The Horns of the Altar

In the time of the law of Moses the Israelites had an altar with horns.  These were protrusions from the altar at each of the four corners (see a picture here on p. 166).  Leviticus teaches that the priests were to put blood on the horns of the altar and this seems to have been symbolic of the cleansing power of Christ’s atonement (Leviticus 4:7).  What really interests me is what both Adonijah and Joab did in relation to the horns of the altar 1 Kings 1-2.  This was at the time of transition between David and Solomon, and Adonijah, a son of David, desired the throne for himself.  He tried to rally support, but ultimately David chose Solomon and he won the day.  Knowing that he was not going to be king, we read that “Adonijah feared because of Solomon, and arose, and went, and caught hold on the horns of the altar.”  He refused to let go of the horns of the altar until as he said, “King Solomon swear unto me to day that he will not slay his servant with the sword” (1 Kings 1:50-51).  Adonijah clearly felt that there was some kind of safety in holding on to the horns of the altar. 

In the next chapter Joab, who had joined with Adonijah against Solomon, likewise “fled unto the tabernacle of the Lord, and caught hold on the horns of the altar” (1 Kings 2:28).  Again he felt there was some kind of refuge in holding onto the horns of the altar that would protect him from Solomon.  Ultimately it didn’t save either Adonijah or Joab from Solomon—they were both killed—but I think this reaction of seeking refuge at the altar is still symbolic and is worth thinking about.  The Old Testament Study Manual says this about the action of holding onto the horns of the altar: “The horns of the altar of sacrifice were considered a sanctuary where a person could cling until his case was investigated and tried” (see here).

                The word “horn” is used in two other places in the Bible that are worth noting and perhaps provides some insight as to what the horns of the altar might teach us.  In Zacharias’s prophesying after the miraculous birth of his son John the Baptist, he said, “And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David” (Luke 1:69).  So Christ is a “horn of salvation” to save Israel.  Similarly, Hannah the mother of Samuel said, “My heart rejoiceth in the Lord, mine horn is exalted in the Lord: my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice in thy salvation” (1 Samuel 2:1).  Here the horn seems to be a representation of her own power through the Lord.  So perhaps we can view the ancient action of coming to the horns of the altar for physical protection as symbolizing coming to Christ for salvation and protection, both to gain power for ourselves to overcome the challenges of the world and to find peace in the power of the atonement that cleanses us.  We should come to the horns of the altar in our day—the temple—and seek cleansing, protection, and the power of God there as we are faced with the great challenges and wickedness in our day.  And we must never let go of them.