dispossessed by the descendants of Esau, and as a people gradually
became extinct (Deuteronomy 2:12-22).
- 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