Symbolism of the left and right hands

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Zen

Senior Member
Sep 11, 2015
752
16
18
#1
The right & left hand in the bible, mercy on the right, punishment on the left.

Matthew 25:34
Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

Matthew 25:41
Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

Leviticus 16:2
And the Lord said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the vail before the mercy seat, which is upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat.

Psalm 25:10 All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies.

The presence of God in the tabernacle in the wilderness was surely God's right hand because it was known as the mercy seat, and not the judgement seat or wrathful seat.

Isaiah 5:25
Therefore is the anger of the Lord kindled against his people, and he hath stretched forth his hand against them, and hath smitten them: and the hills did tremble, and their carcases were torn in the midst of the streets. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.

If I had to guess, I would say the left hand to smite them, but holding out the right hand for them to take hold of.

Isaiah 41:10
Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.

Hosea 12:6
Therefore turn thou to thy God: keep mercy and judgment and wait on thy God continually.
- In this scripture I believe the judgment (Strong's H4941) may be referring to the left hand, because it may require severity of punishment.

Deuteronomy 5:32
Ye shall observe to do therefore as the Lord your God hath commanded you: ye shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left.
- I believe that the 2 hands represent mercy and judgment (severity) as in Hosea 12:6. Both were desired by God, and not to forget either of them, hence to not turn from one side or the other.

Exodus 15:6
Thy right hand, O Lord, is become glorious in power: thy right hand, O Lord, hath dashed in pieces the enemy.
- Interesting that God uses His right hand to kill non-Israelites for the sake of mercy towards His people.

Do you have anything to add?
 
B

BeyondET

Guest
#3
Genesis 48:14
But Israel stretched out his right hand and laid it on the head of Ephraim, who was the younger, and his left hand on Manasseh's head, crossing his hands, although Manasseh was the firstborn.
 

Zen

Senior Member
Sep 11, 2015
752
16
18
#4
Genesis 48:14
But Israel stretched out his right hand and laid it on the head of Ephraim, who was the younger, and his left hand on Manasseh's head, crossing his hands, although Manasseh was the firstborn.
If you include the context you see something amazing.

Genesis 48:
[SUP]13 [/SUP]And Joseph took them both, Ephraim in his right hand toward Israel's left hand, and Manasseh in his left hand toward Israel's right hand, and brought them near unto him.

[SUP]14 [/SUP]And Israel stretched out his right hand, and laid it upon Ephraim's head, who was the younger, and his left hand upon Manasseh's head, guiding his hands wittingly; for Manasseh was the firstborn.


Israel had to stretch his arms over his body to bless them at the same time which made the shape of a cross. Right hand to left side, left hand to right side.
 
B

BeyondET

Guest
#5
Here's another interesting verse.

Proverbs 3:16
Long life is in her right hand; In her left hand are riches and honor.
 

Zen

Senior Member
Sep 11, 2015
752
16
18
#6
Here's another interesting verse.
Proverbs 3:16
Long life is in her right hand; In her left hand are riches and honor.
I think in the books of wisdom "her" and "she" refer to wisdom and understanding, which are feminine. And if you remember,

Proverbs 7:4
Say unto wisdom, Thou art my sister; and call understanding thy kinswoman:

Proverbs 8:1
Doth not wisdom cry? and understanding put forth her voice?

James 1:5
If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

Wisdom/understanding comes from God, from His right hand of righteousness.
 
B

BeyondET

Guest
#7
I think in the books of wisdom "her" and "she" refer to wisdom and understanding, which are feminine. And if you remember,

Proverbs 7:4
Say unto wisdom, Thou art my sister; and call understanding thy kinswoman:

Proverbs 8:1
Doth not wisdom cry? and understanding put forth her voice?

James 1:5
If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

Wisdom/understanding comes from God, from His right hand of righteousness.
Indeed HER = Wisdom
 
B

BeyondET

Guest
#8
Here's another interesting verse.

Proverbs 3:16
Long life is in her right hand; In her left hand are riches and honor.
Here's my opinion on the right and left hand of this verse.

Right hand of knowledge and the left of understanding.
 
B

BeyondET

Guest
#9
Song of Solomon 2:6
"Let his left hand be under my head And his right hand embrace me."
 
Feb 28, 2016
11,311
2,972
113
#10
JOSH. 1:7.
Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law,
which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left,
that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest.

PRO. 3:16.
Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour.

4:27.
Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.

MARK 10:40.
But to sit on My right hand and on My left hand is not Mine to give;
but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared.
 

stonesoffire

Poetic Member
Nov 24, 2013
10,665
1,829
113
#11
The right & left hand in the bible, mercy on the right, punishment on the left.

Matthew 25:34
Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

Matthew 25:41
Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

Leviticus 16:2
And the Lord said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the vail before the mercy seat, which is upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat.

Psalm 25:10 All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies.

The presence of God in the tabernacle in the wilderness was surely God's right hand because it was known as the mercy seat, and not the judgement seat or wrathful seat.

Isaiah 5:25
Therefore is the anger of the Lord kindled against his people, and he hath stretched forth his hand against them, and hath smitten them: and the hills did tremble, and their carcases were torn in the midst of the streets. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.

If I had to guess, I would say the left hand to smite them, but holding out the right hand for them to take hold of.

Isaiah 41:10
Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.

Hosea 12:6
Therefore turn thou to thy God: keep mercy and judgment and wait on thy God continually.
- In this scripture I believe the judgment (Strong's H4941) may be referring to the left hand, because it may require severity of punishment.

Deuteronomy 5:32
Ye shall observe to do therefore as the Lord your God hath commanded you: ye shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left.
- I believe that the 2 hands represent mercy and judgment (severity) as in Hosea 12:6. Both were desired by God, and not to forget either of them, hence to not turn from one side or the other.

Exodus 15:6
Thy right hand, O Lord, is become glorious in power: thy right hand, O Lord, hath dashed in pieces the enemy.
- Interesting that God uses His right hand to kill non-Israelites for the sake of mercy towards His people.

Do you have anything to add?
Zen

I love symbolism, and allegorical pictures that I see in the Greek and Hebrew language. What I do is to do a topical search on a certain word that is the same number in the Strongs concordance. That way you can get the meaning of the specific word. There may be different Hebrew words for our one word in English.

I just recently looked at the left hand to see what a vision that I had meant. In the picture, I saw myself gripping a sword with my left hand. I'm right handed so was puzzled why I saw the left.

The left hand in the Hebrew which coincided with my search means "mantle". The sword was one of an Old Testament person. What it meant was that the Lord was giving me a gifting associated with this person in scripture. I was prayed for and this vision came during the prayer. This kind of thing gives me great joy to find hidden treasures like this.