merely to gratify their selfish demand. (Matt. 12:38; 16:1) Rather, he told them that the only sign that would be given them was “the sign of Jonah the prophet.” (Matt. 12:39-41; 16:4) After about three days in the belly of a huge fish Jonah had gone and preached to Nineveh. Jonah thereby became a “sign” to the capital of Assyria. Jesus’ generation had the “sign of Jonah” when Christ spent parts of three days in the grave and was resurrected. In this Christ was a sign to that generation, but even that did not convince most of the Jews.—Luke 11:30; 1 Cor. 1:22.

SIGN OF CHRIST’S PRESENCE

Shortly before Jesus’ death his apostles asked him: “What will be the sign of your presence and of the conclusion of the system of things?” (Matt. 24:3; Mark 13:4; Luke 21:7) There were distinct differences between this question and the requests for a sign that the religious leaders had made. While right there, able to see him and his works, those leaders would not accept him as Messiah and king-designate. (John 19:15) Once they asked for a sign “to tempt him” (Luke 11:16); also some may have been infected with idle curiosity about Jesus’ signs, as was Herod. (Luke 23:8) Quite the opposite, the disciples who asked about the sign of Christ’s presence already accepted him as Messiah and King. (Matt. 16:16) But Jesus had said that the Kingdom was “not coming with striking observableness.” (Luke 17:20) Consequently (though the apostles mistakenly believed that the Kingdom would be established on earth [Acts 1:6]), they did not want to be like the Jewish leaders when the Kingdom should arrive—blind to Jesus’ presence. Accordingly, they asked, not for a miraculous sign to be performed right there, but what the future identifying sign would be.

In response Jesus described a composite “sign,” one made up of many evidences, including wars, earthquakes, persecution of Christians and a preaching about the Kingdom. (Matt. 24:4-14, 32, 33) The destruction of Jerusalem and its temple was under consideration when the disciples asked Jesus for the “sign” (Luke 21:5-7), and his reply gave prophecies that applied to Jerusalem and Judea, that were fulfilled during their lifetime. (Luke 21:20; Matt. 24:15) But his answer also dealt with the establishment of the kingdom of God and its effects on all mankind.—Luke 21:31, 35.

“Sign of the Son of man”

On that occasion Jesus said to his disciples: “And then the sign of the Son of man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will beat themselves in lamentation, and they will see the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.” (Matt. 24:30; Luke 21:27) Just before this comment he had spoken of the prophet Daniel. (Matt. 24:15; Dan. 9:27; 11:31) And from the expression Jesus here used it is evident that he was now referring back to Daniel 7:13, 14, where the vision depicted “with the clouds of the heavens someone like a son of man” gaining access to the “Ancient of Days” and receiving a ‘kingdom that will not be brought to ruin.’ This linked the “sign of the Son of man” with the time when Jesus would be given Kingdom power. Jesus applied the expression “Son of man” and the prophecy at Daniel 7:13, 14 to himself.—Matt. 26:63, 64; Mark 14:61, 62.

About 96 C.E., twenty-six years after the destruction of Jerusalem, John wrote about things that would take place in the future, and he saw in vision Jesus Christ “coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, and those who pierced him.” (Rev. 1:1, 7) Hence, both this statement about something that was to take place after 96 C.E. and what Christ said about the “sign of the Son of man” referred to Jesus as coming in the clouds and as being seen by all people. (See CLOUD.) It should be noted, however, that while the Greek verb ho·raʹo, “to see,” used at Matthew 24:30 and Revelation 1:7, can mean literally to “see an object, behold,” it can also be used metaphorically, of mental sight, to “discern, perceive.”—A Greek-English Lexicon by Liddell and Scott (Ninth ed., p. 1245a).

For a comparison of “miracles,” “portents” and “signs,” see MIRACLES; PORTENT.

SIGNAL

This commonly translates the Hebrew word nes. (NW, RS) The term appears to denote a stationary pole or stake occupying an elevated site and is used both literally and figuratively. Hence, it does not denote a signal for sending messages, such as a “smoke signal” (Judg. 20:38, 40) or a “fire signal” (Jer. 6:1), for which other Hebrew words are used. Rather, such a pole could serve as a rallying point to which people or armies could assemble themselves. (Isa. 5:26; 13:2; 18:3; 30:17; 31:9; Jer. 4:6, 21; 50:2; 51:12, 27; compare Psalm 60:4, NW, 1957 ed., ftn. a.) For example: When the Israelites on one occasion complained about manna and the lack of water. Jehovah punished them by sending poisonous serpents among them. After the Israelites manifested repentance, Jehovah instructed Moses to fashion a serpent and to place it upon a signal pole (nes). “Moses at once made a serpent of copper and placed it upon the signal pole; and it did occur that if a serpent had bitten a man and he gazed at the copper serpent, he then kept alive.” (Num. 21:5-9) Evidently this signal pole stood in a fixed location and was doubtless on an elevated place so that it was visible to the Israelites who had been bitten by serpents.

Similarly, in 537 B.C.E., Jerusalem (foretold to be rebuilt) became the signal that beckoned the Jewish remnant to leave the lands to which they had been dispersed and to return to the then desolated Jerusalem to rebuild the temple. (Isa. 11:11, 12; compare Isaiah 49:22; 62:10, 11.) The prophecy, however, is not limited to this sixth-century application. Isaiah 11:10 reads: “And it must occur in that day that there will be the root of Jesse that will be standing up as a signal for the peoples.” The apostle Paul applied these words to Christ Jesus, the one who would rule nations. (Rom. 15:8, 12) Also, Jesus spoke of himself as the ‘root of David’ the son of Jesse. (Rev. 22:16) Accordingly, the signal is Christ Jesus as reigning king standing on heavenly Mount Zion.—Compare Hebrews 12:22; Revelation 14:1.

SIGNATURE

In protesting his innocence before his three “companions” who were charging that sins against God were the cause for his suffering, Job presented evidence and argument as to his blamelessness. He called upon God to hear his case and give him an answer, saying: “O that I had someone listening to me, that according to my signature the Almighty himself would answer me! Or that the individual in the case at law with me had written a document itself!” (Job 31:35) Job here expressed willingness to present his case before God, affixing his own signature to it in attestation. The word “signature” is a translation of the Hebrew word taw, which is also the name of the last letter of the Hebrew alphabet.

A signature was evidently an identifying mark (compare the use of taw at Ezekiel 9:4, 6), and may have been, at times, the impression of one’s signet ring or cylinder seal, or it may have been a written mark peculiar to the user, or one selected by him as an identification. The apostle Paul wrote a greeting in his own handwriting at the end of his letters as a “sign” of the letter’s authenticity as coming from Paul.—2 Thess. 3:17, 18.

SIHON

(Siʹhon).

An Amorite king at the time Israel approached the Promised Land. Sihon’s kingdom at one time extended from the torrent valley of Jabbok, where it bordered King Og’s domain, down at least to the torrent valley of Arnon, and from the Jordan River eastward toward the desert. His capital city was Heshbon, E of the northern end of the Dead Sea. (Num. 21:23, 24; Josh. 12:2, 3) Sihon had seized the land of Moab N of the Arnon, and apparently dominated Midian, for the chieftains of Midian are called “the dukes of Sihon.” (Num. 21:26-30; Josh. 13:21) When Israel sent messengers asking Sihon’s permission to pass through his kingdom on the king’s road, and promising not to steal anything from the Amorites, Sihon denied permission and gathered his army to block Israel. At Jahaz he was defeated and killed.—Num. 21:21-24; Deut. 1:3, 4; 2:24-35; 3:2, 6.

The significance of Israel’s victory over Sihon can be seen from the fact that it is mentioned many times in Israelite history, alongside the defeat of the Egyptians at the Red Sea. Moses, Jephthah, a psalmist and the postexilic Levites, sometimes used it as an encouraging example of Jehovah’s victories in behalf of his faithful people. (Num. 21:34; Deut. 31:4; Judg. 11:19-22; Neh. 9:5, 22; Ps. 135:9-12; 136:18, 19) Reports of it prompted Rahab and the Gibeonites to make peace with Israel. (Josh. 2:10; 9:9, 10) Sihon’s land was divided among the tribes of Reuben and Gad.—Num. 21:25, 31, 32; Deut. 29:7, 8; Josh. 13:8-10, 15-28.

SILVAS, SILVANUS

(Siʹlas, Sil·vaʹnus).

A leading member of the first-century Christian congregation in Jerusalem, a prophet and a companion of Paul on his second missionary journey. He was apparently a Roman citizen. (Acts 15:22, 26, 27, 32, 40; 16:19, 25, 37, 38) Likely the name “Silvanus,” found in the letters of Paul and Peter, was the Latinized form of the Greek name “Silas,” used by Luke in Acts.

The congregation at Jerusalem chose Silas to accompany Barnabas and Paul back to Antioch, Syria, to carry to the congregation there the decision regarding circumcision.—Acts 15:22, 30-32.

Whether Silas remained in the vicinity of Antioch or returned to Jerusalem is uncertain. (Some manuscripts contain Acts 15:34, reading: “But it seemed good to Silas to remain there further.” But the most prominent manuscripts omit this verse.) (Acts 15:33, ftn., NW, 1950 ed.) At any rate Silas was in Antioch at the start of Paul’s second missionary tour. Beginning there, he and Paul traveled up into Syria, then Cilicia and other regions of Asia Minor, Timothy joining them at Lystra and Luke at Troas.

Being invited into Macedonia in a dream given to Paul, they first stayed in Philippi. In the marketplace there, Silas and Paul were beaten with rods by order of the civil magistrates and were put in prison stocks, but as they prayed and sang songs during the night, they were released from bonds by an earthquake and the prison doors were opened. The jailer was much frightened and, listening to Paul and Silas, became a Christian, caring for their injuries suffered from the beating.—Acts 15:41–16:40.

Their ministry found success in Thessalonica and Beroea, where Silas and Timothy remained behind temporarily while Paul went on to Athens and Corinth. (Acts 17:1, 10, 14-16; 18:1) When Silas and Timothy finally caught up with Paul in Corinth, they continued to assist Paul. While there they joined with Paul in writing the two letters to Thessalonica. (1 Thess. 1:1; 2 Thess. 1:1) Silas is not mentioned again in the historical narrative of Paul’s travels.

Some years later, around 62-64 C.E., Peter wrote his first letter from Babylon “through Silvanus,” evidently meaning that Silvanus acted as Peter’s secretary. He was there described as “a faithful brother,” and was likely the Silvanus earlier associated with Paul.—1 Pet. 5:12.

SILK

Produced by caterpillars of various species and especially by the Chinese silkworm, which feeds on mulberry leaves and emits a fluid that hardens into fine threads to form a cocoon. Silk is the strongest of natural fibers and has been used since Biblical times to make beautiful, lightweight cloth. Silken fabric, considered by archaeologists as having been woven over 2,200 years ago, has been found in tombs of a Phoenician cemetery in the Melita district near Sabratha, Libya.

Silkworm culture appears to have had its start in China and to have spread from there to other lands, such as India. The Greeks called silk se·ri·konʹ, thus linking it with the “Seres” (generally identified as the Chinese). Silk is listed in Scripture among the costly articles of merchandise bought by “Babylon the Great.”—Rev. 18:2, 11, 12.

Some Bible translations use “silk” for the Hebrew word meʹshi at Ezekiel 16:10, 13. (AS, AT, AV, JP, Le, Mo, Ro, RS) According to rabbinical tradition, me’shi denotes silk; however, there is uncertainty. Accordingly, the New World Translation, with the support of modern lexicographers, renders it “costly material.”

SILLA

(Silʹla) [possibly, highway].

Name of an otherwise unknown site at ancient Jerusalem. King Jehoash was assassinated “at the house of the Mound, on the way that goes down to Silla.”—2 Ki. 12:20.

SILOAM

(Si·loʹam) [sent forth].

A pool in Jerusalem where Jesus Christ had a blind man wash in order to receive sight. (John 9:6, 7, 11) Little is known about this pool as it then existed, though its general location apparently is marked by the present Birket Silwan, just SW of the city of David. Likely this is also the approximate site of King Hezekiah’s “pool” or reservoir adjoining the conduit he constructed to carry the waters of Gihon.—2 Ki. 20:20; 2 Chron. 32:30.

For the Siloam inscription, see pages 110, 763.

In the days of Jesus’ earthly ministry, evidently it was common knowledge that the “tower in Siloam” had collapsed, killing eighteen persons. It has been suggested that this tower was situated on the Ophel ridge, but its actual location in Jerusalem is unknown.—Luke 13:4.

SILVANUS

See SILAS, SILVANUS.

SILVER

Since silver is seldom found in the native state, the base ore has to be smelted and purified to separate the silver from the gangue, dross and scummy foreign matter, and to free it from other metals such as lead. (Ps. 12:6; Prov. 27:21; Ezek. 22:20-22; Mal. 3:3) Silver was treasured by all nations of the past. (2 Sam. 8:10, 11; 2 Chron. 9:14) Under Solomon’s rule, not only silver, but also gold, became so abundant in Jerusalem that silver was counted “as nothing at all,” “like the stones.” (1 Ki. 10:21, 27; 2 Chron. 9:20; compare Daniel 2:32.) Once every three years ships brought cargoes of silver from Tarshish (apparently Spain, which is still a producer of silver).—1 Ki. 10:22; 2 Chron. 9:21; Jer. 10:9; Ezek. 27:12.

Refined silver had two principal uses: (1) As a measure of wealth and a medium of exchange. Abraham, using this medium of exchange, bought a family burial plot. (Gen. 13:2; 23:15-18) Payment was made by weight, since coinage was not devised until centuries later. (2) Objects of beauty and ornamentation were fashioned of this metal from the days of the patriarchs. (Gen. 24:53; 44:2; Ex. 11:2; 12:35) Silver was employed for Israel’s two trumpets (Num. 10:2), in the construction of the tabernacle (Ex. 26:19, 21, 25, 32; 27:10, 11, 17), and in Solomon’s temple. (1 Chron. 28:15-17) It was also used in making implements of idolatry. (Ex. 20:23; Hos. 13:2; Hab. 2:19; Acts 19:24) In contrast with the transient value of silver, and to be more highly estimated, are the wisdom, discipline and understanding that come from Jehovah. (Prov. 3:13, 14; 8:10, 19; 16:16) Also, the Scriptures use silver in a number of symbolic senses.—Eccl. 12:6; Isa. 60:17; Dan. 2:32; 1 Cor. 3:12.

SIMEON

(Simʹe·on) [hearing, that is, with acceptance].

1. The second of Jacob’s twelve sons; so named because, as his mother Leah said, “Jehovah has listened, in that I was hated and so he gave me also