(3) The common figurative use of "horn" is taken from the image of battling animals (literal use in
Da 8:7, etc.) to denote aggressive strength. So Zedekiah ben Chenaanah illustrates the predicted defeat of the enemies by pushing with iron horns (
1Ki 22:11;
2Ch 18:10), while "horns of the wildox" (
De 33:17;
Ps 22:21;
92:10, the King James Version "unicorn") represent the magnitude of power, and in
Zec 1:18-21 "horns" stand for power in general. In
Hab 3:4 the "horns coming out of his hand" denote the potency of
Yahweh's gesture (the Revised Version (British and American) "rays" may be smoother, but is weak). So to "exalt the horn" (
1Sa 2:1,
10;
Ps 75:4, etc.) is to clothe with strength, and to "cut off the horn" (not to be explained by
Am 3:14) is to rob of power (
Ps 75:10;
Jer 48:25). Hence, the "horn of salvation" in
2Sa 22:3;
Ps 18:2;
Lu 1:69 is a means of active defense and not a place of sanctuary as in
1Ki 1:50. When, in
Da 7:7-24;
8:3,
8,
9,
20,
21;
Re 13:1;
17:3,
7,
12,
16, many horns are given to the same animal, they figure successive nations or rulers. But the seven horns in
Re 5:6;
12:3 denote the completeness of the malevolent or righteous power. In
Re 13:11, however, the two horns
point only to the external imitation of the harmless lamb, the "horns" being mere stubs.