Projections shaped like animal horns at the four corners of an altar.
About Horns of Altar
Altar horns were projections from the four upper corners of an altar, shaped like the horn of a sacrificial animal. Some scholars maintain that the horns were intended to represent the animals sacrificed, but others feel that they originally functioned as points on which cooking utensils rested. In Israelite law the horns of the altar were also a place of refuge where a person who had accidentally killed someone could be safe from an avenging relative of the one who had been killed.
Key References
Make a horn on each of its four corners, so that the horns are of one piece, and overlay it with bronze.
The priest must then put some of the blood on the horns of the altar of fragrant incense that is before the LORD in the Tent of Meeting. And he is to pour out the rest of the bull’s blood at the base of the altar of burnt offering at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.
But Adonijah, in fear of Solomon, got up and went to take hold of the horns of the altar.
On the day I punish Israel for their transgressions, I will visit destruction on the altars of Bethel; the horns of the altar will be cut off, and they will fall to the ground.
All Scripture References (24)
Exodus (8)
Make a horn on each of its four corners, so that the horns are of one piece, and overlay it with bronze.
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.
It is to be square, a cubit long, a cubit wide, and two cubits high. Its horns must be of one piece.
Overlay with pure gold the top and all the sides and horns, and make a molding of gold around it.
Once a year Aaron shall make atonement on the horns of the altar. Throughout your generations he shall make atonement on it annually with the blood of the sin offering of atonement. The altar is most holy to the LORD.”
He made the altar of incense out of acacia wood. It was square, a cubit long, a cubit wide, and two cubits high. Its horns were of one piece.
And he overlaid with pure gold the top and all the sides and horns. Then he made a molding of gold around it.
He made a horn at each of its four corners, so that the horns and altar were of one piece, and he overlaid the altar with bronze.
Leviticus (8)
The priest must then put some of the blood on the horns of the altar of fragrant incense that is before the LORD in the Tent of Meeting. And he is to pour out the rest of the bull’s blood at the base of the altar of burnt offering at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.
He is also to put some of the blood on the horns of the altar that is before the LORD in the Tent of Meeting, and he must pour out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar of burnt offering at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.
Then the priest is to take some of the blood of the sin offering with his finger, put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and pour out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar.
Then the priest is to take some of its blood with his finger, put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and pour out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar.
Then the priest is to take some of the blood of the sin offering with his finger, put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and pour out the rest of its blood at the base of the altar.
Moses slaughtered the bull, took some of the blood, and applied it with his finger to all four horns of the altar, purifying the altar. He poured out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar and consecrated it so that atonement could be made on it.
The sons of Aaron brought the blood to him, and he dipped his finger in the blood and applied it to the horns of the altar. And he poured out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar.
Then he shall go out to the altar that is before the LORD and make atonement for it. He is to take some of the bull’s blood and some of the goat’s blood and put it on all the horns of the altar.
1 Kings (3)
But Adonijah, in fear of Solomon, got up and went to take hold of the horns of the altar.
It was reported to Solomon: “Behold, Adonijah fears King Solomon, and he has taken hold of the horns of the altar, saying, ‘Let King Solomon first swear to me not to put his servant to the sword.’”
When the news reached Joab, who had conspired with Adonijah but not with Absalom, he fled to the tent of the LORD and took hold of the horns of the altar.
Psalms (1)
The LORD is God; He has made His light to shine upon us. Bind the festal sacrifice with cords to the horns of the altar.
Jeremiah (1)
“The sin of Judah is written with an iron stylus, engraved with a diamond point on the tablets of their hearts and on the horns of their altars.
Ezekiel (2)
The altar hearth shall be four cubits high, and four horns shall project upward from the hearth.
You are to take some of its blood and put it on the four horns of the altar, on the four corners of the ledge, and all around the rim; thus you will cleanse the altar and make atonement for it.
Amos (1)
On the day I punish Israel for their transgressions, I will visit destruction on the altars of Bethel; the horns of the altar will be cut off, and they will fall to the ground.