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How were keys carried in the time described in the Book of Isaiah?
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lock
Figure 1: Ancient Egyptian lock
In the time described in the Book of Isaiah, keys were large, wooden, toothbrush-shaped devices that were carried on the shoulder. This is evidenced by the biblical passage, "And I will place on his shoulder the key of the house of David," which reflects the physical nature of the key used in the pin tumbler lock mechanism common in the ancient Near East.1