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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Then he said, What pledge shall I give thee? And she said, Thy signet and thy mantel and thy staff that is in thine hand. And he gave them to her, and came in unto her, and she conceived by him.
Then Pharaoh took off his 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 dwelling with Naboth.
Now those that sealed were, Nehemiah, the Tirshatha, the son of Hachaliah, and Zidkijah,
It is transformed as clay to the seal and then stands 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 table of their heart and upon the horns of your altars
As I live, saith the LORD, though Coniah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah were the signet upon my right hand, yet I would pluck thee from there;
great in counsel and magnificent in works: for thine eyes are open upon all the ways of the sons of men to give unto each 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 ring and with the signet ring of his princes that the agreement concerning Daniel might not be changed.
Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city to finish the prevarication and to conclude the sin and to make reconciliation for iniquity and to bring in everlasting righteousness and seal the vision and the prophecy, and to anoint the Holy of Holies.
But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end: many shall pass by, and knowledge shall be multiplied.
So they went and made the sepulchre secure, sealing the stone and setting a watch.
Labour not for the food which perishes, but for the food which abides unto eternal life, which the Son of man shall give unto you, for him has God the Father sealed.
If I am not an apostle unto others, yet doubtless I am to you, for you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.
In whom ye also trusted, hearing the word of truth, the gospel of your saving health; in whom also after ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of the promise,
And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God with which ye are sealed for the day of redemption.
in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight
And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second animal, which said, Come and see.
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 seal, shalt thou engrave those two stones with the names of the sons of Israel; thou shalt make them to be set in settings of gold.
Now those that sealed were, Nehemiah, the Tirshatha, the son of Hachaliah, and Zidkijah,
Write ye also for the Jews, as it pleases 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 not be revoked.
And he wrote in King Ahasuerus's name and sealed it with the king's ring and sent letters by posts on horseback, and riders on mules, mules that were born of mares,
It is transformed as clay to the seal and then stands as a garment;
And every vision is unto you as the words of a book that is sealed, which if it were delivered to one that knows how to read, saying, Read this, I pray thee: he shall say, 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 ring and with the signet ring of his princes that the agreement concerning Daniel might not be changed.
But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end: many shall pass by, and knowledge shall be multiplied.
And he said, Go thy way, Daniel, for these words are closed up and sealed until the time of the fulfillment.
So they went and made the sepulchre secure, sealing the stone and setting a watch.
He that has received his testimony has set to his seal that God is true.
Nevertheless, the foundation of God stands sure, having this seal, The Lord knows those that are his. And, Let every one that names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.
and cast him into the bottomless pit and shut him up and set a seal upon it, that he should deceive the Gentiles no more, until the thousand years should be fulfilled; and after it is necessary that he be loosed a little while.
And he said unto me, do not seal the words of the prophecy of this book; for the time is at hand.