Commentary

Over 1700 royal seal impressions, stamped on jar handles from at least 65 sites, are known.¹ With few exceptions, each impression contains the word lamelekh (lmlk), “(Belonging, or pertaining) to the king,” on the top line, a four-winged scarab or a two-winged symbol (possibly the sun-disc) in the middle, and on the bottom line one of four place names: Hebron and Ziph in Judah, …