HEBREW WORD STUDY – CROWN OF BEAUTY  – ‘ARETET   TAPA’ARET  עטרת תפארת

Isaiah 62:3: “You will also be a crown of beauty in the hand of the Lord and a royal diadem in the hand of the your God.”

In ancient Hebrew culture, there were two types of crowns.  There was an enduring crown and a temporary crown. The permanent or enduring crowns were worn by royalty and priests, the temporary crowns were worn by brides and grooms.  The crowns worn by brides and grooms were temporary because they were made of flowers or leafy branches that would quickly wilt.  The crown mentioned here is an ‘aretet which is one which entirely circles the head.  It is a crown of pa’ar which means beauty, glory and/or honor.  It also means green bough or branch.  Thus, this is the temporary crown worn by a bride or groom.  It is a crown of beauty and ‘aretet  tapa’aret. 

This is in the hand (yad) of Jehovah. The yad or hand is a symbol of power and protection.  In relationship with a bride, it would symbolize protection.  Thus the prophet is saying that God will protect us as a husband would protect his bride.  It is interesting to note that a groom also wears such a crown.  In light of previous studies, we could infer that we are not only a bride to God but a husband as well.  Where God will protect us as a husband would protect his bride, the role is also reversed where we as a husband would protect God as our bride, ie., as a husband would protect his bride’s heart we would protect the heart of God.

I look at it this way, we are protected by God as a husband would protect his bride. But we also have a duty to protect God’s heart.  We protect His heart by not being unfaithful and serving other gods, by not breaking His heart by leaving Him to seek our selfish desires in this world.