Hor

Mountain. (1.) One of the mountains of the chain of Seir or "Edom, on the confines of Idumea (Num. 20:22-29; 33:37). It was" "one of the stations of the Israelites in the wilderness (33:37)," which they reached in the circuitous route they were obliged to take because the Edomites refused them a passage through their territory. It was during the encampment here that Aaron died (Num. 33:37-41). (See [284]AARON.) The Israelites passed this mountain several times in their wanderings. It bears the modern "name of Jebel Harun, and is the highest and most conspicious of" the whole range. It stands about midway between the Dead Sea and "the Elanitic gulf. It has two summits, in the hallow between" "which it is supposed that Aaron died. Others, however, suppose" "that this mountain is the modern Jebel Madurah, on the opposite," "i.e., the western, side of the Arabah." "(2.) One of the marks of the northern boundary of Palestine "(Num. 34:7, 8). Nowhere else mentioned. Perhaps it is one of the" peaks of Lebanon.

"Desert or mountain of the dried-up ground, a general name for" the whole mountain range of which Sinai was one of the summits "(Ex. 3:1; 17:6; 33:6; Ps. 106:19, etc.). The modern name of the" "whole range is Jebel Musa. It is a huge mountain block, about 2" "miles long by about 1 in breadth, with a very spacious plain at" "its north-east end, called the Er Rahah, in which the Israelites" encamped for nearly a whole year. (See [285]SINAI.)

"Consecrated, one of the fenced cities of Naphtali (Josh. 19:38)."

"Cave-men, a race of Troglodytes who dwelt in the limestone caves" "which abounded in Edom. Their ancestor was "Seir," who probably" gave his name to the district where he lived. They were a branch "of the Hivites (Gen. 14:6; 36:20-30; 1 Chr. 1:38, 39). They were" "dispossessed by the descendants of Esau, and as a people" gradually became extinct (Deut. 2:12-22).

"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 (Num. 14:45). This "place, or perhaps the watch-tower commanding it, was originally" "called Zephath (Judg. 1:17), the modern Sebaiteh. Afterwards" "(Num. 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" (Josh. 12:14; Judg. 1:17)."

"Trumpets were at first horns perforated at the tip, used for" "various purposes (Josh. 6:4, 5)." "Flasks or vessels were made of horn (1 Sam. 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 (Ex. 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; "Lev. 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 (Isa. 5:1, "where the word "hill" is the rendering of the same Hebrew word)." "This word is used metaphorically also for strength (Deut. 33:17) "and honour (Job 16:15; Lam. 2:3). Horns are emblems of power," "dominion, glory, and fierceness, as they are the chief means of" "attack and defence with the animals endowed with them (Dan. 8:5," "9; 1 Sam. 2:1; 16:1, 13; 1 Kings 1:39; 22:11; Josh. 6:4, 5; Ps." "75:5, 10; 132:17; Luke 1:69, etc.). The expression "horn of" "salvation," applied to Christ, means a salvation of strength, or" "a strong Saviour (Luke 1:69). To have the horn "exalted" denotes" "prosperity and triumph (Ps. 89:17, 24). To "lift up" the horn is" to act proudly (Zech. 1:21). "Horns are also the symbol of royal dignity and power (Jer. 48:25; Zech. 1:18; Dan. 8:24).

"Heb. tsir'ah, "stinging", (Ex. 23:28; Deut. 7:20; Josh. 24:12)." The word is used in these passages as referring to some means by which the Canaanites were to be driven out from before the Israelites. Some have supposed that the word is used in a metaphorical sense as the symbol of some panic which would seize "the people as a "terror of God" (Gen. 35:5), the consternation" with which God would inspire the Canaanites. In Palestine there "are four species of hornets, differing from our hornets, being" "larger in size, and they are very abundant. They "attack human" "beings in a very furious manner." "The furious attack of a swarm" "of hornets drives cattle and horses to madness, and has even" "caused the death of the animals."

"Two caverns, a city of Moab to the south of the Arnon, built," "apparently, upon an eminence, and a place of some importance" "(Isa. 15:5; Jer. 48:3, 5, 34)."

"The designation of Sanballat (Neh. 2:10, 19), a native of" "Horonaim, or of one of the two Beth-horons, the "upper" or the" "nether, mentioned in Josh. 16:3, 5."

Always referred to in the Bible in connection with warlike "operations, except Isa. 28:28. The war-horse is described Job" 39:19-25. For a long period after their settlement in Canaan the "Israelites made no use of horses, according to the prohibition," Deut. 17:16. David was the first to form a force of cavalry (2 "Sam. 8:4). But Solomon, from his connection with Egypt, greatly" "multiplied their number (1 Kings 4:26; 10:26, 29). After this," horses were freely used in Israel (1 Kings 22:4; 2 Kings 3:7; "9:21, 33; 11:16). The furniture of the horse consisted simply of" a bridle (Isa. 30:28) and a curb (Ps. 32:9).

"A gate in the wall of Jerusalem, at the west end of the bridge," leading from Zion to the temple (Neh. 3:28; Jer. 31:40).

Occurs only in Prov. 30:15 (Heb. `alukah); the generic name for any blood-sucking annelid. There are various species in the "marshes and pools of Palestine. That here referred to, the" "Hoemopis, is remarkable for the coarseness of its bite, and is" therefore not used for medical purposes. They are spoken of in "the East with feelings of aversion and horror, because of their" propensity to fasten on the tongue and nostrils of horses when they come to drink out of the pools. The medicinal leech (Hirudo "medicinalis), besides other species of leeches, are common in" the waters of Syria.

"Heb. ba'al parash, "master of a horse." The "horsemen" mentioned" "Ex. 14:9 were "mounted men", i.e., men who rode in chariots. The" army of Pharaoh consisted of a chariot and infantry force. We "find that at a later period, however, the Egyptians had cavalry" (2 Chr. 12:3). (See [286]HORSE.)

Definition of Hor:
"who conceives, or shows; a hill"