of _silk, and of _scarlet, and all wood citron, and every object ivory, and every object of wood most _precious, and of _bronze, and of _iron, and of _marble,

OET-LV REV 18:13

13 and cinnamon, and amomum, and incenses, and ointment, and frankincense, and wine, and olive _oil, and fine _flour, and wheat, and cattle, and sheep, and of _horses, and of _carriages, and of _slaves, and souls of _humans.

OET-LV REV 18:14

14 And the fruit of _you of _the desire of _the soul went _away from you, and all the sleek things and the splendid things destroyed from you, and no _longer by _no _means not them will _be _finding.

OET-LV REV 18:15

15 The merchants of _these things which having _become _rich, from her from afar will _be _standing, because _of the fear of _the torment of _her, weeping and mourning

OET-LV REV 18:16

16 saying:
Woe, woe, the city the great, you having _been _clothed in _linen, and purple, and scarlet, and having _been _gilded with gold, and stone precious, and pearl.

Show passage in OET: MAT 7:6

OET-RV MAT 7:6

6 “Don’t give special things to dogs, and don’t throw pearls to pigs, because they’ll all just trample them underfoot, and then they’re just as likely to turn and attack you.

OET-LV MAT 7:6

6 You _all _may_ not _give the holy thing to _the dogs, nor may _you _all _throw the pearls of _you _all before the pigs, lest they _will _be _trampling them with the feet of _them, and having _been _turned they _may _attack you _all.

Jump to OET JOB 28:18 section.

Jump to OET LAM 4:7 section.

Jump to OET TI1 2:9 section.

Jump to OET MAT 13:45–46 section.

Jump to OET REV 18:12–16 section.

Jump to OET MAT 7:6 section.

Tyndale Open Bible Dictionary