The ancient Hebrews wore their seals or signets, in rings on their
fingers, or in bracelets on their arms, as is now the custom in the
east. Haman sealed the decree of King Ahasuerus against the Jews with
the king’s seal, Esther iii, 12. The priests of Bel desired the king to
seal the door of their temple with his own seal. The spouse in the
Canticles, viii, 6, wishes that his spouse would wear him as a signet on
her arm. Pliny observes, that the use of seals or signets was rare at
the time of the Trojan war, and that they were under the necessity of
closing their letters with several knots. But among the Hebrews they are
much more ancient. Judah left his seal as a pledge with Tamar, Gen.
xxxviii, 25. Moses says, Deut. xxxii, 34, that God keeps sealed up in
his treasuries, under his own seal, the instruments of his vengeance.
Job says, ix, 7, that he keeps the stars as under his seal, and allows
them to appear when he thinks proper. He says also, “My transgression is
sealed up in a bag,” Job xiv, 7. When they intended to seal up a letter,
or a book, they wrapped it round with flax, or thread, then applied the
wax to it, and afterward the seal. The Lord commanded Isaiah to tie up
or wrap up the book in which his prophecies were written, and to seal
them till the time he should bid him publish them, Isaiah viii, 16, 17.
He gives the same command to Daniel, xii, 4. The book that was shown to
St. John the evangelist, Rev. v, 1; vi, 1, 2, &c, was sealed with seven
seals. It was a rare thing to affix such a number of seals; but this
insinuated the great importance and secrecy of the matter. In civil
contracts they generally made two originals: one continued open, and was
kept by him for whose interest the contract was made; the other was
sealed and deposited in some public office.
fingers, or in bracelets on their arms, as is now the custom in the
east. Haman sealed the decree of King Ahasuerus against the Jews with
the king’s seal, Esther iii, 12. The priests of Bel desired the king to
seal the door of their temple with his own seal. The spouse in the
Canticles, viii, 6, wishes that his spouse would wear him as a signet on
her arm. Pliny observes, that the use of seals or signets was rare at
the time of the Trojan war, and that they were under the necessity of
closing their letters with several knots. But among the Hebrews they are
much more ancient. Judah left his seal as a pledge with Tamar, Gen.
xxxviii, 25. Moses says, Deut. xxxii, 34, that God keeps sealed up in
his treasuries, under his own seal, the instruments of his vengeance.
Job says, ix, 7, that he keeps the stars as under his seal, and allows
them to appear when he thinks proper. He says also, “My transgression is
sealed up in a bag,” Job xiv, 7. When they intended to seal up a letter,
or a book, they wrapped it round with flax, or thread, then applied the
wax to it, and afterward the seal. The Lord commanded Isaiah to tie up
or wrap up the book in which his prophecies were written, and to seal
them till the time he should bid him publish them, Isaiah viii, 16, 17.
He gives the same command to Daniel, xii, 4. The book that was shown to
St. John the evangelist, Rev. v, 1; vi, 1, 2, &c, was sealed with seven
seals. It was a rare thing to affix such a number of seals; but this
insinuated the great importance and secrecy of the matter. In civil
contracts they generally made two originals: one continued open, and was
kept by him for whose interest the contract was made; the other was
sealed and deposited in some public office.