Beauty, Physical or Spiritual

Beauty provoketh thieves sooner than gold.

William Shakespeare

Beauty is the gift of God.

Aristotle

Beauty

Synopsis

A physical or spiritual quality which brings pleasure to those who behold it. Scripture stresses the beauty of God himself and his creation, while noting that the beauty of the creation can lead away from God or become idolized.

Beauty in nature

Job 38:31 KJV

31 Canst thou bind the sweet influences of Pleiadesf , or loose the bands of Orion?1f f Pleiades: or, the seven stars: Heb. Cimah

1 The Holy Bible: King James Version., electronic ed. of the 1769 edition of the 1611 Authorized Version. (Bellingham WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1995), Job 38:31.

31 “Can you direct the movement of the stars—

binding the cluster of the Pleiades

or loosening the cords of Orion? 1

1 Tyndale House Publishers, Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2015), Job 38:31.

Ecc 3:11 KJV

11 He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end. 11 The Holy Bible: King James Version., electronic ed. of the 1769 edition of the 1611 Authorized Version. (Bellingham WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1995), Ec 3:11.

Ecc 3.11 (NLT)

11 Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end.11 Tyndale House Publishers, Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2015), Ec 3:11.

Job 38:31 (KJV)

31 Canst thou bind the sweet influences of Pleiades f , or loose the bands of Orion?1f f Pleiades: or, the seven stars: Heb. Cimah

1 The Holy Bible: King James Version., electronic ed. of the 1769 edition of the 1611 Authorized Version. (Bellingham WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1995), Job 38:31.

Job 38.31 (NLT)

11 Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end.11 Tyndale House Publishers, Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2015), Job 38.11

Ecclesiastes 3:11 (KJV) — 11 He hath made everything beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.

Ecc 3.11 (MSG)

God made everything beautiful in itself and in its time—but he’s left us in the dark, so we can never know what God is up to, whether he’s coming or going.11 Eugene H. Peterson, The Message: The Bible in Contemporary Language (Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress, 2005), Ec 3:11.

See also Ge 49:21; Eze 20:6; Eze 31:7–9

Genesis 49:21 (KJV) — 21 Naphtali is a hind let loose: he giveth goodly words.

Genesis 49.21 (MSG)

  Naphtali is a deer running free

that gives birth to lovely fawns.

Ezekiel 20:6 (KJV) — 6 In the day that I lifted up mine hand unto them, to bring them forth of the land of Egypt into a land that I had espied for them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands:

Ezekiel 20.6 (NLT)

6 I took a solemn oath that day that I would bring them out of Egypt to a land I had discovered and explored for them—a good land, a land flowing with milk and honey, the best of all lands anywhere.11 Tyndale House Publishers, Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2015), Eze 20:6.

6 On that day I lifted up My hand and swore to them to bring them out of the land of Egypt to a land that I had searched out for them, flowing with milk and honey, [a land] which is an ornament and a glory to all lands. 11 The Amplified Bible (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1987), Eze 20:6.

Ezekiel 31:7–9 (KJV) — 7 Thus was he fair in his greatness, in the length of his branches: for his root was by great waters. 8 The cedars in the garden of God could not hide him: the fir trees were not like his boughs, and the chesnut trees were not like his branches; nor any tree in the garden of God was like unto him in his beauty. 9 I have made him fair by the multitude of his branches: so that all the trees of Eden, that were in the garden of God, envied him.

Ezekiel 31.7-9 (NLT)

7 It was strong and beautiful,

with wide-spreading branches,

for its roots went deep

into abundant water.

8 No other cedar in the garden of God

could rival it.

No cypress had branches to equal it;

no plane tree had boughs to compare.

No tree in the garden of God

came close to it in beauty.

9 Because I made this tree so beautiful,

and gave it such magnificent foliage,

it was the envy of all the other trees of Eden,

Beautiful people

Women

Ge 29:17; Es 1:11

Genesis 29:17 (KJV) — 17 Leah was tender eyed; but Rachel was beautiful and well favoured.

Esther 1:11 (KJV) — 11 To bring Vashti the queen before the king with the crown royal, to shew the people and the princes her beauty: for she was fair to look on.

See also Ge 6:2; Ge 12:11; Ge 12:14; Ge 24:15–16; Ge 26:7; Dt 21:11; 1 Sa 25:3; 2 Sa 13:1; 2 Sa 14:27; 1 Ki 1:3–4

Genesis 6:2 (KJV) — 2 That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.

Genesis 12:11 (KJV) — 11 And it came to pass, when he was come near to enter into Egypt, that he said unto Sarai his wife, Behold now, I know that thou art a fair woman to look upon:

Genesis 12:14 (KJV) — 14 And it came to pass, that, when Abram was come into Egypt, the Egyptians beheld the woman that she was very fair.

Genesis 24:15–16 (KJV) — 15 And it came to pass, before he had done speaking, that, behold, Rebekah came out, who was born to Bethuel, son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham’s brother, with her pitcher upon her shoulder. 16 And the damsel was very fair to look upon, a virgin, neither had any man known her: and she went down to the well, and filled her pitcher, and came up.

Genesis 26:7 (KJV) — 7 And the men of the place asked him of his wife; and he said, She is my sister: for he feared to say, She is my wife; lest, said he, the men of the place should kill me for Rebekah; because she was fair to look upon.

Deuteronomy 21:11 (KJV) — 11 And seest among the captives a beautiful woman, and hast a desire unto her, that thou wouldest have her to thy wife;

1 Samuel 25:3 (KJV) — 3 Now the name of the man was Nabal; and the name of his wife Abigail: and she was a woman of good understanding, and of a beautiful countenance: but the man was churlish and evil in his doings; and he was of the house of Caleb.

2 Samuel 13:1 (KJV) — 1 And it came to pass after this, that Absalom the son of David had a fair sister, whose name was Tamar; and Amnon the son of David loved her.

2 Samuel 14:27 (KJV) — 27 And unto Absalom there were born three sons, and one daughter, whose name was Tamar: she was a woman of a fair countenance.

1 Kings 1:3–4 (KJV) — 3 So they sought for a fair damsel throughout all the coasts of Israel, and found Abishag a Shunammite, and brought her to the king. 4 And the damsel was very fair, and cherished the king, and ministered to him: but the king knew her not.

Esther:

Es 2:7; Es 2:17

Esther 2:7 (KJV) — 7 And he brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle’s daughter: for she had neither father nor mother, and the maid was fair and beautiful; whom Mordecai, when her father and mother were dead, took for his own daughter.

Esther 2:17 (KJV) — 17 And the king loved Esther above all the women, and she obtained grace and favour in his sight more than all the virgins; so that he set the royal crown upon her head, and made her queen instead of Vashti.

Job 42:15; Ps 45:11; So 2:14; So 4:7; So 7:1

Job 42:15 (KJV) — 15 And in all the land were no women found so fair as the daughters of Job: and their father gave them inheritance among their brethren.

Psalm 45:11 (KJV) — 11 So shall the king greatly desire thy beauty: for he is thy Lord; and worship thou him.

Song of Solomon 2:14 (KJV) — 14 O my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock, in the secret places of the stairs, let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice; for sweet is thy voice, and thy countenance is comely.

Song of Solomon 4:7 (KJV) — 7 Thou art all fair, my love; there is no spot in thee.

Song of Solomon 7:1 (KJV) — 1 How beautiful are thy feet with shoes, O prince’s daughter! the joints of thy thighs are like jewels, the work of the hands of a cunning workman.

Men

Ge 39:6

Genesis 39:6 (KJV) — 6 And he left all that he had in Joseph’s hand; and he knew not ought he had, save the bread which he did eat. And Joseph was a goodly person, and well favoured.

See also 1 Sa 16:12; 1 Sa 17:42; 2 Sa 14:25; 1 Ki 1:6; So 1:16; So 5:10; Eze 23:6; Eze 23:23

1 Samuel 16:12 (KJV) — 12 And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And the LORD said, Arise, anoint him: for this is he.

1 Samuel 17:42 (KJV) — 42 And when the Philistine looked about, and saw David, he disdained him: for he was but a youth, and ruddy, and of a fair countenance.

2 Samuel 14:25 (KJV) — 25 But in all Israel there was none to be so much praised as Absalom for his beauty: from the sole of his foot even to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him.

1 Kings 1:6 (KJV) — 6 And his father had not displeased him at any time in saying, Why hast thou done so? and he also was a very goodly man; and his mother bare him after Absalom.

Song of Solomon 1:16 (KJV) — 16 Behold, thou art fair, my beloved, yea, pleasant: also our bed is green.

Song of Solomon 5:10 (KJV) — 10 My beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest among ten thousand.

Ezekiel 23:6 (KJV) — 6 Which were clothed with blue, captains and rulers, all of them desirable young men, horsemen riding upon horses.

Ezekiel 23:23 (KJV) — 23 The Babylonians, and all the Chaldeans, Pekod, and Shoa, and Koa, and all the Assyrians with them: all of them desirable young men, captains and rulers, great lords and renowned, all of them riding upon horses.

An enhanced quality

Es 2:2–3

Esther 2:2–3 (KJV) — 2 Then said the king’s servants that ministered unto him, Let there be fair young virgins sought for the king: 3 And let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom, that they may gather together all the fair young virgins unto Shushan the palace, to the house of the women, unto the custody of Hege the king’s chamberlain, keeper of the women; and let their things for purification be given them:

See also Es 2:9; Es 2:12; Is 3:24; Eze 7:20

Esther 2:9 (KJV) — 9 And the maiden pleased him, and she obtained kindness of him; and he speedily gave her her things for purification, with such things as belonged to her, and seven maidens, which were meet to be given her, out of the king’s house: and he preferred her and her maids unto the best place of the house of the women.

Esther 2:12 (KJV) — 12 Now when every maid’s turn was come to go in to king Ahasuerus, after that she had been twelve months, according to the manner of the women, (for so were the days of their purifications accomplished, to wit, six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with sweet odours, and with other things for the purifying of the women;)

Isaiah 3:24 (KJV) — 24 And it shall come to pass, that instead of sweet smell there shall be stink; and instead of a girdle a rent; and instead of well set hair baldness; and instead of a stomacher a girding of sackcloth; and burning instead of beauty.

Ezekiel 7:20 (KJV) — 20 As for the beauty of his ornament, he set it in majesty: but they made the images of their abominations and of their detestable things therein: therefore have I set it far from them.

Beauty and lack of beauty as external impressions

Is 53:2

Isaiah 53:2 (KJV) — 2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.

See also Pr 11:22; Pr 31:30; 1 Pe 3:3

Proverbs 11:22 (KJV) — 22 As a jewel of gold in a swine’s snout, so is a fair woman which is without discretion.

Proverbs 31:30 (KJV) — 30 Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised.

1 Peter 3:3 (KJV) — 3 Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel;

May lead to pride and lust

Pr 6:25–26; Eze 28:17

Proverbs 6:25–26 (KJV) — 25 Lust not after her beauty in thine heart; neither let her take thee with her eyelids. 26 For by means of a whorish woman a man is brought to a piece of bread: and the adulteress will hunt for the precious life.

Ezekiel 28:17 (KJV) — 17 Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee.

See also 2 Sa 11:2–4; Ge 12:11–12; Ge 39:7; Eze 23:12

2 Samuel 11:2–4 (KJV) — 2 And it came to pass in an eveningtide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king’s house: and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon. 3 And David sent and enquired after the woman. And one said, Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite? 4 And David sent messengers, and took her; and she came in unto him, and he lay with her; for she was purified from her uncleanness: and she returned unto her house.

Genesis 12:11–12 (KJV) — 11 And it came to pass, when he was come near to enter into Egypt, that he said unto Sarai his wife, Behold now, I know that thou art a fair woman to look upon: 12 Therefore it shall come to pass, when the Egyptians shall see thee, that they shall say, This is his wife: and they will kill me, but they will save thee alive.

Genesis 39:7 (KJV) — 7 And it came to pass after these things, that his master’s wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, Lie with me.

Ezekiel 23:12 (KJV) — 12 She doted upon the Assyrians her neighbours, captains and rulers clothed most gorgeously, horsemen riding upon horses, all of them desirable young men.

Beautiful artefacts

Lk 21:5

Luke 21:5 (KJV) — 5 And as some spake of the temple, how it was adorned with goodly stones and gifts, he said,

See also Jos 7:21; Eze 27:3–4; Eze 27:11; Eze 27:24; Ac 3:2

Joshua 7:21 (KJV) — 21 When I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted them, and took them; and, behold, they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent, and the silver under it.

Ezekiel 27:3–4 (KJV) — 3 And say unto Tyrus, O thou that art situate at the entry of the sea, which art a merchant of the people for many isles, Thus saith the Lord GOD; O Tyrus, thou hast said, I am of perfect beauty. 4 Thy borders are in the midst of the seas, thy builders have perfected thy beauty.

Ezekiel 27:11 (KJV) — 11 The men of Arvad with thine army were upon thy walls round about, and the Gammadims were in thy towers: they hanged their shields upon thy walls round about; they have made thy beauty perfect.

Ezekiel 27:24 (KJV) — 24 These were thy merchants in all sorts of things, in blue clothes, and broidered work, and in chests of rich apparel, bound with cords, and made of cedar, among thy merchandise.

Acts 3:2 (KJV) — 2 And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple;

The beauty of Jerusalem

Ps 50:2

Psalm 50:2 (KJV) — 2 Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God hath shined.

See also Ps 48:2; Re 21:2; Je 6:2; La 2:15; Eze 16:10–15; Eze 16:25; Da 11:45

Psalm 48:2 (KJV) — 2 Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King.

Revelation 21:2 (KJV) — 2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

Jeremiah 6:2 (KJV) — 2 I have likened the daughter of Zion to a comely and delicate woman.

Lamentations 2:15 (KJV) — 15 All that pass by clap their hands at thee; they hiss and wag their head at the daughter of Jerusalem, saying, Is this the city that men call The perfection of beauty, The joy of the whole earth?

Ezekiel 16:10–15 (KJV) — 10 I clothed thee also with broidered work, and shod thee with badgers’ skin, and I girded thee about with fine linen, and I covered thee with silk. 11 I decked thee also with ornaments, and I put bracelets upon thy hands, and a chain on thy neck. 12 And I put a jewel on thy forehead, and earrings in thine ears, and a beautiful crown upon thine head. 13 Thus wast thou decked with gold and silver; and thy raiment was of fine linen, and silk, and broidered work; thou didst eat fine flour, and honey, and oil: and thou wast exceeding beautiful, and thou didst prosper into a kingdom. 14 And thy renown went forth among the heathen for thy beauty: for it was perfect through my comeliness, which I had put upon thee, saith the Lord GOD. 15 But thou didst trust in thine own beauty, and playedst the harlot because of thy renown, and pouredst out thy fornications on every one that passed by; his it was.

Ezekiel 16:25 (KJV) — 25 Thou hast built thy high place at every head of the way, and hast made thy beauty to be abhorred, and hast opened thy feet to every one that passed by, and multiplied thy whoredoms.

Daniel 11:45 (KJV) — 45 And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him.

The beauty of God as the joy of believers

Ps 27:4

Psalm 27:4 (KJV) — 4 One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple.

See also Ps 29:2; 1 Ch 16:29; Ro 10:15; Is 52:7; Is 4:2; Is 28:5; Is 33:17; Is 61:3; Je 11:16

Psalm 29:2 (KJV) — 2 Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.

1 Chronicles 16:29 (KJV) — 29 Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come before him: worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.

Romans 10:15 (KJV) — 15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!

Isaiah 52:7 (KJV) — 7 How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!

Isaiah 4:2 (KJV) — 2 In that day shall the branch of the LORD be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and comely for them that are escaped of Israel.

Isaiah 28:5 (KJV) — 5 In that day shall the LORD of hosts be for a crown of glory, and for a diadem of beauty, unto the residue of his people,

Isaiah 33:17 (KJV) — 17 Thine eyes shall see the king in his beauty: they shall behold the land that is very far off.

Isaiah 61:3 (KJV) — 3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.

Jeremiah 11:16 (KJV) — 16 The LORD called thy name, A green olive tree, fair, and of goodly fruit: with the noise of a great tumult he hath kindled fire upon it, and the branches of it are broken.

Beauty is the gift of God.

Aristotle