Biblical Archaeology Review

The office has been extensively discussed. See, for example, de Vaux, Ancient Israel, pp. 129–131; T.N.D. Mettinger, Solomonic State Officials (Coniectanea biblica Old Testament 5; Lund: CWK Gleerup, 1971), pp. 70–73.

Avigad, Hebrew Bullae, pp. 22–23.

W. Wolfram von Soden, ed., Akkadisches Handwörterbuch (Wiesbaden), p. 974.

The name “Tobiah, the servant of the king” (t\byhw ‘bd hmlk) occurs in the line 19 of Lachish ostracon 3; see David Diringer in Olga Tufnell et al., Lachish III (Tell ed-Duweir): The Iron Age (London: Oxford Univ. Press, 1953), p. 333.

Since the name Nathan-melech appears in the Bible, I have rendered it with its customary English vocalization, which is based on the Massoretic form of the name, neátan-melek. In the seventh-century B.C.E. the pronunciation was probably naµtan-malk.

In his general description of the group of 255 that he was publishing, Avigad writes that “The great majority of the bullae bear two-line inscriptions, with a divider in the form of two parallel lines (often close together, comprising a double line)” (Hebrew Bullae, p. 18). With regard to the 49 intact bullae from the City of David hoard, Shiloh writes that “The most common divider, on 22 of the seal-impressions, consists of two plain, parallel lines” (“Group of Hebrew Bullae,” p. 27).

This is the conclusion of most who have investigated the question. See, for example, Roland de Vaux, Ancient Israel (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Publishing Co.; Livonia, MI: Dove Booksellers, 1997) pp. 120–123.