* Purpureo velare comas adopertus amictu,
Ne qua inter sanctos ignes in honore deorum
Hostilis facies occurrat et omina turbet.’ (@) The meaning of the interesting ceremony de- scribed in 18 7%, when the Israelites, moved to repentance by the words of Samuel, drew water and poured it out before Jahweh, is unfortunately
SYMBOL, SYMBOLICAL ACTIONS
not clear. But perhaps we shall not be wrong to find in it an expression of humility. Bowed down with grief for its sin, the soul melts like water before its God (Ps 67), and prostrates itself before Him (Ps 22% ‘like water I am poured out,’ La 2}°),—(c) Much clearer is the meaning of the action attributed in Zec 9° to the future ideal king, namely, the riding upon an ass. This is a striking allusion to the eminently peaceful aims of his rule. For the ass was the riding animal not of poverty (cf. 1 K 1°*) but of peace, whereas the horse along with the battle-bow is to be expelled from the future kingdom of God (Zec 92, Is 24 305, Mt 217 26°, Jn 18%),
(h) A connecting link between the symbolical actions of common life and those of the religious sphere is found in the lifting up of the hand, by which swearing is symbolized. The first instance of this meets us in Abraham’s words, °3 ‘nit ‘1 have lifted up my hand’ (Gn 14”), and we have noted the same gesture as mentioned in the fol- lowing passages: Ex 68 (‘nxy3), Nu 14%, Dt 32%, Ezk 20° 15. 23.28 367 442 4714 Ps 106%, Neh 9%», Dn 12’7t. To the same category belongs the somewhat obscure expression 7) o>>y 7 (Ex 171), whether 03 be regarded as a by-form of xpa ‘throne,’ which to the present writer appears im- possible, or whether it is a corrupt form of 03 ‘standard.’ The latter view seems to us the correct one, because the words manifestly point back to the rod of God (v.%), which had once more evinced its character as the standard of Jahweh by the defeat of the Amalekites (vv.°!%). The most probable rendering would thus be: ‘ With my hand on the standard of Jahweh I declare [as interpreter of the Divine oracle in v.14"], War con- tinues for Jahweh against Amalek from generation to generation.’ Swearing is symbolized, further, by placing the hand under the thigh: Gn 24° 47°. See art. THIGH in vol. iv.
There are also two isolated actions mentioned in the OT, which are performed not on their own account, but in order to express an idea. We refer to the cutting in pieces of the concubine of the Levite (Jg 19”), and of Saul’s two oxen (18 117), both of which tokens bear the marks of symbol.
B. SYMBOLICAL ACTIONS IN THE RELIGIOUS LIFE, — (a) Constant or usual actions. (a) In prayer we find, first of all, the spreading out of the palms of the hands (0132, Ex 9% °8, 1 K 8 58.04, Is 1%, Ps 4421 635, Job 112, Ezr 9°, 2 Ch 612. 8b. 29 ; ef. Ps 1412, La 293%). This gesture symbolizes the thought that one comes forward as a suppliant and desires to obtain gifts from God. Hence it is intelli- gible how also at times the hands simply (0:1:) are spread out (Ps 143°, La 12%), or lifted up (Ps 28? 134°,
eh 8°, 1 Ti 28), or stretched forth (2 Mac 3” mporet- ve Tas xeipas). It is not at all likely that the word p53 ‘palms of the hands’ was chosen because origin- ally it was the custom to stroke the image of the god (Wellhausen, Reste?, 105). Would this have been a reason for retaining 03 with the verb ‘spread out’? It may be noted that the heathen Arabs also lifted up their hands to heaven in the act of prayer: e.g. we read, ‘Then he lifted up his hand towards heaven, and said, O Allah, give me victory over Nahd!’ This is a parallel to Ex 17" (G. Jacob, Altarab. Parallelen, p. 8).—Further, in raying, one practised bowing down (Gn 24°° 47°1, 1K 1‘, Job 1”, Neh 8°, Jg 9!) or kneeling (1 K 8”, Ps 95%, Dn 6", Ezr 9°*, 2 Ch 6%, Ac 20° Gels ra yovara), sinking of the head (1S 1°, 1 K 18%, Ps 353, Dn 9%). There can be no doubt as to the idea expressed by these actions. They amount to a confession that man humbles himself before his Lord and Judge. tees
(8) In the act of blessing, the hand is laid upon
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the head of the recipient, or at least stretched out towards him (Gn 48", Ly 9”, 2 K 13, Mt 193, Mk 10', Lk 24°), This imposition or motion of the hand is meant to symbolize the passing over of the blessing from the one party to the other—an idea which is expressed by the imposition of hands in other cases as well. Cf. the following groups of passages: Nu 8! 2738 Dt 349, Ac 6® 13%, 1 Ti 414 5%, 2Ti 1°; Ly 167 2414, Sus #4; Ex 2919, Ly 14 ete. ; Mt 9%, Mk 5” ete., Rev 127.
(y) Other parts of the cultus also provided rich material for symbolical actions. To follow up what was said a moment ago, the incense offering is interpreted in Ps 141 and Rev 58 8% as express- ing the idea of prayer ascending to heaven. And no less are the other offerings the medium whereby such feelings as gratitude or penitence or the long- ing for reconciliation with God are expressed in an unmistakable fashion. For a God who is spirit has no need of such offerings for Himself (Ps 50" ; cf. Is 4016 and Ac 17”).