> svá mikit gott at launa nökkurum göfgum manni -- þá gef þeim hringinn,
> so much benefit to reward a certain distinguished man - - then give them
> ??? the ring,
>
> Why is it "them" when we were just talking about a
> distinguished man?

The form 'þeim' can belong to the singular
of this little pronoun:

nom. sá
acc. þann
dat. þeim
gen. þess

Kveðja,
Haukur