FOREHEAD (fOr'e'd), (Heb. may'tsakh, to shine).
The practice of veiling the face in public for women of the higher class—especially married women—in the East, sufficiently stigmatizes with reproach the unveiled face of women of bad char acter (Gen. xxiv:65 ; Jer. :3). Reference is made to this when Israel is called "impudent ;" that is, "hard of forehead" (Ezek. :7, 8, 9).
Marks upon the forehead, for the purpose of distinguishing the holy from the profane, are men tioned in Ezek. ix :4, and again in Rev. vii :3.
The classical idolaters used to consecrate them selves to particular deities on the same principle. The marks used on these occasions were various. Sometimes they contained the name of the god; sometimes his particular ensign, as the thunder bolt of Jupiter, the trident of Neptune, the ivy of Bacchus, etc. ; or else they marked themselves. with some mystical number whereby the god was described.
If this analogy be admitted the mark on the forehead may be taken to be derived from the analogous custom among the heathen of bearing on their forehead the mark of the gods whose votaries they were. Some, however, would rather
understand the allusion to refer to the custom of marking cattle, and even slaves, with the sign of ownership.
Figurative. (1) The saints having a mark or seal in their foreheads denotes their having full direction and protection amid terrible calamities (Ezek. ix:4 ; Rev. vii :3). (2) The saints having God's name in their foreheads denotes their open and bold profession of his truth, obedience to his law and conformity to his image (Rev. xiv :1 and xxii :4). (3) The forehead of an abandoned woman and a stiff imports their shame less obstinacy in idolatry and other wickedness (Jer. iii :3 ; Ezek. iii:8). (4) God's setting a jewel on their forehead signifies his giving them public and great honor and wealth, and openly placing his tabernacle, temple and ordinances among them (Ezek. xvi :12).
Men's having the mark of the beast in their forehead denotes their open profession of the heresies and their bold attachment to superstition and idolatry (Rev. xiii ;16 and xx :4)•