Arm

Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible

ARM . Part of the insignia of royalty amongst Oriental peoples was a bracelet worn on the arm (  2 Samuel 1:10; cf. W. R. Smith’s reading of   2 Kings 11:12 where, agreeing with Wellhausen, he would substitute ‘bracelet’ for ‘testimony’ [ OTJC [Note: TJC The Old Test. in the Jewish Church.] 2 311 n. [Note: . note.] ]). The importance attached to the functions discharged by this organ are incidentally referred to by Job in his solemn repudiation of conscious wrong-doing (‘Let my shoulder fall from the shoulder-blade, and mine arm be broken from the bone’   Job 31:22 ). The heart was said to be situated ‘between the arms,’ and, therefore, in the murder of Joram, the deadly aim of Jehu resulted in the instantaneous death of the former (  2 Kings 9:24 ). It is interesting to recall here the means by which Jeremiah escaped the vengeance of his political enemies, especially as the narrative reveals the affection inspired by the prophet amongst some of the courtiers (  Jeremiah 38:12 ). A note of vividness is introduced into the narratives telling of St. Paul’s method of bespeaking attention from a crowd which he was anxious to address (  Acts 13:16;   Acts 21:40; cf.   Acts 12:17 ). There is in the Gospels no more beautiful picture than the two presented by St. Mark, in which the tenderness of Jesus to little children is emphasized. In each of them is pointed out the startling method by which His teaching was often enforced objectively on His hearers’ attention (  Mark 9:36;   Mark 10:16 , cf.   Luke 2:28 ).

Besides this literal use, there is also an extensive employment of the word in a metaphorical or a spiritual sense. Sometimes we find it used to denote the strength of the ungodly and their power to commit acts of cruel tyranny on God’s people (cf.  Psalms 10:15 ,   Job 38:15 ,   Ezekiel 30:21 f.; cf. ‘arm of flesh,’   2 Chronicles 32:8 ,   Jeremiah 17:6 ). Sometimes the word expresses the might of God’s ceaseless activity either on behalf of His chosen (  Deuteronomy 33:27 ,   Psalms 44:3 ,   Isaiah 33:2;   Isaiah 63:12 ,   Acts 13:17 ), or in breaking the power of His enemies (  Exodus 6:6 ,   Deuteronomy 5:15 ,   Ezekiel 21:6;   Ezekiel 32:21 ), or again in upholding the movements and harmony of His creation, ruling in justice with unswerving sternness (  Ezekiel 20:33 f.,   Job 40:9 ,   Isaiah 40:16;   Isaiah 51:5 ,   Jeremiah 27:5;   Jeremiah 32:17 ). The doom pronounced on the house of Eli contains this word to express the removal of that latent vitality which shows itself in prolonged hereditary strength and activity (  1 Samuel 2:31 , cf.   Zechariah 11:17 ).

The cognate verb is also used not only literally, to furnish arms for the purposes of war ( Genesis 14:14 ,   Numbers 31:3;   Numbers 31:5 ), but also in a spiritual sense, to procure and make use of those graces and helps which are meant as weapons, offensive and defensive, of the soul against sin (  1 Peter 4:1 , cf.   Ephesians 6:13 ).

J. R. Willis.

Vine's Expository Dictionary of OT Words

Zerôa‛ ( זְרֹעָה , Strong'S #2220), "arm; power; strength; help." Cognates of zerôa‛— occur both in Northwest and South Semitic languages. Zerôa‛ is attested 92 times in biblical Hebrew and in all periods. The related word ‘ezroa’ appears twice (Job 31:22;—Jeremiah 32:21). Biblical Aramaic attests dra’ once and ‘edra once. Zerôa‛ means "arm," a part of the body: "Blessed be he that enlargeth Gad: he dwelleth as a lion, and teareth the arm with the crown of the head" (Deuteronomy 33:20). The word refers to arms in—Genesis 49:24—(the first occurrence): "But his bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong.…" The strength of his arms enabled him to draw the bow. In some passages, zerôa‛— refers especially to the forearm: "It shall be as when the harvestman gathereth the corn, and reapeth the ears with his arm.…" (Isaiah 17:5). Elsewhere, the word represents the shoulder: "And Jehu drew a bow with his full strength, and smote Jehoram between his arms …" (2 Kings 9:24).

Zerôa‛ connotes the "seat of strength": "He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms" (Psalm 18:34). In—Job 26:2, the poor are described as the arm that hath no strength.

God's strength is figured by anthropomorphisms (attributing to Him human bodily parts), such as His "stretched out arm" (Deuteronomy 4:34) or His "strong arm" (Jeremiah 21:5). In—Isaiah 30:30, the word seems to represent lightning bolts: "And the Lord shall cause his glorious voice to be heard, and shall show the lighting down of his arm, with the indignation of his anger, and with the flame of a devouring fire, with scattering, and tempest, and hailstones" (cf.—Job 40:9).

The arm is frequently a symbol of strength, both of man (1 Samuel 2:31) and of God (Psalm 71:18): "Now also when I am old and grayheaded, O God, forsake me not; until I have showed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to every one that is to come." In—Ezekiel 22:6— zerôa‛— may be translated "power": "Behold, the princes of Israel, every one were in thee to their power to shed blood." A third nuance is "help": "Assur also is joined with them: they have helped the children of Lot" (Psalm 83:8).

The word can represent political or military forces: "And the arms of the south shall not withstand, neither his chosen people, neither shall there be any strength to withstand" (Daniel 11:15; cf.—Ezekiel 17:9).

In—Numbers 6:19— zerôa‛— is used of an animal's shoulder: "And the priest shall take the sodden shoulder of the ram …" (cf.—Deuteronomy 18:3).

Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words

1: Ἀγκάλη (Strong'S #43 — Noun Feminine — ankale — ang-kal'-ay )

used in the plural, in  Luke 2:28 , originally denoted "the curve, or the inner angle, of the arm." The word is derived from a term signifying "to bend, to curve;" the Eng. "angle" is connected.

 Mark 9:36 10:16

2: Βραχίων (Strong'S #1023 — Noun Masculine — brachion — brakh-ee'-own )

"the shorter part of the arm, from the shoulder to the elbow," is used metaphorically to denote strength, power, and always in the NT of the power of God,  Luke 1:51;  John 12:38;  Acts 13:17; frequently so in the OT, especially in Deuteronomy, the Psalms and Isaiah; see, e.g.,  Deuteronomy 4:34;  5:15;  Psalm 44:3;  71:18 , where "strength" is, lit., "arm;"  Psalm 77:15;  Isaiah 26:11 , where "hand" is, lit., "arm;"  Isaiah 30:30;  40:10,11 , etc.

Webster's Dictionary

(1): (n.) A limb, or locomotive or prehensile organ, of an invertebrate animal.

(2): (n.) A branch of a tree.

(3): (n.) A slender part of an instrument or machine, projecting from a trunk, axis, or fulcrum; as, the arm of a steelyard.

(4): (n.) Anything resembling an arm

(5): (n.) The end of a yard; also, the part of an anchor which ends in the fluke.

(6): (n.) The limb of the human body which extends from the shoulder to the hand; also, the corresponding limb of a monkey.

(7): (n.) An inlet of water from the sea.

(8): (v. t.) To furnish or equip with weapons of offense or defense; as, to arm soldiers; to arm the country.

(9): (n.) A support for the elbow, at the side of a chair, the end of a sofa, etc.

(10): (n.) Fig.: Power; might; strength; support; as, the secular arm; the arm of the law.

(11): (n.) A branch of the military service; as, the cavalry arm was made efficient.

(12): (n.) A weapon of offense or defense; an instrument of warfare; - commonly in the pl.

(13): (v. t.) To take by the arm; to take up in one's arms.

(14): (v. t.) To furnish with arms or limbs.

(15): (n.) The fore limb of an animal, as of a bear.

(16): (v. t.) To cover or furnish with a plate, or with whatever will add strength, force, security, or efficiency; as, to arm the hit of a sword; to arm a hook in angling.

(17): (v. t.) Fig.: To furnish with means of defense; to prepare for resistance; to fortify, in a moral sense.

(18): (v. i.) To provide one's self with arms, weapons, or means of attack or resistance; to take arms.

King James Dictionary

'ARM, n. L. armus, an arm, a shoulder, a wing armus is directly from the Gr. a joint, it would seem to be formed from Gr. to fit.

1. The limb of the human body, which extends from the shoulder to the hand. 2. The branch of a tree, or the slender part of a machine, projecting from a trunk or axis. The limbs of animals are also sometimes called arms. 3. A narrow inlet of water from the sea. 4. Figuratively, power, might, strength as the secular arm. In this sense the word is often used in the scriptures.

To whom is the arm of the Lord revealed.  Isaiah 53 .

'Arm, L armo arma.

1. To furnish or equip with weapons of offense, or defense as, to arm the militia. 2. To cover with a plate, or with whatever will add strength, force, or security as, to arm the hilt of a sword. 3. To furnish with means of defense to prepare for resistance to fortify.

Arm yourselves with the same mind.  1 Peter 4 .

'ARM, To provide with arms, weapons, or means of attack or resistance to take arms as, the nations arm for war.

This verb is not really intransitive in this use, but reciprocal, the pronoun being omitted. The nations arm - for, the nations arm themselves.

Morrish Bible Dictionary

The member of the body which is capable of lifting burdens and defending the person: it is used symbolically for the power and strength of God on behalf of His saints.  Exodus 15:16;  Psalm 77:15;  Isaiah 51:9;  Isaiah 53:1 . The arm of Jehovah is often spoken of in the O.T. It redeemed,  Exodus 6:6; etc.; gathers His own,  Isaiah 40:11; and rules for Him,  Isaiah 40:10 , as in the kingdom. It is a holy arm,  Isaiah 52:10;  Psalm 98:1; and it is a glorious arm,  Isaiah 63:12 . The arm of the Lord is revealed to souls where there is repentance and faith in the report which God sends.  Isaiah 53:1;  Romans 10:16 . It is to be trusted in even by the isles of the Gentiles, that is, by sinners everywhere in creation.  Isaiah 51:5 .

Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types

 Exodus 6:6 (b) GOD's arm is used to represent His mighty power which no one can withstand. The arm "made bare" (  Isaiah 53:1) really represents an arm on which the sleeve has been rolled up to reveal the muscles there. The same truth is found in  Deuteronomy 4:4. GOD does not always reveal His love, tenderness, patience and kindness. Sometimes He manifests His anger, His mighty power, and His ability to destroy.

 1 Kings 8:42 (a) The arm in this passage represents GOD's unusual, miraculous work in delivering His people from enemies who were stronger and more cruel than they. It also represents His power to meet every need of Israel, and making of them a great and powerful nation. (See also  Deuteronomy 33:27).

 1 Peter 4:1 (b) To arm oneself is to be equipped with a knowledge of GOD, and of His Word in such a way that one is able to meet the arguments and antagonism of GOD's enemies successfully and intelligently.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

 Psalm 10:15 Ezekiel 30:21 Jeremiah 48:25 Exodus 15:16 Psalm 89:13 98:1 77:15 Isaiah 53:1 John 12:38 Acts 13:17

Holman Bible Dictionary

 Job 35:9 Job 38:15 Job 40:9 Psalm 10:15 Psalm 44:3 Exodus 6:6 Exodus 15:16 Deuteronomy 5:15 Isaiah 51:5 Luke 1:51

Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary

As it is by this member of the body that we chiefly exert our strength, it is therefore used in Scripture for an emblem of power. Thus God is said to have delivered his people from Egyptian bondage "with a stretched-out arm,"  Deuteronomy 5:15; and he thus threatens Eli the high priest, "I will cut off thine arm, and the arm of thy father's house,"

 1 Samuel 2:31; that is, I will deprive thee and thy family of power and authority.

Fausset's Bible Dictionary

Figure for might, of God ( Isaiah 53:1). "Break the arm," i.e. the power ( Ezekiel 30:21). "Stretched out arm," image from a warrior with spear or sword thrust forth: all the power put forth ( Joshua 8:26;  Isaiah 5:25).

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

arm ( זרוע , zerōa‛ , אזרוע , 'ezrōa‛ , דּרע , derā‛  ; βραχίων , brachı́ōn  ; חצן , ḥōcen , כּתף , kāthēph ): The usual form is zerōa‛ from the root zāra‛ , "to spread." The arm may be "stretched out." 'Ezrōa‛ is this form with prosthetic 'ālēph ( Job 31:22;  Jeremiah 32:21 ), and derā‛ is the Aramaic form. Ḥōcen is really "bosom," thus the Revised Version (British and American) ( Isaiah 49:22 ); and kāthēph is "shoulder," thus the Revised Version (British and American) ( Job 31:22 ). Compare χείρ , cheı́r , also, in  Acts 11:21 .

Figurative: The arm denotes influence, power, means of support or conquest. The arms of Moab ( Jeremiah 48:25 ) and of Pharaoh ( Ezekiel 30:21 ) are broken. The arm of Eli and the arm of his father's house are to be cut off ( 1 Samuel 2:31 ). Because the arm wielded the sword it signified "oppression" ( Job 35:9 ). The arms are the means of support, therefore to refuse to aid the fatherless is to break their arms ( Job 22:9 ).

Applied anthropomorphically to God, the arm denotes also His power, power to deliver, support, conquer. His "outstretched arm" delivered Israel from Egypt ( Exodus 6:6;  Deuteronomy 4:34 , etc.). They support: "Underneath are the everlasting arms" ( Deuteronomy 33:27 ). His arm protects ( Isaiah 40:11 ). Yahweh is sometimes likened to a warrior and smites with His arm ( Psalm 89:10;  Isaiah 63:5;  Jeremiah 21:5 ). The arm of Yahweh is holy ( Psalm 98:1;  Isaiah 52:10 ). Many other passages of Scripture might be quoted showing how the power of God to redeem, judge, protect, punish is expressed by the idea of "the arm of Yahweh."

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

(usually זְרוֹעִ , Zero-'D, Βραχίων ) is frequently used in Scripture in a metaphorical sense to denote power. Hence, to " break the arm" is to diminish or to destroy the power ( Psalms 10:15;  Ezekiel 30:21;  Jeremiah 48:25). It is also employed to denote the infinite power of God ( Psalms 89:13;  Psalms 48:2;  Isaiah 53:1;  John 12:38). In a few places the metaphor is, with great force, extended to the action of the arm, as, "I will redeem you with a stretched-out arm" ( Exodus 6:5), that is, with a power fully exerted. The figure is here taken from the attitude of ancient warriors baring and outstretching the arm for fight. Thus, in  Isaiah 52:10, "Jehovah hath made bare his holy arm in the sight of all the nations." Lowth has shown, from the Sept. and other versions, that in  Isaiah 9:20, ' they shall eat every one the flesh of his own arm" should be " the flesh of his neighbor," similar to  Jeremiah 19:9, meaning that they should harass and destroy one another. (See Wemyss's Clavis Symbolica, p. 23, 24.)

Kitto's Popular Cyclopedia of Biblial Literature

This word is frequently used in Scripture in a metaphorical sense to denote power. Hence, to 'break the arm' is to diminish or destroy the power ( Psalms 10:15;  Ezekiel 30:21;  Jeremiah 48:25). It is also employed to denote the infinite power of God ( Psalms 89:13;  Psalms 98:1;  Isaiah 53:1;  John 12:38). In a few places the metaphor is, with great force, extended to the action of the arm, as: 'I will redeem you with a stretched out arm' ( Exodus 6:5), that is, with a power fully exerted. The figure is here taken from the attitude of ancient warriors baring and outstretching the arm for fight. Thus in  Isaiah 52:10, 'Jehovah hath made bare his holy arm in the sight of all the nations.'