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•HORMAH banning; i.e., placing under a “ban,” or devoting to utter destruction. After the manifestation of God’s anger against the Israelites, on account of their rebellion and their murmurings when the spies returned to the camp at Kadesh, in the wilderness of Paran, with an evil report of the land, they quickly repented of their conduct, and presumed to go up “to the head of the mountain,” seeking to enter the Promised Land, but without the presence of the Lord, without the ark of the convenant, and without Moses. The Amalekites and the Canaanites came down and “smote and discomfited them even unto Hormah” (Numbers 14:45). This place, or perhaps the watch-tower commanding it, was originally called Zephath (Judges 1:17), the modern Sebaiteh. Afterwards (Numbers 21:1-3) Arad, the king of the Canaanites, at the close of the wanderings, when the Israelites were a second time encamped at Kadesh, “fought against them, and took some of them prisoners.” But Israel vowed a vow unto the Lord utterly to destroy the cities of the Canaanites; they “banned” them, and hence the place was now called Hormah. But this “ban” was not fully executed till the time of Joshua, who finally conquered the king of this district, so that the ancient name Zephath became “Hormah” (Joshua 12:14; Judges 1:17).
•HORN Trumpets were at first horns perforated at the tip, used for various purposes (Joshua 6:4,5).
Flasks or vessels were made of horn (1 Samuel 16:1, 13; 1 Kings 1:39).
But the word is used also metaphorically to denote the projecting corners of the altar of burnt offerings (Exodus 27:2) and of incense (30:2). The horns of the altar of burnt offerings were to be smeared with the blood of the slain bullock (29:12; Leviticus 4:7-18). The criminal, when his crime was accidental, found an asylum by laying hold of the horns of the altar (1 Kings 1:50; 2:28).
The word also denotes the peak or summit of a hill (Isaiah 5:1, where the word “hill” is the rendering of the same Hebrew word).
This word is used metaphorically also for strength (Deuteronomy 33:17) and honour (Job 16:15; Lamentations 2:3). Horns are emblems of power, dominion, glory, and fierceness, as they are the chief means of attack and
defence with the animals endowed with them (Daniel 8:5, 9; 1 Samuel 2:1;
16:1, 13; 1 Kings 1:39; 22:11; Joshua 6:4, 5; Psalm 75:5, 10; 132:17; Luke
1:69, etc.). The expression “horn of salvation,” applied to Christ, means a salvation of strength, or a strong Saviour (Luke 1:69). To have the horn “exalted” denotes prosperity and triumph (Psalm 89:17, 24). To “lift up” the horn is to act proudly (Zechariah 1:21).
Horns are also the symbol of royal dignity and power (Jeremiah 48:25; Zechariah 1:18; Daniel 8:24).