Genesis 24:22

A golden earring. This present, it should be noted, was not her dowry but a token of Eliezer’s gratitude. Though suspecting that she was to become Isaac’s wife, Eliezer did not as yet even know her name, much less her family relationship to Abraham. The word translated “earring,” “jewel for the forehead,” is from the Hebrew nezem, a ring for the nose. Since ancient times Bedouin women have worn nose rings, either in the cartilage of one side or in the central wall of the nose (see Isaiah 3:21; Ezekiel 16:11, 12). Among Bedouins the nose ring is still the customary engagement gift. The golden ring probably weighed about one fifth of an ounce, and the two golden bracelets 4 or 5 oz. At the current price for gold their combined value would be about $169. Little wonder that Laban was surprised (v. 30)!