Seal of Shema, Servant of Jeroboam
A roaring lion and the name of a royal official of Jeroboam II, from Megiddo
Found 1904 — Gottlieb Schumacher, German Society for Oriental Research excavations at Tell el-Mutesellim (Megiddo)
Where Tel Megiddo, Jezreel Valley, Israel (Israel)
Dates from c. 790–750 BCE · Iron Age IIB · Divided Kingdom (Jeroboam II)
Now at Original lost (last known in Istanbul, 1904); bronze cast in the Rockefeller Museum, Jerusalem
Names a biblical person Jeroboam II (original lost, known from cast)
How Seal of Shema, Servant of Jeroboam was found
Found in an excavation dump at Megiddo. Schumacher sent the original jasper seal to the Ottoman sultan in Istanbul, where it was lost; bronze casts made beforehand survive.
What it is
A jasper scaraboid seal, about 3.7 cm long, engraved with a striding, roaring lion and the Paleo-Hebrew words 'Belonging to Shema, servant of Jeroboam' (lshm' 'bd yrb'm). It is known today only from casts and Schumacher's photographs.
Why it matters for the Bible
'Servant of the king' was a title for high officials, so Shema was a senior minister of Jeroboam — almost certainly Jeroboam II, in whose reign Megiddo flourished (an older view assigned it to Jeroboam I). It is one of the finest Hebrew seals ever found and one of the few with a firm findspot. A 2023 study by Ahituv and colleagues concluded the seal was genuine, answering doubts raised because the original vanished.
The Hebrew word: EH-ved ha-MEH-lech
עֶבֶד הַמֶּלֶךְ
עֶבֶד הַמֶּלֶךְ is pronounced EH-ved ha-MEH-lech and means servant of the king — a high royal official (Strong's H5650 + H4428).
People this discovery connects to
- Jeroboam II — יָרָבְעָם (Yah-rov-AHM) — may the people increase
Places
- Megiddo — מְגִדּוֹ (Me-gid-DOE) — place of troops (uncertain)
Events
Prosperity of Israel under Jeroboam II
Seal of Shema, Servant of Jeroboam in Scripture
2 Kings 13:13 First mention of Jeroboam in Scripture.
2 Kings 14:23-25 Jeroboam II's long reign and restored borders; Shema served this king.
Amos 7:10-11 Amos prophesies against Jeroboam; a royal official like Shema belongs to that court.
Questions people ask
What is Seal of Shema, Servant of Jeroboam?
A jasper scaraboid seal, about 3.7 cm long, engraved with a striding, roaring lion and the Paleo-Hebrew words 'Belonging to Shema, servant of Jeroboam' (lshm' 'bd yrb'm). It is known today only from casts and Schumacher's photographs.
When was Seal of Shema, Servant of Jeroboam discovered?
It was found in 1904 by Gottlieb Schumacher, German Society for Oriental Research excavations at Tell el-Mutesellim (Megiddo), at Tel Megiddo, Jezreel Valley, Israel.
Where is Seal of Shema, Servant of Jeroboam today?
Original lost (last known in Istanbul, 1904); bronze cast in the Rockefeller Museum, Jerusalem.
Which Bible verses does Seal of Shema, Servant of Jeroboam relate to?
2 Kings 13:13, 2 Kings 14:23-25, Amos 7:10-11.
Related discoveries
- יַיִן יָשָׁןSamaria OstracaWine and oil receipts from the royal storehouse in the days of Jeroboam II
- מִזְבֵּחַMegiddo Round Altar and Early Bronze TemplesA stepped stone altar and a row of temples in Canaan's oldest sacred area
- פַּרְעֹה נְכֹהMegiddo Area X: Necho's Army and the Death of JosiahA layer of Egyptian and Greek pottery from the time Pharaoh Necho killed King Yoshiyahu (2025)
- מְגִדּוֹMegiddo Shoshenq Stele FragmentA piece of Pharaoh Shishak's monument found in the city his list names
- אֻרְוֹתMegiddo Pillared StablesRows of stone-pillared buildings for hundreds of horses in Israel's chariot city
- מְגִדּוֹMegiddo Stratum II and the Death of JosiahThe fortress where Pharaoh Necho II killed Judah's reforming king on his way to the Euphrates
Sources
- Ahituv et al., 'A Seal Impression of Shema Servant of Jeroboam', Tel Aviv 50 (2023)
- Wikipedia: Shema seal
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