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PHOTO © THE ISRAEL MUSEUM, JERUSALEM

ELYASHIB’S SEAL. The commander of the fortress at Arad in southern Judah, Elyashib son of Ashyahu used this agate seal to authorize and secure documents in the seventh-sixth centuries B.C.E. A modern impression of the seal appears above. Written in Palaeo-Hebrew script, this seal says, “(Belonging) to Elyashib son of Ashyahu.” It reveals two Judahite names with theophoric elements from the Iron Age II: Elyashib (אלישב) on the top register and Ashyahu (אשיהו) on the bottom register. Elyashib means “El has returned (good),” and Ashyahu means “Yahweh has given.”