The term "horned" in the Bible often refers to the presence of horns on animals, which are frequently used symbolically to represent strength, power, and authority. In the ancient Near Eastern context, horns were seen as symbols of might and were often associated with both divine and earthly power.

Symbolism of Horns

1. Strength and Power: Horns are commonly used in the Bible to symbolize strength and power. In Deuteronomy 33:17, the blessing of Joseph is described using the imagery of horns: "His majesty is like a firstborn bull, and his horns are the horns of a wild ox. With them he will gore the nations, even those at the ends of the earth." Here, the horns represent the strength and dominance of Joseph's descendants.

2. Authority and Kingship: Horns also symbolize authority and kingship. In the prophetic visions of Daniel and Revelation, horns are often used to represent kings or kingdoms. For example, in Daniel 7:24, the ten horns are explained as ten kings: "The ten horns are ten kings who will rise from this kingdom." Similarly, in Revelation 17:12, the ten horns are interpreted as ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom.

3. Divine Power: In some instances, horns are associated with divine power and protection. In Habakkuk 3:4, the radiance of God is described with the imagery of horns: "His radiance was like the sunlight; rays flashed from His hand, where His power is hidden." The "rays" or "horns" here symbolize the power and glory of God.

Physical Horns in Sacrificial Contexts

1. Altar Horns: The altars used in the tabernacle and temple had horns on their corners. These horns were significant in the sacrificial system and were often smeared with the blood of sacrifices as part of the atonement process. In Exodus 27:2, the instructions for the altar of burnt offering include: "Make a horn at each of the four corners, so that the horns and the altar are of one piece, and overlay it with bronze."

2. Cities of Refuge: The horns of the altar also played a role in the cities of refuge. In 1 Kings 1:50, Adonijah, fearing Solomon, "took hold of the horns of the altar" as a plea for mercy. This act symbolized seeking asylum and protection, indicating the altar's role as a place of refuge.

Prophetic and Apocalyptic Imagery

1. Daniel's Visions: In the book of Daniel, horns are prominent in the apocalyptic visions. Daniel 8:5 describes a goat with a notable horn between its eyes, representing the king of Greece: "As I was observing, a male goat came from the west, crossing the surface of the whole earth without touching the ground. This goat had a conspicuous horn between its eyes."

2. Revelation's Beasts: The book of Revelation uses horn imagery extensively to depict the power and authority of various beasts. Revelation 13:1 describes a beast with ten horns: "Then I saw a beast with ten horns and seven heads rising out of the sea. There were ten royal crowns on its horns, and blasphemous names on its heads." These horns symbolize the power and authority of the beastly kingdoms opposed to God.

Cultural and Historical Context

In the ancient world, horns were often used in art and iconography to denote power and divinity. This cultural understanding is reflected in the biblical text, where horns serve as a powerful metaphor for strength, authority, and divine intervention. The use of horn imagery in the Bible aligns with the broader ancient Near Eastern symbolism, where deities and powerful figures were often depicted with horns to signify their might and status.(a.) Furnished with a horn or horns; furnished with a hornlike process or appendage; as, horned cattle; having some part shaped like a horn.2768. keras -- a horn
... 2768 -- properly, an animal ; (figuratively) an , ie that by displaying . [2768 ("")
symbolizes the strength of (horned) bulls (see Ps 132:17).]. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2768.htm - 6k

2769. keration -- a carob pod
... husk. Neuter of a presumed derivative of keras; something horned, ie (specially)
the pod of the carob-tree -- husk. see GREEK keras. (keration) -- 1 Occurrence. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2769.htm - 6k

8207. shephiphon -- horned viper
... 8206, 8207. shephiphon. 8208 . horned viper. Transliteration: shephiphon
Phonetic Spelling: (shef-ee-fone') Short Definition: snake. ...
/hebrew/8207.htm - 6k

Of the Two-Horned Beast (who is also the False Prophet), with the ...
... PART I. SYNCHRONISM II. Of the Two-Horned Beast (who is also the False Prophet),
with the Ten-Horned Beast (who is likewise called the Image of the Beast). ...
/.../mede/a key to the apocalypse/synchronism ii of the two-horned.htm

The Two-Horned Beast.
... EXPOSITION OF THE APOCALYPSE. The Two-Horned Beast. "And I saw another wild
beast ascending out of the earth, and he had two horns ...
/.../bliss/a brief commentary on the apocalypse/the two-horned beast.htm

The Ten-Horned Beast.
... EXPOSITION OF THE APOCALYPSE. The Ten-Horned Beast. "And I was standing
on the sand of the sea, and saw a wild beast ascending out ...
/.../bliss/a brief commentary on the apocalypse/the ten-horned beast.htm

Of the great Harlot, or Mystic Babylon, with the same Seven-headed ...
... PART I. SYNCHRONISM III. Of the great Harlot, or Mystic Babylon, with the
same Seven-headed and Ten-horned Beast. Of the great Harlot ...
/.../mede/a key to the apocalypse/synchronism iii of the great.htm

Of the Measure of the Interior Court by the Reed of God, with the ...
... events; the battle of the dragon and the birth of the child, with the habitation
of the woman in the wilderness, and the rise of the ten-horned beast. ...
/.../mede/a key to the apocalypse/synchronism vi of the measure.htm

A Corollary of the General Synchronism of all the circumstances ...
... It follows that the revived, or ten-horned beast is contemporary with the woman
in the wilderness, with the conculcation of the Holy City, and with the ...
/.../mede/a key to the apocalypse/synchronism v a corollary of.htm

Concerning the Passion of Christ, and Its Old Testament ...
... a bull; his horns, the horns of an unicorn; on them shall he toss nations alike
unto the very extremity of the earth." Of course no one-horned rhinoceros was ...
/.../tertullian/an answer to the jews/chapter x concerning the passion of.htm

The Final Conflict.
... This identifies him as the two-horned beast of Rev.13. (13:11-17). The
two-horned beast being a representative of the Eastern Roman ...
/.../bliss/a brief commentary on the apocalypse/the final conflict.htm

The Cardinal Point of the Synchronisms; Or, the Synchronism
... Of the Seventh Seal, which relates to the first Six Trumpets; with the
Ten-horned and Two-horned Beast, and other contemporary matters. ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/mede/a key to the apocalypse/i the cardinal point of.htm

Of the Thousand Years in which the Dragon or Satan is bound, with ...
... under the first six trumpets of the following seal; for this is the period of the
woman in the wilderness, and of the domination of the ten-horned beast, as ...
/.../mede/a key to the apocalypse/synchronism iv of the thousand.htm

Horned (5 Occurrences)
... (a.) Furnished with a horn or horns; furnished with a hornlike process or appendage;
as, horned cattle; having some part shaped like a horn. ...
/h/horned.htm - 7k

Ten-horned (1 Occurrence)
Ten-horned. Tends, Ten-horned. Tenon . Multi-Version Concordance
Ten-horned (1 Occurrence). Revelation 17:7 Then the ...
/t/ten-horned.htm - 6k

Two-horned (1 Occurrence)
Two-horned. Two-fold, Two-horned. Two-hundred . Multi-Version
Concordance Two-horned (1 Occurrence). Daniel 8:6 And ...
/t/two-horned.htm - 6k

Owl (11 Occurrences)
... These birds range from the great horned owl of 2 feet in length, through
many subdivisions to the little screech-owl of 5 inches. ...
/o/owl.htm - 18k

Altar (343 Occurrences)
...HORNED ALTARS OF BURNT OFFERING 1. The Tabernacle Altar 2. The Altar of Joshua 22
3. The Altar till Solomon 4. The Horned Altar in Use 5. The Temple of Solomon ...
/a/altar.htm - 78k

Unicorn (6 Occurrences)
... Numbers 23:22, RV, "wild ox, " marg., "ox-antelope;24:8; Isaiah 34:7, RV, "wild
oxen"), and untamable (Job 39:9). It was in reality a two-horned animal; but ...
/u/unicorn.htm - 10k

Ox (197 Occurrences)
... The Septuagint has monokeros, "one-horned," except in Isaiah 34:7, where we find
hoi hadroi, "the large ones," "the bulky ones." In this passage also the ...
/o/ox.htm - 43k

Mole (2 Occurrences)
... chameleon"). In Leviticus 11:18, Deuteronomy 14:16, it is rendered, in
Authorized Version, "swan" (RV, "horned owl"). The Hebrews ...
/m/mole.htm - 12k

Swan (2 Occurrences)
... In the Revised Version (British and American) this is rightly changed to "the horned
owl, and the pelican, and the vulture." A bird of the duck family wrongly ...
/s/swan.htm - 8k

Tenon

/t/tenon.htm - 8k

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