RIGHT-HAND. The Right-hand denotes Power, Strength. The Scripture generally imputes to God’s Right-hand, all the Exod. xv. 6.Effects of his Omnipotence. Dextra tua, Domine, magnificata est: Dextra tua, Domine, percussit inimicum. See Psal. xx. 9. xliii. 4. & alibi passim.
To sit down at the Right-hand of God, is generally put for obtaining an Equality of Glory and Power. The Son of God is often represented as sitting at the Right-hand of his heavenly Father. Dixit dominus domino Psal. cix. 1. Mat. xxvi. 64. Colos. iii. Hebr. i. 3. & x. 12, &c. 1 Samuel xxiii. 19, 24.meo, Sede à dextris meis. And, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of Man sitting on the Right-hand of Power, and coming in the Clouds of Heaven.
The Right-hand commonly denotes the South, as the Left-hand denotes the North. For the Hebrews speak of the Quarters of the World in respect of themselves, having their Faces turn’d towards the East, their Backs to the West, their Right-hands to the South, and their Left to the North. Thus Kedem, which signifies before, stands also for the East; and Achor, which signifies behind, marks out the West; Jamin, the Right-hand, is the South; and Shemol, the Left-hand, is the North. For Example; Doth not David hide himself with us in strong Holds in the Wood, in the Hill of Hachilah, which is on the South of Jeshimen? Heb. on the Right-hand of Jeshimen.
Psal. cviii. 6. Zech. iii. 1.The Accuser was commonly at the Right -hand of the Accused; as for Example, Diabolus stet à dextris ejus. And in Zechariah, the Devil was at the Right-hand of the High-priest Jeshua to accuse him. Satan stabat à dextris ejus, ut adversaretur ei.
Psal. xvi. 8. Psal. cix. 31.Often, in a quite contrary Sense, to be at any one’s Right-hand, signifies to defend, to protect, to support him. As for Example: I have set the Lord always before me; because he is at my Right-hand, I shall not be moved. And elsewhere, For he shall stand at the Right-hand of the Poor, to save him from those that condemn his Soul.
To depart from the Law of God, neither to the Right-hand, nor to the left, is a frequent Scripture Expression, the Meaning of which is, that we must not depart from it at all, neither by attempting to go beyond it, and doing more than it requires, nor by doing less. But we must observe it closely, constantly, and invariably, as a Traveller, who does not go out of his Way, either to the right or to the left.
Our Saviour, in the Gospel, to shew with what Privacy we should do good Works, Mat. vi. 5.says; That our Left-hand should not know what our Right-hand does. Above all things we should avoid Vanity and Ostentation in all the Good we undertake to do.
Exodus xxxv. 22. Numbers xxxi. 50.Dextralia, or Dextraliola, are Bracelets with which Men, as well as Women, us’d to dress themselves. It was of these Bracelets that Moses spoke, when he enjoin’d the Israelites to have always the Law of God in their Minds; and that it should Ex. xiii. 9.be for a Sign unto thee upon thine Hand, as a Seal fastned to their Ring or Bracelet. Compare this Passage with Ecclus. xlix. 13. Quomodo amplificemus Zerobabel? Nam & ipse quasi signum in dextra manu.
The Right and Left-hand joined together signify on this Side, or that Side, indifferently. If you go to the Right, I will go to the Left. Turn not aside from the Commandments of God, neither to the Right or Left; or do not turn from them at all. David’s Archers are commended, 1 Chron. xii. 2.who could use their Sling as well with their Left-hands as Right; they were Ambidexters. Jonah iii. 11.In Jonah it is said, that there were above six-score thousand Persons in Nineveh, who could not distinguish between their Right and Left-hands. This may be understood as the former Passage, of Persons that could make use of either Hand indifferently, to fight with; but it is generally explain’d of Infants, who knew not yet any Distinction of Right and Left-hands, as a Token of their Innocence.
To give the Hand, dare dexteram, is a Mark of Society and Friendship. St. Paul says, that James, Cephas, and John, gave him the Right-hand. Dexteras dederunt mihi & Barnabæ societatis. In the Books of the Maccabees this Expression recurs very often. Demus dexteras hominibus. Postulaverunt ab eo dexteras. Dexteram dedit, accepit, abiit.
In taking an Oath they lifted up their Is. lxii. 8.Right-hand. Juravit Dominus in dexterâ suâ.