qeren. Trumpets were perhaps at first merely horns perforated at the
tip. In Joshua 6:4-5, instead of "trumpets of rams' horns," translated
"Jubilee trumpets." Rams' horns would scarcely have been effective
enough. Hajobeel, from jabal "to stream violently with noise," is the
name for a long wind instrument like a horn. Used for summoning to war,
or for public proclamations (Judges 3:27; Judges 7:18). The horn was
also used for a flask to contain oil (1 Samuel 16:1); also to contain
stibium or antimony to beautify the eyelashes and eyelids of women;
from whence Job's daughter drew her name Keren-happuch, "horn of
stibium," in contrast to Job's "horn defiled in the dust" formerly (Job
16:15).
The "horn" being the instrument of the oxen's strength is
the symbol of power (1 Kings 22:11). The "horns of the (See ALTAR" were
simply projections from the four corners. The peak of a hill is called
a horn. Isaiah 5:1, "a very fruitful hill" Hebrew "a horn of the son of
oil," as the Swiss Shreckhorn, Wetterhorn, Celtic cairn. In Habakkuk
3:4, "He had horns coming out of His hand" means, He had the emblems of
power wielded by His hand (L. de Dieu), or else rays" (i.e.
lightnings): Psalm 18:8 (Maurer). So Exodus 34:29-30; Exodus 34:35,
qaaran, "to horn," is used in the sense to emit rays. Livingstone
mentions a horn-shaped cap as worn by Africans; married Druse women
wear silver horns on their heads.
The ram with two horns (Daniel 8:3) represents the
Medo-Persian double power. The "notable horn" of the "he goat" (Daniel
8:5) is Alexander the Great who on coins is represented with horns. The
four horns in Zechariah 1:18 represent the four ruling powers of the
world, to be superseded finally by Messiah's kingdom: Babylon,
Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome. (On "the little horn" of the third and
of the fourth world powers (Daniel 7:8; Daniel 8:9). (See ANTICHRIST.)
On Egyptian and Roman coins, and in Assyrian sculptures, are figures of
gods with horns, symbolical of power. "A horn of salvation" means
mighty instrument of salvation (Luke 1:69).
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