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HAND ( ëַּó , éָã ‘palm hollow of the hand’; ÷åßñ ; äåîéÜ ‘right-hand,’ ἀñéóôåñÜ ‘left-hand’).—
OT usage.—In the OT there is a very large variety of meanings attaching to the word ‘hand’ and to expressions and phrases in which it occurs; a detailed consideration of these is not necessary here,* [Note: See art. ‘Hand’ in Hastings’ DB.] but a brief reference seems appropriate in view of the fact that NT usage is to some extent based, through the LXX Septuagint , on that of the OT. in its origin the Hebrew word probably meant ‘strength’ (cf. Assyr. [Note: Assyrian.] îdu = ‘strength’),† [Note: Oxford Heb. Lexicon, s.v.] and it is used in this figurative sense in Jos_8:20 (‘there was not in them strength [lit. hands] to flee’), Psa_76:5 (‘none of the mighty men have found their hands,’ i.e. they are powerless). The word is used in a number of other figurative senses, see the Oxford Heb. Lexicon under éָã , instructive is the passage Exo_14:8 ‘the children of Israel went out with a high hand’ (cf. Exo_15:6; Exo_15:12, Num_11:23; Num_33:3); the reference is to the hand of Jehovah (‘with a high hand’ = with the help of the high hand, a meaning which the preposition áְּ frequently has); the ‘hand,’ strictly speaking, the ‘right hand’ ( éָîִéï ), of God is the planet Venus;‡ [Note: For the proof of this statement see Nielsen, Die Altarabische Mondreligion und die Mosaische Ueberlieferung (Strassburg, 1904), pp. 111, 154 ff., where illustrations of S. Arabian cylinder seals are also given, showing ‘the hand of God’ with the planet Venus above it; the Divine hand has seven fingers.] this antique conception is much softened down, though a literal, anthropomorphic sense is still implied in the use of ‘hand’ in Psa_102:25 ‘The heavens are the work of thy hands.’
In reference to man the word is used (just as is the case in the NT) in a variety of senses, according to the phrase in which it is found: ‘to put one’s life into one’s hand’ (Jdg_12:3), means to be ready to jeopardize one’s life; ‘to clap the hands’ is a sign of joy (2Ki_11:12); ‘to fill the hand’ ( Revised Version NT 1881, OT 1885 ‘consecrate’) is to install in office (Jdg_17:5; Jdg_17:12);§ [Note: On this idiom see Encyc. Bibl. ii. col. 1951.] ‘to lift up the hand’ (whether towards heaven or towards the altar is not always certain, see Nowack, Heb. Arch. ii. 260) was a symbolic action which accompanied an oath, it implied the calling of the Deity to witness|| [Note: | A later custom was to place the left hand on a tomb and quote Isa_58:11.] (Deu_32:40); the same action, with both hands, was the attitude adopted when blessing (Psa_134:2); ‘to open the hand’ is to show geoerosity (Deu_15:11); to place the hands upon the head was a sign of grief (2Sa_13:19); to kiss the hand towards was a sign of homage (to a heathen deity in Job_31:27); ‘to lay the hand upon the mouth’ was done in token of humility (Pro_30:32, cf. Isa_52:15); ‘to strike hands’ meant to go surety for someone (Pro_6:1). All these symbolic actions with the hand were common in the time of Christ, as they are at the present day also in Syria, Arabia, etc.
There is one other use of the word in the OT which demands a passing notice; it means a sign or monument (1Sa_15:12, 2Sa_18:18, cf. Gen_35:14); according to Schwally,¶ [Note: Das Leben nach dem Tode, p. 58, note. See also CIS, No. 199 ff.] it was originally so called because a hand was depicted upon the monument or pillar, this hand being a token of that wherewith the vow had been made (the uplifted hand), or perhaps wherewith an offering had been brought; in view, however, of what has been said above, it is more likely that this band slash was a representation of the hand of the Deity.
Usage in the Gospels.—In a very large number of cases in which ‘hand’ occurs, it is used in the ordinary literal sense; there is no need to give references for these. Not infrequently there is the expression ‘at hand’ in the Authorized and Revised Versions where in the original ÷ÅßÑ does not occur: e.g. ‘the kingdom of heaven is at hand’ ( ἤããéêåí ); such passages do not properly belong to this article, and are not taken into account.
1. All those things which are done by means of the hand, or in which the visible part is done by the hand (such as the working of miracles, or taking hold of a person or thing) are described as being performed äéὰ ÷åéñüò , äéὰ ôῶí ÷åéñῶí , äéὰ ÷åéñῶí — ôéíïò , Mar_6:2 etc.; ἐðὶ ÷åéñῶí , Mat_4:6, Luk_4:11; åἰò ôὴí ÷åῖñá , Luk_15:22. ‘Hand’ is used frequently as a synonym for ‘power’ (Mat_17:22, Mar_9:31, Luk_1:74; Luk_9:44); in the slightly different sense of ‘protecting power’ (Luk_23:46); still in the sense of power but coupled with the idea of ‘possession’ (Joh_10:28-29); as used in Luk_1:66 it contains the idea of God’s ‘furtherance’; then, again, it is used loosely,** [Note: * This is quite in accordance with OT usage, cf. e.g. Gen_24:22 ‘hands’ used for ‘wrists.’] in the sense of ‘finger,’ in Luk_15:22 (‘put a ring on his hand’); lastly, it is referred to (in a peculiarly Oriental manner) as though it had, metaphorically speaking, sense: ‘if thine hand offend thee’ ( óêáíäáëßóῃ ), and the same idea is conveyed in Mat_6:3 ‘let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth.’
2. But the most interesting use of ‘hand’ in the Gospels, as in the OT, is seen in idiomatic phrases in which it occurs; these may be briefly enumerated as follows:—‘To wash the hands’ ( ἀðïíßðôåéí ôὰò ÷ .) was a symbolic action denoting a repudiation of responsibility or a declaration of innocence (Mat_27:24, cf. Psa_26:6; Psa_73:13); the same phrase, very nearly, íßðôåéí ôὰò ÷ ., refers to the washing before meals in obedience to tradition* (Mat_15:2). To ‘lay hands on’ is used in several senses; ἐðéâÜëëåéí ôὰò ÷ . ἐðß ôéíá (or simply with the dat.) means to take hold of with violent intent (Mar_14:46); ἐðéôéèÝíáé ôὰò ÷ . (or ôὴí ÷ .) ἐðὶ ôéíá (or with dat.)† is synonymous with healing (Mat_9:18, Mar_5:23); ôéèÝíáé ôὰò ÷ . ἐðß ôéíá is used of blessing children (Mar_10:16); ‘to put the hand to the plough’ ( ἐðéâÜëëåéí ôὴí ÷ . ἐð ʼ ἄñïôñïí ) is a metaphoric expression denoting the undertaking of some duty (Luk_9:62); different meanings attach to the phrase ‘to stretch forth the hands’: ἐêôåßíåéí ôὰò ÷ . ἐðß ôéíá is used of taking someone prisoner (Luk_22:53), or (with the same construction) to indicate a person (Mat_12:49); ἐêô . ôὴí ÷ . in Mat_14:31 means to save from harm; the same expression in Joh_21:18 seems to be used in reference to the stretching out of the hands (in the sense of arms) on the cross. ‘To lift up the hands’ ( ἐðáßñåéí ôὰò ÷ .) is the attitude of blessing (Luk_24:50); ‘to take by the hand’ ( êñáôåῖí ôῆò ÷ .) means to take hold of someone with the purpose of helping (Mar_1:31); ‘to deliver up into the hands of’ ( ðáñáäéäüíáé åἰò ÷ . ôéíïò ) is to give into the power of, with evil intent (Mat_17:22), while äéäüíáé ôé ἐí ôῇ ÷ . ôéíïò means to commit to the care of (Joh_3:35); ‘to commend [the spirit] into the hands of’ ( ðáñáôéèἐíáé ôὸ ðíåῦìá åἰò ÷ . ôéíïò ) is to place oneself under God’s protection (Luk_23:46).
3. Lastly, there are many words in connexion with which ‘hand’ is not expressed, but implied; all these convey one or other, or both, of the root conceptions of this word, viz. strength and activity.
W. O. E. Oesterley.