δῶσιν αὐτοῖς χάραγμα. 26 and 95 have λάβωσι τὸ χάραγμα αὐτοῦ. The Latin versions have habere. א* has αὐτῷ for αὐτοῖς.

16. καὶ ποιεῖ resumes the construction of Revelation 13:14.

ἵνα δῶσιν αὐτοῖς. Is δῶσιν impersonal as λέγουσιν Revelation 10:11, βλέπωσιν Revelation 16:15? but for αὐτοῖς we should supply the subject from the previous accusatives.

χάραγμα. Cf. τὰ στίγματα Ἰησοῦ, Galatians 6:17. The image is, as there, that of the brand put upon slaves to identify them; pagan devotees sometimes received such a brand, marking them as the property of their god. In the so-called Third Book of Maccabees (which, stupid as it is, has perhaps some historical foundation) we are told that Ptolemy Philopator ordered the Jews of Alexandria to be branded with an ivy-leaf, the cognisance of Dionysus. One may compare also the sealing of the servants of God in chap, 7, and Revelation 14:1.

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Old Testament