An action of God or human beings, often understood to convey healing, blessing or the gift of the Holy Spirit. It also indicates the conferring of authority upon individuals for the purpose of ministry.
Laying on of hands and the communication of gifts
Laying on of hands communicates God's blessing
Mark 10:16 parallel Matthew 19:15 See also Genesis 48:14–20
And He took the children in His arms, placed His hands on them, and blessed them.
Laying on of hands conveys God's healing
Luke 4:40 See also Matthew 8:3 parallels Mark 1:41, Luke 5:13 the man with leprosy; Matthew 9:18 parallel Mark 5:23 Jairus' daughter; Matthew 9:29–30; Mark 6:5, Mark 7:32–35, Mark 16:18; Luke 13:13 the crippled woman; Acts 28:8; James 5:14
At sunset, all who were ill with various diseases were brought to Jesus, and laying His hands on each one, He healed them.
Laying on of hands conveys the gift of the Holy Spirit
Acts 8:17 See also Deuteronomy 34:9; Acts 8:19, Acts 9:17, Acts 19:6
Then Peter and John laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
Laying on of hands conveys reassurance
Revelation 1:17 See also Matthew 17:7
When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. But He placed His right hand on me and said, “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last,
Laying on of hands in commissioning for service
Numbers 27:18–23 See also Numbers 8:10; Deuteronomy 34:9; Acts 6:6, Acts 13:3; 1 Timothy 4:14, 1 Timothy 5:22; 2 Timothy 1:6
And the LORD replied to Moses, “Take Joshua son of Nun, a man with the Spirit in him, and lay your hands on him. Have him stand before Eleazar the priest and the whole congregation, and commission him in their sight. Confer on him some of your authority, so that the whole congregation of Israel will obey him. He shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who will seek counsel for him before the LORD by the judgment of the Urim. At his command, he and all the Israelites with him— the entire congregation— will go out and come in.” Moses did as the LORD had commanded him. He took Joshua, had him stand before Eleazar the priest and the whole congregation, and laid his hands on him and commissioned him, as the LORD had instructed through Moses.
Laying on of hands in the OT sacrificial system
Laying on of hands in sin offerings
Leviticus 16:21 See also Exodus 29:10; Leviticus 4:4, Leviticus 4:15, Leviticus 8:14; 2 Chronicles 29:23
Then he is to lay both hands on the head of the live goat and confess over it all the iniquities and rebellious acts of the Israelites in regard to all their sins. He is to put them on the goat’s head and send it away into the wilderness by the hand of a man appointed for the task.
Laying on of hands in other offerings
Leviticus 1:4 See also Exodus 29:15, Exodus 29:19; Leviticus 3:1–2, Leviticus 8:18, Leviticus 8:22
He is to lay his hand on the head of the burnt offering, so it can be accepted on his behalf to make atonement for him.
Laying on of hands without reference to God
Laying hands on people with intent to harm
Genesis 37:27; Joshua 2:19; 1 Samuel 23:7, 1 Samuel 26:9–11, 1 Samuel 26:23; Isaiah 11:14; Luke 21:12
Laying on of hands in punishment
Leviticus 24:14; Nehemiah 13:21
The metaphorical laying of God's hand on people
God's hand brings favour
Nehemiah 2:8 See also Ezra 7:6, Ezra 7:28, Ezra 8:18; Nehemiah 2:18
And may I have a letter to Asaph, keeper of the king’s forest, so that he will give me timber to make beams for the gates of the citadel to the temple, for the city wall, and for the house I will occupy.” And because the gracious hand of my God was upon me, the king granted my requests.
God's hand brings protection
On the twelfth day of the first month we set out from the Ahava Canal to go to Jerusalem, and the hand of our God was upon us to protect us from the hands of the enemies and bandits along the way.
God's hand brings prophetic revelation
Ezekiel 1:3 See also Ezekiel 3:14, Ezekiel 3:22, Ezekiel 8:1, Ezekiel 33:22, Ezekiel 37:1, Ezekiel 40:1
the word of the LORD came directly to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the River Kebar. And there the LORD’s hand was upon him.
God's hand brings judgment
Exodus 7:4 See also 1 Samuel 5:6–12; Jeremiah 15:6; Ezekiel 39:21; Acts 13:11
Pharaoh will not listen to you. Then I will lay My hand on Egypt, and by mighty acts of judgment I will bring the divisions of My people the Israelites out of the land of Egypt.
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.