hand,
noun In both Hebrew and Greek, metaphors incorporating the
word hand tend to be identifications of power,1 most
often expressing an author’s sense of God’s might. These figures
of speech based on hand, yad in Hebrew and cheir in
Greek, can suggest awe in the presence of divine power experienced
in three distinct ways. The first has to do with feelings of wonder
inspired by encounters with the natural world.2 The
second type of hand metaphor reflects an experience of survival from
a catastrophe or the anticipated capacity to survive an ordeal. The
third type arose from an experience in seeing justice3
done or a confidence that vindication was possible. In many cases,
justice for the writers and editors of the Bible meant seeing their
enemies punished.
God’s hand in
nature metaphors
The
heavens are telling the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims
his handiwork. [Psalm 19:1]
Ask the
animals, and they will teach you; the birds of the air, and they
will tell you; ask the plants of the earth, and they will teach you;
and the fish of the sea will declare to you. Who among all these
does not know that the hand of the
Lord
has done this?
[Job 12:7-9]
I will
put in the wilderness the cedar, the acacia, the myrtle, and the
olive; I will set in the desert the cypress, the plane and the pine
together, so that all may see and know, all may consider and
understand, that the hand of the
Lord
has done this,
the Holy One of Israel has created it. [Isaiah 41:19-20]
God’s hand in
metaphors of survival
The
Lord
your God dried
up the waters of the Jordan for you until you crossed over, as the
Lord
your God did to
the Red Sea, which he dried up for us until we crossed over, so that
all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the
Lord
is mighty, and
so that you may fear the
Lord
your God
forever. [Joshua 4:23-24]
There is
nothing better for mortals than to eat and drink, and find enjoyment
in their toil. This also, I saw, is from the hand of God.
[Ecclesiastes 2:24]
The
hand of the
Lord
was with them,
and a great number became believers and turned to the Lord. [Acts
11:21]
Humble
yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, so that he
may exalt you in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him, because he
cares for you. [I Peter 5:6-7]
God’s hand in
metaphors of justice
The
Lord
said to Moses,
"Go to Pharaoh, and say to him, 'Thus says the
Lord,
the God of the Hebrews: Let my people go, so that they may worship
me. For if you refuse to let them go and still hold them, the
hand of the
Lord
will strike with
a deadly pestilence your livestock in the field: the horses, the
donkeys, the camels, the herds, and the flocks.'" [Exodus 9:1-3]
The
people of Ekron sent therefore and gathered together all the lords
of the Philistines, and said, "Send away the ark of the God of
Israel, and let it return to its own place, that it may not kill us
and our people." For there was a deathly panic throughout the whole
city. The hand of God was very heavy there. [I Samuel 5:11]
It will
be said on that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, so
that he might save us. This is the
Lord
for whom we have
waited; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation. For the hand
of the
Lord
will rest on
this mountain. The Moabites shall be trodden down in their place as
straw is trodden down in a dung-pit. [Isaiah 25:9-10]
"Now
listen—the hand of the Lord is against you, and you will be
blind for a while, unable to see the sun." Immediately mist and
darkness came over him, and he went about groping for someone to
lead him by the hand. [Acts 13:11]
Hand also appears in
biblical metaphors identifying human power over others, either
hostile powers or the power of the people for whom the author
speaks. Perhaps because of the associations with power, yad
was also used as a metaphor for the penis, the organ
representing male sexual dominance.
hand in
metaphors of hostile human power
The enemy
said, "I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil, my
desire shall have its fill of them. I will draw my sword, my hand
shall destroy them." [Exodus 15:9]
He saved
them from the hand of the foe, and delivered them from the
hand of the enemy. [Psalm 106:10]
In this
place I will make void the plans of Judah and Jerusalem, and will
make them fall by the sword before their enemies, and by the hand
of those who seek their life. [Jeremiah 19:7]
Jesus was
teaching his disciples, saying to them, "The Son of Man is to be
betrayed into human hands, and they will kill him.” [Mark
9:31]
He has
raised up a mighty savior for us in the house of his servant David,
as he spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets from of old, that
we would be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all
who hate us. [Luke 1:69-71]
They
tried to arrest Jesus again, but he escaped from their hands.
[John 10:39]
hand in
metaphors of human power over others
King
Melchizedek blessed him and said, "Blessed be Abram by God Most
High, maker of heaven and earth; and blessed be God Most High, who
has delivered your enemies into your hand!" [Genesis
14:19-20]
When the
Canaanite, the king of Arad, who lived in the Negeb, heard that
Israel was coming by the way of Atharim, he fought against Israel
and took some of them captive. Then Israel made a vow to the
Lord
and said, "If
you will indeed give this people into our hands, then we will
utterly destroy their towns." [Numbers 21:1-2]
Joshua
said, "Roll large stones against the mouth of the cave, and set men
by it to guard them; but do not stay there yourselves; pursue your
enemies, and attack them from the rear. Do not let them enter their
towns, for the
Lord
your God has
given them into your hand." [Joshua 10:18-19]
Ehud said
to them, "Follow after me; for the
Lord
has given your
enemies the Moabites into your hand." [Judges 3:28]
hand as a sexual metaphor
Behind the
door and the doorpost you have set up your symbol; for, in deserting
me, you have uncovered your bed, you have gone up to it, you have
made it wide; and you have made a bargain for yourself with them,
you have loved their bed, you have gazed on their nakedness.
[Isaiah 57:8]
In
English versions of the Bible, the term right hand often appears
when the words for hand, yad and cheir, are not in the
original text. In these passages, the adjective for right stands as
a noun. In Hebrew the word for right is yamin and in Greek
dexios, from which we get our English word dexterity, meaning
skill or cleverness. Since ancient times, the right hand has been a
metaphor indicating who or what is favored. The reason may be that
the majority of human beings are right handed. Added to the fact
that most people are more skillful with their right hands is the
custom in some cultures for the left hand to be used exclusively in
cleaning the parts of the body soiled by emptying the bowels. For
whatever reason, the right hand indicated favor or blessing, usually
that bestowed by God. To be seated at God’s right hand was the
favorite metaphor employed by the early followers of Jesus in
expressing their feelings about Jesus in relation to the God of
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
right hand in
human relations
So
Bathsheba went to King Solomon, to speak to him on behalf of
Adonijah. The king rose to meet her, and bowed down to her; then he
sat on his throne, and had a throne brought for the king's mother,
and she sat on his right. [I Kings 2:19]
When
James and Cephas and John, who were acknowledged pillars, recognized
the grace that had been given to me, they gave to Barnabas and me
the right hand of fellowship, agreeing that we should go to
the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. [Galatians 2:9]
God’s right hand
Look on
all who are proud, and bring them low; tread down the wicked where
they stand. Hide them all in the dust together; bind their faces in
the world below. Then I will also acknowledge to you that your own
right hand can give you victory. [Job 40:12-14]
You show
me the path of life. In your presence there is fullness of joy; in
your right hand are pleasures forevermore. [Psalm 16:11]
Wondrously show your steadfast love, O savior of those who seek
refuge from their adversaries at your right hand. [Psalm
17:7]
The
Lord
has sworn by his
right hand and by his mighty arm: I will not again give your
grain to be food for your enemies, and foreigners shall not drink
the wine for which you have labored. [Isaiah 62:8]
Jesus
said to him, "You have said so. But I tell you, From now on you will
see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and
coming on the clouds of heaven." [Matthew 26:64]
So then
the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into
heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. [Mark 16:19]
The God
of our ancestors raised up Jesus, whom you had killed by hanging him
on a tree. God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and
Savior that he might give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of
sins. [Acts 5:30-31]
Who is to
condemn? It is Christ Jesus, who died, yes, who was raised, who is
at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us.
[Romans 8:34]
The right hand
indicating favor also shows up in the psalms that employ metaphors
indicating the desired relationship of a person with God.
God at my right
hand
I keep
the
Lord
always before
me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.
[Psalm 16:8]
I was
stupid and ignorant; I was like a brute beast toward you.
Nevertheless I am continually with you; you hold my right hand.—yamin
+ yad
[Psalm 73:22-23]
Look on
my right hand and see—there is no one who takes notice of me;
no refuge remains to me; no one cares for me. I cry to you, O
Lord;
I say, "You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living."
[Psalm 142:4-5]
Metaphors that
incorporate the word hand can be expressive of profound human
experiences and can offer comfort in times of trouble. Because of
their focus on power, however, the hand metaphors can produce
undesirable side effects. The conviction that God is on my side can
lead to political and personal attitudes that justify suppression of
other people’s aspirations. Such attitudes foster cruelty,
violence, war, and torture. Those followers of Jesus who reject a
theology of domination use the hand metaphors with great caution.
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1. For power,
see From Literal to Literary, pp. 193-197.
2. For natural world, see create and creature, From Literal to
Literary, pp. 65-67.
3. For justice, see From Literal to Literary, pp. 145-146.