HAMATH; Canaan had a son quer, as a full balance for the loss of their tribute. Ahasuerus replied, of this name, who was the father of the Hamathites, 1 Chron. i. 16. Gen. x. 18; and from whom, it is possible, the places called Hamath, or Hammath, derived their name. There appears to have been a variety of Hamaths: (1.) Hamath, a country where Solomon built store-cities, which perhaps was about Hammon, or Hammath-dor in Galilee, where the crops were exceedingly plentiful; if it was not the same with Hamath-Zo that he freely allowed him to extirpate that people. Haman immediately dispatched letters in the king's name, to all the provinces of the empire to massacre the Jews among them on the day appointed, and to take their wealth for a prey. He mightily rejoiced in his success and wealth; and the more, that queen Esther had invited him only along with the king to her banquet; but signified, that it galled his spirit to see Mordecai thebah on the south-east of Syria near Jew sitting at the king's gate. Ze- Tadmor, and which was the only city resh his wife, and other friends, ad- that Solomon appears to have warred vised him to erect a gallows immie- against, 2 Chron. viii. 3, 4. (2.) Hadiately, and get the king's allowance math a city of Naphtali, near the ento hang Mordecai thereon. A gallows trance into Hollow Syria, Josh. xiii. was erected, about 75, or 90 feet high: || 5. and xix. 35. Which of these two and he went in next morning to ask Hamaths Jeroboam restored to Israel, the king's leave to hang Mordecai on we know not, though we are most apt it but the king prevented his re- to suspect it was Hamath-Zobah. quest, by ordering him to array Mor- (3.) Hamath the Great, which seems decai in the royal apparel, and as his to be the same as Epiphania, or Emepage lead his horse through the city sa, cities pretty far northward in Syof Shushan, and proclaim that he was ria, Amos vi. 2: nor know we, whe one of the king's chief favourites.- ther it was this or Hamath-Zobah Stung with grief, he posted home as that Toi was king of. soon as his task was finished, and told his wife and friends what had happened. They told him, that his begun fall before Mordecai was a sad omen of the fatal consequences of his project against the Jews. That very day, Esther accused him as the intended murderer of her and her nation; and begged the king would interpose for their lives. Ahasuerus having got out in a rage, Hamnan fell at the queen's feet to implore her intercession for his life: the king returning, reproached him as attempting to stain the honour of his bed. Glad of Haman's downfal, the servants covered his face; and Harbonah the chamberlain told the king, that Haman had prepared a gallows to hang Mordecai, the preserver of the king's life: Ahasuerus ordered him to be hung up on it directly. Not long after, his ten sons shared the same fate, Esth. iii. v. vi. vii. and ix. See FEAST of Purim. HAMMER: God's word is like a hammer; therewith he breaks our heart, and fastens the nails of his divine influence therein, Jer. xxiii. 29. Babylon was the hammer of the whole earth; the Chaldean armies brake in pieces, and subdued a multitude of nations, Jer. 1. 23. Nah. i. 2. HAMONAH; the name which Ezekiel gives to a city, and HammonGog, the name he assigns to a valley, imports, that multitudes of Gog, or the Turks, shall be killed in some place of Canaan, Ezek. xxxix. 11, 16. HAMOR, or EMMOR. See JACOB, SHECHEM. HANANI. See ASA. HANANIAH. See SHADRACH, JEREMIAH, NEHEMIAH. HAND, especially the right, being a member so much used in business, it is much used in metaphoric language. Pouring water on one's hands, imported serving of him, 2 Kings iii. 11. Washing of hands, imported their readiness to be the first in stonprofession of innocence, Deut. xxi. 6. ing him, Deut. xiii. 9. and xvii. 7. Matth xxvii. 24; or a solemn purga- The Hebrews laying their hands on tion of one's self in Jesus's blood, and their sacrifices before they were slain, a resolution to endeavour an holy imported their solemn confession of practice, Psal. xxvi. 6. Kissing of the their sin, and their deserving to die; hand to a thing, imported adoration of their ceremonial translation of their it, Job xxxi. 27. The consecration of guilt on the victim, and profession to the priests was called a filling of their trust in Jesus, the great sacrifice for hands, because part of the consecrato- their atonement, Lev. i. 4. and xvi. ry offerings was put into their hands, 21. Laying on of hands, was used in 1 Kings xiii. 33. Heb. Leaning on setting apart men to an office: so one's hand, imported the familiarity Moses marked his setting apart Joshua of a superior with his inferior, 2 to his office of governorship, Numb. Kings v. 18. and vii. 17. Striking of xxvii. 18. So the Levites under the hands, imports undertaking, as surety Old Testament, and ministers under for one's debt or good behaviour, the New, are set apart to their office, Prov. xvii. 18. and xxii. 26. Putting by laying on of hands, Numb. viii. 10. the hand under the thigh, was an anci- Acts xiii. 3. 1 Tim. iv. 14. It was ent form of swearing: but that it sig- also used in blessing of persons: so nified subjection to the person under Jacob blessed Joseph's children, Gen. whose thigh the hand was put, or a xlviii. 14; and so Jesus blessed the belief of the Messiah's proceeding || little children brought to him, Mark from his loins, we dare not peremptori- x. 16. The miraculous gifts of the ly affirm, Gen. xxiv. 2. and xlvii. 29. || Holy Ghost were conferred by laying Giving of the hand, imports making a on of the apostles' hands, Acts viii. 17. covenant with one; or serving him, and xix. 6. Hiding the hand in the 2 Kings x. 15. Lam. v. 6. 1 Chron. bosom denotes a great inactivity, or xxix. 20. Stretching out the hand to sluggish aversion to do or receive God, imports earnest prayer for his any thing, Prov. xix. 24. Clapping favours, and solemn dedication of our-of hands, denotes great joy and reselves to him, Psal. lxviii. 31. and joicing, Psal. xlvii. 1; and the clapcxliii. 6. Lifting up the hand, in af-ping of hands by trees and floods, de firmation, imported swearing of the notes universal joy and gladness, Isa. point, Gen. xiv. 22. Lifting up the Iv. 12. Psal. xcviii. 8; but sometimes hands in prayer, or in the priest's it denotes contempt, and noisy deblessings, imported solemn wishing of rision, Ezek. xxv. 6. Job xxxiv. 37. blessings, to come from God, Lev. ix. With respect to station, one on the 22: but to lift up the hand against a right hand was honourable, one on superior, is to rebel against him, 2 the left not so much, Matth. xx. 21. Sam. xx. 21. To put forth the hand With respect to airths, the left hand against one, is to kill him, 1 Sam. signifies the north, and the right xxiv. 10. To put our hand to our hand the south; and yet sometimes neighbour's goods, is to steal them, it may only signify different airths, Exod. xxii. 8, 11. To lay the hand Gen. xiii. 9; and so our not turning on the mouth, imports silence, Job xl. from God's law to the left hand or to 4. Mic. vii. 16. To lay hands angri- the right, imports our following it ly on persons, is to apprehend and most exactly in every point, neither smite them, Exod. xxiv. 11; or seize indulging ourselves in neglect of what on their country, Isa. xi. 14. Wit-it requires, nor pretending to go benesses laid their hands on the head of the person accused: importing their || solemn charging him with guilt, or yond it, Josh. i. 7. and xxiii. 6. Prov. iv. 27. God's standing at men's right hand, imports his regard to them, and his hand out of his bosom, when he exerts his power for the deliverance of his people, and withdraws it, when he forbears to help, comfort, or deliver them, Psal. Ixxiv. 11. Christ sits at God's right hand; he is instated in his highest favour, and in the highest honour and authority, Rom. viii. 34. Christ's hands as gold rings set with the beryl, and which embrace his people, are his divine, well ordered, and glorious power and office, whereby he saves, supports, and comforts us, Song v. 14. andii.6. and viii.3. His stretching out his hands to men in the offer of the gospel, readiness to plead their cause, and || man, to life again; nor will he pursue assist and comfort them, Psal. xvi. 8. || me further than the grave with his and cix. 31. Satan's standing at men's || judgments, Job xxx. 24. God plucks right hand, imports his accusing of them, hindering them from their proper work; and his readiness to torment them, Zech. iii. 1. Psal. cix. 6. In giving alms, we are not to let our left hand know what our right doth ; i. c. are to bestow them with all proper secrecy, and with no proud ostentation, Matth. vi. 3. Though hand join in hand; i. e. though all men should use their most vigorous and concurrent efforts to protect a wicked he shall not go unpunished, Prov. xi. 21. To be in the hand of persons, is to be in their possession, or under their management; or un-denotes his earnest calling of them, his der their power and dominion, Job xii. 6. Gen. xxxix. 6. 2 Kings xxi. 14. Psal. xxxi. 15. A darling, and apparently pleasant and profitable lust to be mortified, is likened to a right hand, or foot, or eye, to be cut off or pluckt out, Matth. v. 29, 30. and well-ordered conversation, there is to xviii. 8, 9. To have one's life or soul in his hand, is to be in extreme hazard || of death, 1 Sam. xix. 5. Job xiii. 14. Psal. cxix. 109. man, readiness to receive them, and supply them out of his fulness, Isa. lxv. 2. Prov. i. 24. Length of days is in his, or wisdom's, right hand, and in his ||left riches and honour. In receiving and walking in him, in a wise and be had life and happiness, here and hereafter, Prov. iii. 16. He has the stars or ministers in his right hand; he supports, protects, and governs As hands are the instrument of ac- them, Rev. i. 16. Angels and ministion, doing, or receiving, they are of-ters have the hands of a man; they ten the emblems of power and work. act with knowledge and affection, God's hand, or right hand, signifies || Ezek. i. 8. Hands weak, or hanging his power, and the exertion thereof, dorun, denote persons dispirited, and either in a way of mercy or wrath, unfit for action, Job iv. 3. Heb. xii. Psal. Ixiii. 8. Deut. xxxii. 4. So his 12. To lift up the hands to God's powerful influence to instruct, or sup-commandments, is to be devoted to, port a prophet, is called his hand be- and earnest in obeying God's law in ing on or with him, 1 Kings xviii. 46. our practice, Psal. cxix. 4. 8. Clean Ezek. i. 3. and iii. 14. His judgments and holy hands, denote a blameless executed, are called his heavy hand, and holy practice, Psal. xxiv. 3. 1 Sam. v. 11. His stretching out his Tim. ii. 8. Hands defiled and bloody, hand, imports his exertion of his pow-denote a practice corrupt and murdeer to protect and deliver his friends, or rous, Ezek. xxiii. 37. Isa. i. 15.terribly punish his foes, Exod. iii. 20;|| Slack_hands, import a careless, inacor his continuing to threaten men tive practice, Prov. x. 4. Faith, wherewith further strokes, Isa. ix. 12. and by we receive Christ, and every good xiv. 26, 27. He will not stretch out || thing, and work by love, is hands drophis hand to the grave, though they crying with myrrh on the handles of the in his destruction. Let friends mourn ever so bitterly, God will not, by his power, bring me, or any other dead lock, sweetly influenced by Jesus's 1 |