Was the Divine Name Tattooed Upon the Israelites?

With the discovery of two engraved silver amulets containing early versions of the priestly blessing (Numbers 6:24–26) it was assumed that the accompanying instruction in Numbers 6:27—to place God’s name on the Israelites—meant that the divine name was similarly written on an amulet which was then tied to, or carried on the body. This chapter identifies literary and archival sources that support the alternative proposal of Meir Bar-Ilan, namely that the divine name was intended to be tattooed on each person.