A visible mark, signal, or miraculous portent that confirms a divine message, covenant, or appointed purpose. It can refer to natural phenomena (the rainbow, celestial bodies), ritual signs (circumcision, Sabbath), or supernatural wonders (the plagues of Egypt). The word emphasizes the communicative function — a sign is given to be read, demanding a response of faith or obedience.
Throughout Scripture, ʾôt marks the intersection of the visible and invisible — where the physical world becomes a canvas for divine speech. God gave the rainbow as a sign (ʾôt) of His covenant with Noah (Gen 9:12), circumcision as a sign of His covenant with Abraham (Gen 17:11), and the Sabbath as a perpetual sign between Himself and Israel (Exod 31:13). The plagues in Egypt were ʾôtôt — signs demanding Pharaoh acknowledge YHWH's supremacy. Isaiah's prophecy of the virgin birth is also called an ʾôt (Isa 7:14), pointing to God's ultimate sign: Immanuel, God with us.