Dictionary of Deities and Demons in the Bible Online

Get access

Arm זרוע
(429 words)

I. Name

Within the framework of anthropomorphic depictions of the divine, the arm (zerôaʿ) of God is metaphorically used to denote divine military, creative and caring power in the Old Testament. At Isa. 63.12 the ‘arm of God’ functions as a hypostasis. In an Aramaic inscription from Taima, about 400 bce, drʿʾ, ‘Arm’, seems to be an indication for a deity.

II. Identity

In Ugaritic texts, mention is made of the ḏrʿ, ‘arm’, of deities like Baal and El without any specific significance other than the anthrop…

Cite this page
B. Becking, “Arm זרוע”, in: Dictionary of Deities and Demons in the Bible Online, Edited by: Karel van der Toorn, Bob Becking, Pieter W. van der Horst. Consulted online on 28 March 2023 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/2589-7802_DDDO_DDDO_Arm>



▲   Back to top   ▲