You Missed The Romantic Message Hidden In Madison's Jewelry

Madison summed up March 9 episode of The Bachelor pretty succinctly in one simple sentence to producers: “What an emotional, hard, long and exhausting day.” Truth be told, I’m feeling just as emotionally drained merely from watching all the drama go down — from Madi tearfully saying ILY to Peter to a cringe-worthy conversation with his mother about the fantasy suite and a decision to (*gasp*) self-eliminate. With so much going on, it was easy to miss the meaningful piece of jewelry that Peter’s love interest was wearing — but Madison’s Hebrew ring on The Bachelor actually holds a special significance that’s oh so romantic.

The ring in question, which could be seen prominently on the middle finger of Madi’s right hand throughout Episode 11, features a wide silver band with a braided edge around both the top and bottom. It’s the message on the ring that makes it worthy of some attention, however: If you look closely, you’ll see that the Hebrew words “Ani L’Dodi V’Dodi Li” are engraved across the center of the band. This phrase comes from Song of Songs (Chapter 6, verse 3A), an Old Testament book in the Torah that’s comprised of love poetry, and it translates to “I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine.”

Upon first reading Song of Songs (also known as Song of Solomon), it may appear to be a heartwarming love story between a man and a woman, but it is also often interpreted as a metaphor for the intimacy between God and his children. This phrase has long been a common choice for wedding invitations and programs, as well as ketubahs (traditional Jewish marriage contracts). Some Jewish couples choose to recite “ani l’dodi, v’dodi li” to their spouse-to-be as they exchange their rings under the chuppah as a way infusing tender, romantic, and affectionate vibes into a legally binding ceremony.

If the message on Madi's ring resonates just as strongly with you and your overall philosophy on a loving partnership, then you can find similar jewelry on Etsy, like this hand-stamped ring with the very same verse.

BTW, if you were looking closely at Madi during her convo with Peter before the visit with his fam, you may have also noticed that she had written something on her hand. As it turns out, that note to herself is “Proverbs” — which is a book in the Old Testament of the Bible that explores guidelines for Christian conduct, and raises questions around values and morals. Seeing as Madison’s decision to wait until marriage to have sex is strongly rooted in her Christian values, it makes sense why she might scrawl this word on her hand as a reminder to stay true to her beliefs. While the verse number written on her hand isn’t quite distinguishable, it’s worth noting that Madison’s Instagram profile currently includes Proverbs 31:8: “Love greatly, be a voice for the voiceless, and always stand up for what you believe in.”

"Faith is more than just this passed-down thing to me, it’s literally my whole life and all of who I am," she said in an episode of The Bachelor earlier this season.

So, let’s review, shall we? Throughout her emotional convo with Peter, her visit with his family, and their final date together, Madison was wearing a ring with a romantic Hebrew verse that revolves around lifelong commitment. Right before leaving the show, Madison tells Peter: “I do think that love still wins and I do still think love still conquers all because I'm willing to walk away so that you can get what you came here to find." On the live viewing of Episode 11, Chris Harrison revealed that her emotional exit was hardly the last that viewers will see of Madison. Clearly, there's still more to their love story — but does it end with a happily ever after? Here's hoping Peter and Madison find their beloved, whether in each other or someone else.