engrave

In Jewish tradition

It is used of the gold plate on the high priest's headband, which reads "Holy to the LORD." The names of the tribes were also carved on stones. In Zechariah, God Himself will engrave a stone placed before Joshua the high priest, and remove the land's sin in one day.

Interpretation. Tradition says the plate helped win forgiveness for the people. In Sefer Yetzirah, God "engraves" letters and paths to make the world. Zechariah's engraved stone is read as a sign of God's forgiveness.

Meaning

To cut letters or designs into a hard surface like stone or metal. tree →

Examples

• And thou shalt make a plate of pure gold, and engrave upon it, like the engravings of a signet: HOLY TO THE LORD. (Torah EXO.28.36, JPS 1917) tree →
• With the work of an engraver in stone, like the engravings of a signet, shalt thou engrave the two stones, according to the names of the children of Israel; thou shalt make them to be inclosed in settings of gold. (Torah EXO.28.11, JPS 1917) tree →
• In two and thirty most occult and wonderful paths of wisdom did JAH the Lord of Hosts engrave his name: God of the armies of Israel, ever-living God, merciful and gracious, sublime, dwelling on high, who inhabiteth eternity. (Sefer Yetzirah, Westcott 1887) tree →
• For behold the stone that I have laid before Joshua; upon one stone are seven facets; behold, I will engrave the graving thereof, saith the LORD of hosts: And I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day. (Prophets ZEC.3.9, JPS 1917) tree →

Note

A record of the Judaism dictionary, written from the corpus.