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Concise Bible Dictionary
:
See
GARMENTS
and
EPHOD
.
“79. Signets - Robes - Necklaces” From
Manners and Customs of the Bible
:
Genesis 41:42
42
And 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; (Genesis 41:42)
.
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.
1. Great importance was attached to the
signet
ring, which contained the owner’s name, and the impression of which was of the same validity as a written signature is among us. Hence the gift of this royal signet ring was a transfer of royal
authority
to Joseph. Thus
Ahasuerus
gave his ring to
Haman
, and the document which Haman signed with it was considered as coming from the king (
Esther 3:10-12
10
And the king took his ring from his hand, and gave it unto Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the Jews' enemy.
11
And the king said unto Haman, The silver is given to thee, the people also, to do with them as it seemeth good to thee.
12
Then were the king's scribes called on the thirteenth day of the first month, and there was written according to all that Haman had commanded unto the king's lieutenants, and to the governors that were over every province, and to the rulers of every people of every province according to the writing thereof, and to every people after their language; in the name of king Ahasuerus was it written, and sealed with the king's ring. (Esther 3:10‑12)
). The same ring was afterward given to
Mordecai
, who used it in the same way (
Esther 8:2,8,10
2
And the king took off his ring, which he had taken from Haman, and gave it unto Mordecai. And Esther set Mordecai over the house of Haman. (Esther 8:2)
8
Write ye also for the Jews, as it liketh 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. (Esther 8:8)
10
And he wrote in the king Ahasuerus' name, and sealed it with the king's ring, and sent letters by posts on horseback, and riders on mules, camels, and young dromedaries: (Esther 8:10)
). The value and importance attached to the signet ring are referred to in
Jeremiah 22:24
24
As I live, saith the Lord, though Coniah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah were the signet upon my right hand, yet would I pluck thee thence; (Jeremiah 22:24)
and in
Haggai 2:23
23
In that day, saith the Lord of hosts, will I take thee, O Zerubbabel, my servant, the son of Shealtiel, saith the Lord, and will make thee as a signet: for I have chosen thee, saith the Lord of hosts. (Haggai 2:23)
. Some valuable specimens of ancient signet rings have been found by antiquaries. One of the most remarkable of these is now in the Abbott Collection of Egyptian Antiquities, in the Museum of the
New
York Historical Society. It is in most excellent preservation and of very high antiquity, bearing the name of Shoofoo, the Suphis of the Greeks, who reigned before the
time
of Joseph. It was found in a
tomb
at Gizeh, and is of fine gold, weighing nearly
three
sovereigns.
For description of other kinds of seals see note on
1 Kings 21:8
8
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. (1 Kings 21:8)
(#323).
2. The fine (or, literally, white) linen robes were worn by the Egyptian priests, which fact has given some occasion to think that Joseph was received into the caste of priests, which was of the highest rank in
Egypt
, as it was the one to which the king himself belonged.
3. The gold chain was another
mark
of distinction, since none but persons of high rank were permitted to wear such ornaments. There is in the Abbott Collection a gold necklace which has on it the name of Menes, the first Pharaoh of Egypt, and who reigned several hundred years before Shoofoo. The necklace has a pair of
ear
-rings to match. The signet and the necklace are no doubt similar in general appearance to those with which Joseph was invested. See also note on
Song of Solomon 1:10
10
Thy cheeks are comely with rows of jewels, thy neck with chains of gold. (Song of Solomon 1:10)
(#476).
“726. The Robe” From
Manners and Customs of the Bible
:
Matthew 27:28
28
And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe. (Matthew 27:28)
. They stripped him, and
put
on him a
scarlet
robe
.
See also
Mark 15:17
17
And they clothed him with purple, and platted a crown of thorns, and put it about his head, (Mark 15:17)
;
John 19:2
2
And the soldiers platted a crown of thorns, and put it on his head, and they put on him a purple robe, (John 19:2)
.
The “robe” was probably the Roman paludamentum, which closely resembled the
Greek
chlamys. It was an outer garment, which hung loosely over the shoulders, was open in front, reached down to the knees or lower, and was fastened across the chest with a clasp, which, by the motions of the wearer,
sometimes
shifted to either
shoulder
. It was commonly either white or
purple
. Mark and John speak of this one as purple, and Matthew says it was scarlet. The two terms were convertible. The paludamentum was a military
cloak
, and, in mockery of the royalty of
Jesus
, was put upon him after he had been “stripped” of the outer garment which he usually wore. Compare verse 31, and see note on
Deuteronomy 24:12-13
12
And if the man be poor, thou shalt not sleep with his pledge:
13
In any case thou shalt deliver him the pledge again when the sun goeth down, that he may sleep in his own raiment, and bless thee: and it shall be righteousness unto thee before the Lord thy God. (Deuteronomy 24:12‑13)
(#205).
Related Books and Articles:
726. The Robe
From:
Manners and Customs of the Bible
By:
James M. Freeman
Narrator:
Chris Genthree
79. Signets - Robes - Necklaces
From:
Manners and Customs of the Bible
By:
James M. Freeman
Narrator:
Chris Genthree
Call: 1-630-543-1441
“Study to show thyself approved unto God, … rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).
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