Easton's Bible Dictionary The practice common among Oriental nations of colouring the forehead or impressing on it some distinctive Mark as a sign of devotion to some deity is alluded to in Revelation 13:16, 17; 14:9; 17:5; 20:4. The "jewel on thy forehead" mentioned in Ezek. 16:12 (R.V., "a ring upon thy nose") was in all probability the "nose-ring" (Isaiah 3:21). In Ezek. 3:7 the word "impudent" is rightly rendered in the Revised Version "an hard forehead." (See also ver. 8, 9.) Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (n.) The front of that part of the head which encloses the brain; that part of the face above the eyes; the brow. 2. (n.) The aspect or countenance; assurance. 3. (n.) The front or fore part of anything. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia FOREHEAD for'-ed (metsach; metopon): (1) In a literal sense the word is used frequently in the Scriptures. Aaron and after him every high priest was to wear on the forehead the golden frontlet having the engraved motto, "Holy to Yahweh" (Exodus 28:36, 38). The condition of the forehead was an important criterion in the diagnosis of leprosy by the priest (Leviticus 13:42, 43 2 Chronicles 26:20). It was in the forehead that brave young David smote Goliath with the stone from his sling (1 Samuel 17:49). The faulty translation of the King James Version in Ezekiel 16:12 has been corrected in the Revised Version (British and American), reference being had in the passage to a nose-ring, not to an ornament of the forehead. While the cutting or tattooing of the body was strictly forbidden to the Israelite on account of the heathen associations of the custom (Leviticus 19:28), we find frequent mention made of markings on the forehead, which were especially used to designate slaves (see Philo, De Monarchia, I) or devotees of a godhead (Lucian, De Syria Dea, 59). In 3 Maccabees 2:29 we read that Ptolemy IV Philopator branded some Jews with the sign of an ivy leaf, marking them as devotees of Bacchus-Dionysos. Possibly we may compare herewith the translation of Isaiah 44:5 (Revised Version margin): "And another shall write on his hand, Unto Yahweh" (or Yahweh's slave). Very clear is the passage Ezekiel 9:4, 6 (and perhaps Job 31:35), where the word used for "mark" is taw, the name of the last letter of the Hebrew alphabet which in its earliest form has the shape of an upright plus sign (Baal Lebanon Inscr; 11th century B.C.) or of a lying (St Andrew's) cross X (Moabite Inscr, 9th century B.C.), the simplest sign in the old Israelite alphabet, and at the same time the character which in the Greek alphabet represents the X, the initial of Christ. In the New Testament we find a clear echo of the above-mentioned Old Testament passage, the marking of the foreheads of the righteous (Revelation 7:3; Revelation 9:4; Revelation 14:1; Revelation 22:4). The godless followers of the beast are marked on the (right) hand and on the forehead (Revelation 13:16; Revelation 14:9; Revelation 20:4), and the apocalyptic woman dressed in scarlet and purple has her name written on her forehead (Revelation 17:5). (2) In a metaphorical sense the expression, "a harlot's forehead," is used (Jeremiah 3:3) to describe the shameless apostasy and faithlessness of Israel. Ezekiel speaks of the stiff-necked obstinacy and the persistent unwillingness of Israel to hear the message of Yahweh: "All the house of Israel are of a hard forehead and of a stiff heart" (Jeremiah 3:7), and God makes his prophet's "forehead hard. as an adamant harder than flint," whereby an unflinching loyalty to God and a complete disregard of opposition is meant (Jeremiah 3:8, 9). Compare the phrase: "to harden the face," under the word FACE. H. L. E. Luering

Multi-Version Concordance Forehead (23 Occurrences) Revelation 13:16 He causes all, the small and the great, the rich and the poor, and the free and the slave, to be given marks on their right hands, or on their foreheads; (Root in WEB KJV WEY ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Revelation 14:9 Another angel, a third, followed them, saying with a great voice, "If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives a mark on his forehead, or on his hand, (WEB KJV WEY ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Revelation 17:5 And on her forehead a name was written, "MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF THE PROSTITUTES AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH." (WEB KJV WEY ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Revelation 20:4 I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them. I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus, and for the word of God, and such as didn't worship the beast nor his image, and didn't receive the mark on their forehead and on their hand. They lived, and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. (WEB KJV WEY ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Exodus 13:9 And it shall be for a sign unto thee upon thy hand, and for a memorial between thine eyes, that the law of the LORD may be in thy mouth; for with a strong hand hath the LORD brought thee out of Egypt. (See NAS NIV) Exodus 13:16 And it shall be for a sign upon thy hand, and for frontlets between thine eyes; for by strength of hand the LORD brought us forth out of Egypt.' (See NAS NIV) Exodus 28:38 It shall be on Aaron's forehead, and Aaron shall bear the iniquity of the holy things, which the children of Israel shall make holy in all their holy gifts; and it shall be always on his forehead, that they may be accepted before Yahweh. (WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Leviticus 13:41 If his hair has fallen off from the front part of his head, he is forehead bald. He is clean. (WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Leviticus 13:42 But if there is in the bald head, or the bald forehead, a reddish-white plague; it is leprosy breaking out in his bald head, or his bald forehead. (WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Leviticus 13:43 Then the priest shall examine him; and, behold, if the rising of the plague is reddish-white in his bald head, or in his bald forehead, like the appearance of leprosy in the skin of the flesh, (WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Deuteronomy 6:8 And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thy hand, and they shall be for frontlets between thine eyes. (See NAS NIV) Deuteronomy 11:18 Therefore shall ye lay up these My words in your heart and in your soul; and ye shall bind them for a sign upon your hand, and they shall be for frontlets between your eyes. (See NAS NIV) Deuteronomy 14:1 Ye are the children of the LORD your God: ye shall not cut yourselves, nor make any baldness between your eyes for the dead. (See NAS RSV) 1 Samuel 17:49 David put his hand in his bag, took a stone, and slung it, and struck the Philistine in his forehead; and the stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the earth. (WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) 2 Chronicles 26:19 Then Uzziah was angry; and he had a censer in his hand to burn incense; and while he was angry with the priests, the leprosy broke forth in his forehead before the priests in the house of Yahweh, beside the altar of incense. (WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) 2 Chronicles 26:20 Azariah the chief priest, and all the priests, looked on him, and behold, he was leprous in his forehead, and they thrust him out quickly from there; yes, himself hurried also to go out, because Yahweh had struck him. (WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Isaiah 48:4 From my knowing that thou art obstinate, And a sinew of iron thy neck, And thy forehead brass, (YLT NAS RSV NIV) Jeremiah 3:3 Therefore the showers have been withheld, and there has been no latter rain; yet you have a prostitute's forehead, you refused to be ashamed. (WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS) Jeremiah 48:45 In the shadow of Heshbon stood powerless have fugitives, For fire hath gone forth from Heshbon, And a flame from within Sihon, And it consumeth the corner of Moab, And the crown of the sons of Shaon. (See NAS RSV NIV) Ezekiel 3:7 But the house of Israel will not listen to you; for they will not listen to me: for all the house of Israel are of hard forehead and of a stiff heart. (WEB JPS ASV DBY RSV) Ezekiel 3:8 Behold, I have made your face hard against their faces, and your forehead hard against their foreheads. (WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV) Ezekiel 3:9 As an adamant harder than flint have I made your forehead: don't be afraid of them, neither be dismayed at their looks, though they are a rebellious house. (WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV) Ezekiel 16:12 And I put a jewel on thy forehead, and earrings in thine ears, and a beautiful crown upon thine head. (KJV WBS)