HORMAH (h5einah), (Heb. devoted to destruction), a city taken from the Canaanites by Judah and Simeon, (Judg. i:17; Num. xxi:3; Josh. xix:4, Chron. iv:3o) and orig inally called Zephath. It was reduced 'by Joshua (Josh. xii:14; xv:3o; Sam. xxx:3o).
HORN (horn), (Heb. 17, keh'ren; Gr. papas, horn).
Its primary use indicates defense in the case of horned animals (whence Anacreon's No-Ls scIpara ra6poLs, nature gives horns to bulls), came to acquire several derivative meanings, some of which are connected with the illustration and right understanding of holy writ. As horns are hollow and easily polished, they have in ancient and mod ern times been used for drinking vessels and for military purposes; and as thcy are the chief source of strength for attack and defense with the ani mals to which God has given them, they serve in Scripture as emblems of power, dominion, glory, and fierccness (Dan. viii :5, 9; I Sam. xvi: r, 13 ; Kings i Josh. vi :4, 5 ; Sam. ii :1 ; Ps. lxxv :5, ro; Jer. xlviii :25 ; Ezek. xxix :21 ; AMOS Vi :13). Hence to defile the horn in the dust (Job xvi:15), is to lower and degrade oneself, and, on the contrary, to lift up, to exalt the horn (Ps. lxxv:4; lxxxix:i7; cxlviii:14), is poetically to raise oneself to eminent honor or prosperity, to bear oneself proudly.
In the East, at present, horns are uscd as an ornament for the head, and as a token of eminent rank. (Rosenmiiller, org. iv. 85). The women among the Druses on Mount Lebanon wear on their heads silver horns of native makc, 'which are the distinguishing badgc of wifehood' (Bowring's Report on Syria, p. 8).
By an casy transition, horn came to denote an elevation or hill (Is. v :1) ; in Switzerland mountains still bear this name, thus, Schreckhorn, Buchhorn.
The altar of burnt-offerings (Exod. xxvii :2) and the altar of incense (Exod. xxx :2), had each at the four corners four horns of shittim wood, the first bcing overlaid with brass, the sec ond with gold (Exod. xxxvii :25 ; XXXVM :2; Jer. xvii :r ; Amos iii :14). Upon the horns of the altar of burnt-offerings was to be smeared with the finger the blood of the slain bullock (Exod. xxix :12 ; Lev. iv :7-18 ; viii :15 ; ix :9 ; xvi :18 ; Ezek. xliii :2o). By laying hold of these horns of the altar of burnt-offering the criminal found an asylum and safety (1 Kings i :5o; ii :28). These horns are said to have served as a means for binding the animal destined for sacrifice (Ps. cxviii :27) ; but this use Winer (Handwortcrb.) denies, asscrting that they did not and could not answer for such a purpose. J. R. B.
The custom of the Druse women of wearing horns seems not to have been referrcd to in the Scripture. So remarkable an article of dress, had it been in existence, would in all probability have been noticed by many authors who have entered so minutely into such matters. These horns con
sisted at first of an apparatus designed to finish oft the headdress so as to raise the veil a little from the face, and from small beginnings have developed to their present enormous size. Some times they are made of pasteboard, of tin, silver, and among the wealthy of gold. The day for these preposterous appcndages is about over. After the wars between the Maronites and the Druses (A. D. 184i and 1845), the Maronite cler gy thundered thcir excommunications against them, and very few Christians now wear them (Thomson, Land and Book, i, mi, io2).
FiguratiVe. 1. As cattle with their horns push their enemies, and defend themselves, horns are the symbol of power and authority. Joseph's horn resembled the horn of thc unicorn ; the power and dominion of his posterity, in thc tribcs of Manax,seh and Ephraim, were vastly great (Dcut. xxxin :17).
2. [ricked men lift up the horn, when they ar rogantly boast of their power and authority, and thrcatcn to destroy others; and their horns are cut off when their power and authority arc taken from them (Ps. lxxv :4, to; Jer. xlviii :25).
3. Hannah's horn ITOS exalted when God highly honored her and gave hcr a child to be ruler over Israel (I Sam. ii :1).
4. David's horn 1:VOS exalted as the horn of thc unicorn, when his kingdom was exalted to great honor and his authority was established; and when his soul was eminently advanced in grace and comfort (Ps. xcii :to).
5. David's being anointed with a horn full of oil, when Saul was anointed with a vial of oil, might mark the abundance of gifts, and the sta bility of government in the one above the other (I Sam. x ; xvi 8. God is the horn of his people's salvation; by his power and authority he protects and saves them, and thrusts and destroys their enemies.
7. The horns of the altar represented Christ's authority, and ability to save sinners from every end of the earth ; and, in allusion hereto, he is celled a horn of salvation (I Kings ii :28 ; Luke i :69) ; and his having seven horns, denotes the perfection of his power and authority (Rev. v:6).
8. The horns coming out of God's hand, in which was the hiding of his power, are the rays of the glorious brightness that attended him at Sinai, and the mighty displays of his power, in which his might was nevertheless but very par tially displayed (Hab. :4)• 9. Horns also signify kings and kingdoms (Dan. viii).
10. Antichrist's two horns as a lamb may de note his civil and ecclesiastic power (Rev. xiii : ).
11. The four horns that scattered Judah were their enemies from every place, particularly the Ammonites, Arabs, Samaritans, Philistines, and Syro-Grecians (Zech. i