Parts of the hand used in various kinds of activity, both good and bad. They were prominent in the OT sacrificial ritual, and were also used as a symbol for authority, accusation and minimum effort.
Regular activities using the fingers
Psalm 144:1; Proverbs 31:19; Song of Solomon 5:5
Fingers used in sacrificial ritual
In the consecration of priests
Exodus 29:12 See also Leviticus 8:15
Take some of the blood of the bull and put it on the horns of the altar with your finger; then pour out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar.
In the ritual for the sin offering
Leviticus 4:6 See also Leviticus 4:17, Leviticus 4:25, Leviticus 4:30, Leviticus 4:34, Leviticus 9:9
The priest is to dip his finger in the blood and sprinkle some of it seven times before the LORD, in front of the veil of the sanctuary.
In the ritual of the Day of Atonement
Leviticus 16:14, Leviticus 16:19
In cleansing rituals
The finger as a unit of measurement
Deformed fingers
2 Samuel 21:20 parallel 1 Chronicles 20:6
Jesus Christ's fingers
Jesus Christ heals with his fingers
Some people brought to Him a man who was deaf and hardly able to speak, and they begged Jesus to place His hand on him. So Jesus took him aside privately, away from the crowd, and put His fingers into the man’s ears. Then He spit and touched the man’s tongue. And looking up to heaven, He sighed deeply and said to him, “Ephphatha!” (which means, “Be opened!” ). Immediately the man’s ears were opened and his tongue was released, and he began to speak plainly.
Jesus Christ writes with his fingers
John 8:6 See also Daniel 5:5
They said this to test Him, in order to have a basis for accusing Him. But Jesus bent down and began to write on the ground with His finger.
Proving Jesus Christ's resurrection
John 20:25 See also John 20:27
So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he replied, “Unless I see the nail marks in His hands, and put my finger where the nails have been, and put my hand into His side, I will never believe.”
Evil done with the fingers
Idolatrous worship
Isaiah 2:8 See also Isaiah 17:8, Isaiah 59:3
Their land is full of idols; they bow down to the work of their hands, to what their fingers have made.
Making accusations
Isaiah 58:9 See also Proverbs 6:12–13
Then you will call, and the LORD will answer; you will cry out, and He will say, ‘Here I am.’ If you remove the yoke from your midst, the pointing of the finger and malicious talk,
Doing harm
“Very well,” said the LORD to Satan. “Everything he has is in your hands, but you must not lay a hand on the man himself.” Then Satan went out from the presence of the LORD.
Fingers used in symbolic actions
The finger ring as a sign of authority
Genesis 41:42 See also Esther 3:10, Esther 8:2; Luke 15:22
Then Pharaoh removed the signet ring from his finger, put it on Joseph’s finger, clothed him in garments of fine linen, and placed a gold chain around his neck.
The finger as a symbol of minimal effort
Matthew 23:4 See also 1 Kings 12:10 parallel 2 Chronicles 10:10 Rehoboam refusing to lift the burdens placed on the people by his father Solomon; Luke 11:46
They tie up heavy, burdensome loads and lay them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.
The finger as a visible reminder
Proverbs 7:2–3 See also Deuteronomy 6:8, Deuteronomy 11:18
Keep my commandments and live; guard my teachings as the apple of your eye. Tie them to your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart.
Related themes
Dictionary of Bible Themes © 1999 Martin Manser, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Bible Aquifer. Formatted for this site, with Scripture from the Berean Standard Bible.