Ketef Hinnom - Apotropaic Nature of The Amulets

Apotropaic Nature of The Amulets

Jeremy Smoak has argued that the combination of the terms "guard" and "protect" is typical of apotropaic amulets and find parallels among Phoenician and Punic amulets from the Iron Age. He finds reflection of the custom of making such apotropaic amulets in Psalm 12:7-9:

"The utterance of Yhwh are pure utterances, silver refined in a furnace in the earth, purified seven times. You O Yhwh, will guard them; you will protect him from this generation forever. On every side the wicked prowl, a vileness is exalted among humankind."