HAND is sometimes taken for the border, the side, the hinge of a door, the arms, the support of a throne, &c.
To lift up one’s HAND, is a way of taking an oath in use with all nations.
To give one’s HANDS, signifies to grant 2 Macc. xiii. 22.peace, to swear friendship, to promise all security, to make alliance: Dextram dedit, accepit, abiit. The Jews say, they were obliged to give the Hand to the Egyptians Lament. v. 6.and Assyrians, that they might procure bread; that is to say, to surrender to them, to make an alliance with them, that they might be enabled to subsist, that in their extreme necessity they might preserve their Lives.
The right HAND, with the Hebrews, signifies generally the south-side. See below
RIGHT.
Psal. lv. 11. Isa. v. 25. ix, 12, 17.To stretch out one’s HAND, signifies to chastise, to shew his severity, his justice. Extendit manum suam in retribuendo. God delivered his people out of Egypt with a stretched out Hand, and an Arm lifted up: he delivered them by performing many wonders, and inflicting many chastisements on the Egyptians. The Hand of God is still stretched out; he is still ready to strike.
To stretch out one’s HAND, is sometimes Isa. lxv. 2.a gesture that denotes mercy. I have stretched out mine Hand all the day long, towards an ungrateful and rebellious people.
Prov. i. 24. I have called, says the wise man, and ye have refused: I have stretched out my Hand, and no man regarded.
Exod. xxii. 8, 11. 1 Sam. xxiv. 10. Job i. 11.I will not put forth mine HAND against the Lord’s Anointed: I would not kill him. Put forth thine Hand now, and touch all that Job hath, and he will curse thee to thy face. Smite him, treat him rigorously, and you will see if he does not blaspheme thee.
To stretch forth one’s HAND on any thing, to take, to steal it. He shall swear, that he hath not put his Hand unto his neighbour’s goods.