2600-year-old seal

Discussion about the Hebrew Bible, Septuagint, pseudepigrapha, Philo, Josephus, Talmud, Dead Sea Scrolls, archaeology, etc.
Post Reply
StephenGoranson
Posts: 2308
Joined: Thu Apr 02, 2015 2:10 am

2600-year-old seal

Post by StephenGoranson »

"This bulla, or seal impression, is inscribed in ancient Hebrew 'to Natan-Melech the King’s Servant.'”

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/201 ... e=Homepage
semiopen
Posts: 471
Joined: Sat Mar 08, 2014 6:27 pm

Re: 2600-year-old seal

Post by semiopen »

Thanks for the link Stephen.

Ketef_Hinnom
In 1979, two tiny silver scrolls, inscribed with portions of the well-known Priestly Blessing from the Book of Numbers and apparently once used as amulets, were found in one of the burial chambers.
Apotropaic nature of the amulets

Jeremy Smoak has argued that the combination of the terms "guard" and "protect" is typical of apotropaic amulets and find parallels among Phoenician and Punic amulets from the Iron Age.[15] He finds reflection of the custom of making such apotropaic amulets in Psalm 12:7–9:

"The utterance of YHWH are pure utterances, silver refined in a furnace in the earth, purified seven times. You O YHWH, will guard them; you will protect him from this generation forever. On every side the wicked prowl, a vileness is exalted among humankind."[16]
The magical nature suggests something like a Persian influence, but most scholars accept the first temple origin. On the other hand, "the Priestly Blessing from the book of Numbers" is easy to misunderstand. It is certainly similar to the Priestly Blessing but it seems unlikely that the person who inscribed the amulets was copying it from there.
StephenGoranson
Posts: 2308
Joined: Thu Apr 02, 2015 2:10 am

Re: 2600-year-old seal

Post by StephenGoranson »

Christopher Rollston on this seal:
http://www.rollstonepigraphy.com/?p=870
semiopen
Posts: 471
Joined: Sat Mar 08, 2014 6:27 pm

Re: 2600-year-old seal

Post by semiopen »

Rollston makes an interesting point about mlk meaning God as opposed to king.

He also mentions names like Nathanyahu - YHWH has given.

Could be just two different families who had slightly different, but innocent, names for the big guy

Or MLK could be Moloch
Post Reply