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 hidden with me, Sealed up among my treasures?
And she wrote a letter in Ahab's name, and sealed it with his seal, and sent the letter to the elders and to the nobles that were in his city, dwelling with Naboth.
And the king took his ring from his hand, and gave it to 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 of the month, and there was written according to all that Haman commanded unto the king's satraps, and to the governors over every province, and to the princes of every people; to every province according to the writing thereof, and to every people according to their language: in the name of king Ahasuerus was it written, and sealed with the king's ring.
And the king took off his ring, which he had taken from Haman, and gave it to Mordecai. And Esther set Mordecai over the house of Haman.
Who commandeth the sun, and it riseth not, and he sealeth up the stars;
My transgression is sealed up in a bag, and thou heapest up mine iniquity.
It is changed like the signet-clay; and all things stand forth as in a garment:
A garden enclosed is my sister, my spouse; A spring shut up, a fountain sealed.
And I subscribed the writing, and sealed it, and took witnesses, and weighed 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 nobles, that the purpose might not be changed concerning Daniel.
And they went and secured the sepulchre, having sealed the stone, with the watch besides.
But the father said to his bondmen, Bring out the best robe and clothe him in it, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet;
in whom ye also have trusted, having heard the word of the truth, the glad tidings of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, ye have been sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the earnest of our inheritance to the redemption of the acquired possession to the praise of his glory.
And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with which ye have been sealed for the day of redemption.
for if there come unto your synagogue a man with a gold ring in splendid apparel, and a poor man also come in in vile apparel,
And I saw on the right hand of him that sat upon the throne a book, written within and on the back, sealed with seven seals.