“shekel.” The exact weight of a biblical shekel is disputed, it seems to be roughly .4 ounces (11 or 11.5 grams). It is important to keep in mind, however, that in actual transactions, there was no effective way to make sure that the shekel that anyone used as a standard was exactly that—all the weights at the time were handmade, and most were of stone although some (but very rare) could have been made from metal.

“nose ring.” This “ring” was a nose ring (Gen. 24:47). Although some versions (cp. KJV) say “earring,” Genesis 24:47 makes it clear that the ring was a nose ring. Besides, if it was an earring, it would have been plural for two earrings but this is just one ring. It was not well known at the time that versions such as the King James Version (1611) were written that women in the biblical culture customarily wore nose rings, which explains the translation “earrings” in the early versions. It was the custom in biblical times for women to wear nose rings rather than earrings because the women not only had long hair but also often wore head coverings, and those things covered any earrings such that they could not be seen. So women customarily wore nose rings for personal decoration (Isa. 3:21; Ezek. 16:12; cp. Prov. 11:22).