Reference: Seal, Signet
Hastings
The existence of seals is attested for the early dynasties of Egypt, and for an equally remote period in the history of Babylonia. The first mention of a seal in the OT is in connexion with the patriarch Judah, who fared forth with his staff in his hand and his seal hung round his neck by a cord (Ge 38:18 RV), precisely as was the custom of every Babylonian gentleman in the days of Herodotus (i. 195). The seals hitherto found in Palestine show little initiative on the part of the Hebrews in this branch of the fine arts, the great majority plainly showing the predominant influence of Egypt, or to a less extent of Babylonia.
As regards material, almost every variety of precious stone was used for this purpose, although ordinary limestone, and even baked clay, were used by those who could afford nothing better. An almost equal wealth of form is attested by the extant seals. Thus the scarab and the scaraboid forms were distinctive of Egypt, as the cylinder was of Babylonia. Other seals, again, were conical in shape, while the square form is not unknown.
Most of the extant seals bearing evidence of a Hebrew origin, however, are oval in outline. This was also the usual form for seals intended to be set in the bezel of a ring. In this case it was customary to wear the ring on one of the fingers of the right hand (Jer 22:24; cf. Ge 41:42). The distinctively Jewish type of seal is marked by two features: (a) the absence of figures, Divine or human, in the field, and (b) the presence of two parallel lines, set close together, which cross the field longitudinally, and divide the inscription into two parts. The legend, as a rule, contains the name of the owner, preceded by the preposition signifying 'belonging to'
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And he said, What pledge shall I give thee? And she said, Thy signet and thy cord, and thy staff that is in thy hand. And he gave them to her, and came in unto her, and she conceived by him.
And Pharaoh took off his signet ring from his hand, and put it upon Joseph's hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck;
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.
Now those that sealed were: Nehemiah the governor, the son of Hacaliah, and Zedekiah,
It is changed as clay under the seal; And all things'stand forth as a garment:
The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron, and with the point of a diamond: it is graven upon the tablet of their heart, and upon the horns of your altars;
As I live, saith Jehovah, though Coniah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah were the signet upon my right hand, yet would I pluck thee thence;
great in counsel, and mighty in work; whose eyes are open upon all the ways of the sons of men, to give every one according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings:
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.
Seventy weeks are decreed upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most holy.
But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.
So they went, and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, the guard being with them.
Work not for the food which perisheth, but for the food which abideth unto eternal life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him the Father, even God, hath sealed.
If to others I am not an apostle, yet at least I am to you; for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord.
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,
And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, in whom ye were sealed unto the day of redemption.
yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and without blemish and unreproveable before him:
And when he opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, Come.
Morish
Stones on which words, letters, or symbols are engraved. Anciently these were pierced, and by a cord or chain were hung from the arm or the neck, or they were set in rings and worn on the finger. The design was impressed on pieces of clay which were attached to official documents, which in the East are not considered authentic without being sealed. Ex 28:11; Es 8:8,10; Job 38:14; Da 6:17. The seal was also used to ensure security, or to preserve the sanctity of things not to be revealed. Isa 29:11; Da 12:4,9; Mt 27:66; Re 20:3; 22:10.
A covenant was sealed by Nehemiah and those with him. Ne 10:1. The believer, in crediting what God says of man, and of God's salvation, virtually attaches his seal (vouches for the fact) that God is true. Joh 3:33. "The foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his God's side; and, Let every one that nameth the name of the Lord depart from iniquity man's side." 2Ti 2:19. This is an illustration of a double-seal turning on a pivot, of which either side could be used.
The roll in Revelation 5 had seven seals, so arranged that by breaking one seal a certain portion could be unrolled; and each seal was broken in succession until the whole was revealed.
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With the work of an engraver in stone, like the engravings of a signet, shalt thou engrave the two stones, according to the names of the children of Israel: thou shalt make them to be inclosed in settings of gold.
Now those that sealed were: Nehemiah the governor, the son of Hacaliah, and Zedekiah,
Write ye also to the Jews, as it pleaseth you, in the king's name, and seal it with the king's ring; for the writing which is written in the king's name, and sealed with the king's ring, may no man reverse.
And he wrote the name of king Ahasuerus, and sealed it with the king's ring, and sent letters by post on horseback, riding on swift steeds that were used in the king's service, bred of the stud:
It is changed as clay under the seal; And all things'stand forth as a garment:
And all vision is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee; and he saith, I cannot, for it is sealed:
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.
But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.
And he said, Go thy way, Daniel; for the words are shut up and sealed till the time of the end.
So they went, and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, the guard being with them.
He that hath received his witness hath set his seal to this , that God is true.
Howbeit the firm foundation of God standeth, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his: and, Let every one that nameth the name of the Lord depart from unrighteousness.
and cast him into the abyss, and shut it , and sealed it over him, that he should deceive the nations no more, until the thousand years should be finished: after this he must be loosed for a little time.
And he saith unto me, Seal not up the words of the prophecy of this book; for the time is at hand.