Kelsey Berteaux shared an experience: “I had a guy on a plane get really surprised to realize that the person he had been chatting with for a couple of hours (me) was a Mormon, because he sincerely believed that we all had horns, and I did not. No joke – an educated businessman in the ’90s who was heading to Park City to ski, and he was not kidding” (“9 More Things People Get Wrong About Mormons,” LDS Living). Misunderstanding the meaning of horns produces this stereotype.
In ancient Near Eastern literature and the Bible, horns serve as a rich, multifaceted symbol. One of the more famous depictions of horns is Michelangelo’s Moses which he created in the 16th century for the tomb of Pope Julius II. Michelangelo used Jerome’s Latin Vulgate for masterpiece.
This image of Moses and horns began in the ancient Biblical text. It’s important to remember that ancient Hebrew words could have multiple meanings. For example, after Moses spent days with God on Mt. Sinai in Exodus 34, his face was said to be “horned.” The Septuagint’s writers, when translating the Old Testament into Ancient Greek, interpreted the term as glorified—meaning radiant with divine glory—but then St. Jerome changed it in his translation.
Jerome, a prominent early Church scholar, famously created the “Vulgate,” a Latin Bible translation. Jerome lived in a time when eastern Christians in the Roman Empire primarily spoke Greek and had Greek Old and New Testaments; however, western Christians, who mainly spoke Latin, lacked an accessible Bible. He took it upon himself to translate the Bible into the vulgar (i.e., common) language of the people.
Jerome translated the Old Testament straight from Hebrew to Latin, skipping the Septuagint; thus, “horns” appeared in the Vulgate because the Hebrew text said “horns.” Some historians suggest Jerome erred, but his other writings, such as his Ezekiel commentary, imply he understood the Hebrew. Jerome, knowing Hebrew, might have understood the symbolism of horns.
Horns – Strength, Power, and Honor
Generally, horns symbolize strength, power, and honor. The ancients used animal horns to represent this power and strength because they serve as the chief means of attack and defense for animals. They are also emblems of dominion, glory, and fierceness. Specifically, in the Hebrew Bible, the term qeren (horn) often symbolizes “strength”, and appears frequently in Psalms to denote the psalmist’s reward of strength and succor from the Lord. The Hebrew word qaran, is related and means “radiant” or “to shine”. The Hebrew word is also the origin of the word “crown.”
The phrase “horn of salvation,” applied to Christ, signifies a “salvation of strength or a strong Savior”. It specifically refers to God’s victorious power. There are subtle differences how the horn is used in the scriptures. An “exalted” horn implies prosperity and triumph, while “lifting up” the horn indicates pride. Conversely, to “cut off the horn” means to rob someone or something of power. When applied to the Lord, “horn” or “horns” symbolize omnipotence. For instance, having “seven horns” in Revelation 5:6 explicitly represents the Lord’s omnipotence, with “seven” representing completeness.
Horns and Anointing
Figuratively, horns can also evoke imagery of “oil”, which was often poured from a horn, symbolizing divine blessings and royal dignity and power. The tight relationship between olive oil and “horns” in the scriptures primarily stems from the literal use of horns as vessels for oil in ancient ceremonial practices.
In a biblical context, a horn with anointing oil refers to a vessel, typically a ram’s horn (or shofar) filled with holy anointing oil used for ceremonial purposes. This practice carries deep symbolic meaning, particularly in relation to consecration and divine approval. Anointing kings with oil from a horn highlighted their royal status and might, connecting the horn’s practical use in animals of strength to its symbolic meaning of power.
The act of anointing with oil from a horn wasn’t merely a ritual; it was a visible sign of God’s choice and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the anointed individual. This marked them as chosen by God for a specific purpose and empowered them for the task. Jesus Christ is referred to as “the anointed One”. Israelite kings were anointed with a horn of oil. For example, the prophet Samuel used a horn of oil to anoint David as the future king of Israel, after which the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David. Zadok the priest also anointed Solomon with oil taken from a horn.
In ancient Christian theology, the anointing oil is often seen as a metaphor for the Holy Spirit’s presence and action. Therefore, the horn with anointing oil represents God’s selection, blessing, and the empowering presence of the Holy Spirit for specific roles and purposes.
Horns of the Altar
On a trip to Egypt, my guide pointed out to me several horned altars which dated back to the Hellenistic-Roman period. He told me that whenever you see an altar with four horns, it’s an Israelite altar. Exodus 27:2 contains the first biblical mention of an altar with horns, giving instructions for constructing the acacia wood altar used for burnt offerings.
The altars in the Hebrew temple notably featured horns. They weren’t real horns; they were horn-shaped projections on the altar corners. “God’s presence” was represented by these horns, thought to be the altar’s most sacred element. Blood was often used to anoint them during solemn sacrifices, and they could also restrain animals for sacrifice.
It was believed that seizing the altar’s horns was a way to “seek mercy and protection.” Desecrating an altar involved cutting off its horns.
Perversion of Horns
Unfortunately, horns were associated with Satan during the late Middle Ages. This happened at the same time as rising anti-Semitism. That unfortunate mix led to Moses being depicted with horns just like the Devil. Thus, a “viral belief” arose and persists in some regions, claiming every Jew has “the devil’s horns” beneath their hair, like “founder Moses”. This gave rise to the “anti-Semitic stereotype of ‘the Jew with horns'”. Sadly, this stereotype was used against 19th-century Latter-day Saints (Mormons). That’s a clear case of ignorance when you interpret symbolic poetry so literally. This shows that misunderstanding or misusing symbols as tools for prejudice can cause deep stereotypes and literal misinterpretations.
Summary
To summarize, horn symbolism is established in ancient traditions and religious texts; they mainly signify “power, strength, authority, and divine presence”, and prophetically, they stand for “kingdoms or rulers”. The horn was used to store the royal anointing oil and represented God’s divine blessings. Misinterpretations, like with Moses, Jews, and Latter-day Saints, show how a divine symbol can be twisted and tied to dark forces.
