The Love of the Ring: How One Engagement Tradition Began

Wearing a ring on your left hand? You may find the story behind its origins quite surprising. My research finds engagement traditions like the ring date back 4000 years ago to the day of Abraham, ancient dweller in the land of Canaan.

No, Abraham didn't give his wife Sarah the first ring, rather he sent it with his servant, Eliezer of Damascus to another land in search of a wife for his son Isaac. What makes the story of Eliezer intriguing is that prior to Isaac's birth, he was the heir apparent to Abraham's fortune as the senior servant of the household. Because of Sarah's old age, Eliezer probably thought that he'd reap the bounty. However, God had other plans. Isaac was born when Eliezer's master was 100 and Sarah 90.

When Abraham directed Eliezer to go back to the country of his people to find 'the one' for Isaac, it meant Eliezer would have to travel 600 miles. Can you imagine the task? Before The Bachelor, what was a guy like modern-day Chris Harrison to do? Genesis 24:12-15 tells us he prayed about finding the right woman in a faraway land. After a 20+ day journey, Eliezer stopped at well near the town of Nahor where along came a bachelorette named Rebekah who not only gave Eliezer water, but went a step further to water the thirsty camels after a padded trek across arid terrain.

When Rebekah answered Eliezer's prayers (Genesis 24:14), he placed a golden ring in her nose and two gold bracelets on her arm. Hardly romantic considering it was from the servant instead of the groom-to-be (not to mention the nose thing ... awkward!), but evidently exciting enough for Rebekah to run and tell her mother and family the news.

Was she ecstatic about the prospect of marriage or the weight of the offer? In today's currency, the nose ring was worth around $300, however, the gold bracelets represented a whopping $50,000 -- not bad for showing the love to a herd of camels!

Eliezer celebrated the joyful news with Rebekah's family and spent the night as their guest (think Hometown Date). Afterwards, the family wanted her to stay for 10 days or so before departing to the land of her betrothed, but Eliezer was persistent that he return to his master immediately, and Rebekah, when asked what she wanted to do, agreed.

The rest is a beautiful story of love at first sight. Reading Genesis 24:63, you can almost envision Isaac sitting high on the hill at dusk. The Bible says he was meditating, possibly wondering if Eliezer would return with a wife for him when he saw the caravan and a fair damsel riding atop a camel. In turn, when Rebekah saw Isaac, The King James version says she alighted from her camel. Alighted? The NIV version states a less passionate version to say she got off her camel. However, I like to think that as Rebekah approached Canaan, weighted with gold bangles on her arm equivalent to seven iPhones and a symbolic gold ring in her nose, her heart blazed when she saw her future husband and descended to meet him. 

Equally yoked, Isaac and Rebekah, Abraham's kindred, were part of the first family, establishing the first record of the engagement ring tradition.

As for the love of the ring? I parallel Eliezer to another journey. He traveled ahead to offer a symbol of the true treasure. He was faithful, persistent and sacrificed earthly comfort for something greater. The heroine in Charlotte Marries a Vampire has a persistent Eliezer-type, too. He travels far for her heart just like he'll travel for yours.

Love & Light!