THE POPULAR ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIBLE PROPHECY

CROWNS

A CROWN IS A CIRCULAR ORNAMENT, CAP, turban, or wreath worn around the head to designate sovereignty, authority, achievement, or victory. A Crown sets the wearer apart for a particular task or in view of some accomplishment. The term Crown also refers to honor, glory, victory, or reward.

OLD TESTAMENT

In the Old Testament, there are four different Hebrew words that translate into the English word crown.

1. Netzer means to be set apart or consecrated and is a cognate of the root for “Nazirite.” This term designated the gold plate inscribed with ” Holiness to the Lord” that was affixed by a blue cord to the front of the turban worn by the high priest ( Exodus 28:36-38; 29:6; 39:30; Leviticus 8:9). The King’s royal Crown was also describe by this word ( 2 Samuel 12:30 ). Thus both the High Priest Crown and the king crown indicated a position endowed by God. The crowns of Gentiles rulers were never described by this word in the Old Testament.
2. The generic term for “Crown” ( Zechariah 6:11 ) or “wreath” ( Proverb 4:9 ) was “atara”. It designated Crowns other than those of the king or high priest, that is, nobility ( Esther 8:15 ), foreign Kings   (  2 Samuel 12:30 ), a bridegroom ( Song Of Solomon 3:11 ), or someone worthy of honor ( Proverbs 12:4; 14:24; Ezekiel 16:12; 21:26; 23:42 ).
3. Kether Occurs only in Esther and describes the jeweled royal turban of the persian monarch ( Esther 1:11; 2:17; 6:8 ).
4. Another Hebrew Word, qodqod, refers to the Crown of one’s head (Job 2:7 ).