Reference: SEAL, SEALING
American
The allusions and references to seals and sealing are frequent in the sacred writings. Seals or signets were in use at a very early period, and they were evidently of various kind. Some were used as a substitute for signing one's name, the owner's name or chosen device being stamped by it with suitable ink on the document to be authenticated. Seals to be used for this purpose, with or without the sign manual, appear to have been worn by the parties to whom they respectively belonged. The seal of a private person was usually worn on his finger, or his wrist, or in a bracelet, being small in size, Jer 32:10; Lu 15:22; Jas 2:2. See RINGS. The seal of a governor was worn by him, or carried about his person in the most secure manner possible. The royal seal was either personal, to the king, or public, to the state; in other words, the seal of the king and the seal of the crown, 2Sa 1:10: the first the king retained; the latter he delivered to the proper officer of state. So far modern usages enable us to comprehend clearly the nature of this important instrument. The impress of the royal seal on any document gave it the sanction of government, 1Ki 21:8; and a temporary transfer of the seal to another hand conveyed a plenary authority for the occasion, Es 3:10,12; 8:2. Instead of the impression of a seal, probably on account of the heat of the climate, Job 38:14. The seal was a token of possession and of careful preservation, De 32:34; Job 9:7; 14:17. A portion of clay covering the lock or opening of a door, etc., guarded it from being opened clandestinely, Song 4:12; Da 6:17; Mt 27:66. Travellers in the East have met the same custom in modern times. The cord around a book, box, or roll of parchment was often secured with a sea, Isa 8:16; Re 5:1. The Holy Spirit seals Christians, impressing his image upon them as a token that they are his, Eph 1:13-14; 4:30. See SO.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
Is not this laid up in store with me, Sealed up among my treasures?
So she wrote letters in Ahab's name, and sealed them with his seal, and sent the letters unto the elders and to the nobles that were in his city, and that dwelt with Naboth.
And the king took his ring from his hand, and gave it unto Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the Jews enemy.
Then were the king's scribes called in the first month, on the thirteenth day thereof; and there was written according to all that Haman commanded unto the king's satraps, and to the governors that were over every province, and to the princes of every people, to every province according to the writing thereof, and to every people after their language; in the name of king Ahasuerus was it written, and it was sealed with the king's ring.
And the king took off his ring, which he had taken from Haman, and gave it unto Mordecai. And Esther set Mordecai over the house of Haman.
That commandeth the sun, and it riseth not, And sealeth up the stars;
My transgression is sealed up in a bag, And thou fastenest up mine iniquity.
It is changed as clay under the seal; And all things'stand forth as a garment:
A garden shut up is my sister, my bride; A spring shut up, a fountain sealed.
And I subscribed the deed, and sealed it, and called witnesses, and weighed him the money in the balances.
And a stone was brought, and laid upon the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet, and with the signet of his lords; that nothing might be changed concerning Daniel.
So they went, and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, the guard being with them.
But the father said to his servants, Bring forth quickly the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:
in whom ye also, having heard the word of the truth, the gospel of your salvation,-- in whom, having also believed, ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, which is an earnest of our inheritance, unto the redemption of God's own possession, unto the praise of his glory.
And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, in whom ye were sealed unto the day of redemption.
For if there come into your synagogue a man with a gold ring, in fine clothing, and there come in also a poor man in vile clothing;
And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the back, close sealed with seven seals.