Hand

Passages on this topic

From Nave’s Topical Bible (1896), a historical reference index. The groupings are Nave’s; the verses are shown in the text used across this site.

Imposition of hands

• Hebrews 6:2 instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.

In consecration

• Genesis 48:14 But Israel stretched out his right hand and put it on the head of Ephraim, the younger; and crossing his hands, he put his left on Manasseh’s head, although Manasseh was the firstborn.
• Exodus 29:10 You are to present the bull at the front of the Tent of Meeting, and Aaron and his sons are to lay their hands on its head.
• Exodus 29:15 Take one of the rams, and Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands on its head.
• Exodus 29:19 Take the second ram, and Aaron and his sons are to lay their hands on its head.
• Leviticus 1:4 He is to lay his hand on the head of the burnt offering, so it can be accepted on his behalf to make atonement for him.
• Leviticus 3:2 He is to lay his hand on the head of the offering and slaughter it at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. Then Aaron’s sons the priests shall splatter the blood on all sides of the altar.
• Leviticus 3:8 He is to lay his hand on the head of his offering and slaughter it in front of the Tent of Meeting. Then Aaron’s sons shall splatter its blood on all sides of the altar.
• Leviticus 3:13 He must lay his hand on its head and slaughter it in front of the Tent of Meeting. Then Aaron’s sons shall splatter its blood on all sides of the altar.
• Leviticus 4:15 The elders of the congregation are to lay their hands on the bull’s head before the LORD, and it shall be slaughtered before the LORD.
• Leviticus 4:24 He is to lay his hand on the head of the goat and slaughter it at the place where the burnt offering is slaughtered before the LORD. It is a sin offering.

In ordaining the Levites

• Numbers 8:10–11 You are to present the Levites before the LORD and have the Israelites lay their hands upon them. Aaron is to present the Levites before the LORD as a wave offering from the sons of Israel, so that they may perform the service of the LORD.

Joshua

• Numbers 27:18–23 And the LORD replied to Moses, “Take Joshua son of Nun, a man with the Spirit in him, and lay your hands on him. Have him stand before Eleazar the priest and the whole congregation, and commission him in their sight. Confer on him some of your authority, so that the whole congregation of Israel wil…
• Deuteronomy 34:9 Now Joshua son of Nun was filled with the spirit of wisdom because Moses had laid his hands on him. So the Israelites obeyed him and did as the LORD had commanded Moses.

Timothy

• 1 Timothy 4:14 Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given you through the prophecy spoken over you at the laying on of the hands of the elders.
• 2 Timothy 1:6 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands.

In healing

• Mark 6:5 So He could not perform any miracles there, except to lay His hands on a few of the sick and heal them.
• Mark 7:32 Some people brought to Him a man who was deaf and hardly able to speak, and they begged Jesus to place His hand on him.
• Mark 16:18 they will pick up snakes with their hands, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not harm them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will be made well.”
• Luke 4:40 At sunset, all who were ill with various diseases were brought to Jesus, and laying His hands on each one, He healed them.
• Acts 19:6 And when Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied.
• Acts 19:11 God did extraordinary miracles through the hands of Paul,

In blessing children

• Matthew 19:13 Then little children were brought to Jesus for Him to place His hands on them and pray for them. And the disciples rebuked those who brought them.
• Mark 10:16 And He took the children in His arms, placed His hands on them, and blessed them.

In solemnizing testimony

• Leviticus 24:14 “Take the blasphemer outside the camp, and have all who heard him lay their hands on his head; then have the whole assembly stone him.

Lifted up in benediction

• Leviticus 9:22 Aaron lifted up his hands toward the people and blessed them. And having made the sin offering, the burnt offering, and the peace offering, he stepped down.
• Luke 24:50 When Jesus had led them out as far as Bethany, He lifted up His hands and blessed them.

In prayer

See PRAYER, ATTITUDES IN

Ceremonial washing of

• Matthew 15:2 “Why do Your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They do not wash their hands before they eat.”
• Mark 7:2–5 and they saw some of His disciples eating with hands that were defiled— that is, unwashed. Now in holding to the tradition of the elders, the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat until they wash their hands ceremonially. And on returning from the market, they do not eat unless they wash. And there…

See Ablutions

See Clean

Symbolical of righteousness

• Job 17:9 Yet a righteous one holds to his way, and the one with clean hands grows stronger.

Washing of, a symbol of innocency

• Deuteronomy 21:6 Then all the elders of the city nearest the victim shall wash their hands by the stream over the heifer whose neck has been broken,
• Matthew 27:24 When Pilate saw that he was accomplishing nothing, but that instead a riot was breaking out, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd. “I am innocent of this man’s blood,” he said. “You bear the responsibility.”

Clasping of, in token of contract

• Ezra 10:19 They pledged to send their wives away, and for their guilt they presented a ram from the flock as a guilt offering.
• Proverbs 6:1 My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor, if you have struck hands in pledge with a stranger,
• Proverbs 17:18 A man lacking judgment strikes hands in pledge and puts up security for his neighbor.
• Lamentations 5:6 We submitted to Egypt and Assyria to get enough bread.
• Ezekiel 17:18 He despised the oath by breaking the covenant. Seeing that he gave his hand in pledge yet did all these things, he will not escape!’

Of friendship

• 2 Kings 10:15 When he left there, he found Jehonadab son of Rechab, who was coming to meet him. Jehu greeted him and asked, “Is your heart as true to mine as my heart is to yours?” “It is!” Jehonadab replied. “If it is,” said Jehu, “give me your hand.” So he gave him his hand, and Jehu helped him into his chario…
• Job 17:3 Give me, I pray, the pledge You demand. Who else will be my guarantor?

Right hand lifted up in swearing

• Genesis 14:22 But Abram replied to the king of Sodom, “I have raised my hand to the LORD God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth,
• Psalm 106:26 So He raised His hand and swore to cast them down in the wilderness,
• Isaiah 62:8 The LORD has sworn by His right hand and by His mighty arm: “Never again will I give your grain to your enemies for food, nor will foreigners drink the new wine for which you have toiled.

Symbol of power

• Isaiah 23:11 The LORD has stretched out His hand over the sea; He has made kingdoms tremble. He has given a command that the strongholds of Canaan be destroyed.
• Isaiah 41:10 Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will surely help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.

Place of honor

• Psalm 45:9 The daughters of kings are among your honored women; the queen stands at your right hand, adorned with the gold of Ophir.
• Psalm 80:17 Let Your hand be upon the man at Your right hand, on the son of man You have raised up for Yourself.

Figurative

• Matthew 5:30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to depart into hell.
• Matthew 18:8 If your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life crippled or lame than to have two hands and two feet and be thrown into the eternal fire.
• Mark 9:43 If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two hands and go into hell, into the unquenchable fire.

Anthropomorphic use of

The hand of the Lord

Is not limited

• Numbers 11:23 The LORD answered Moses, “Is the LORD’s arm too short? Now you will see whether or not My word will come to pass.”

Is mighty

• Joshua 4:24 He did this so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the LORD is mighty, and so that you may always fear the LORD your God.”

Was heavy

• 1 Samuel 5:6 Now the hand of the LORD was heavy on the people of Ashdod and its vicinity, ravaging them and afflicting them with tumors.

Was against the Philistines

• 1 Samuel 7:13 So the Philistines were subdued, and they stopped invading the territory of Israel. And the hand of the LORD was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.

Was on Elijah

• 1 Kings 18:46 And the hand of the LORD came upon Elijah, and he tucked his cloak into his belt and ran ahead of Ahab all the way to Jezreel.

Has unlimited power

• Isaiah 59:1 Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save, nor His ear too dull to hear.

Was with the early Christians

• Acts 11:21 The hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord.

For extended anthropomorphisms consult a concordance under the word "hand."

See Anthropomorphisms