When they had finished, they looked at us with astonishment, as if we were magicians or fortunetellers. For there, before us, was the gate whose outline we had marked, a replica of the Megiddo gate. This proved not only that both gates had been built by Solomon but that both had followed a single master plan.”

Over two hundred years after Solomon’s death, during the reign of Israelite King Pekah, the Assyrian king Tiglath-pileser III conquered Hazor and carried its inhabitants into exile.—2 Ki. 15:29.

2. A Judean city in the Negeb, perhaps to be linked with el-Jebariyeh, located some fifteen miles (24 kilometers) E-NE of the suggested site of Kadesh-barnea (likely the same as Kedesh).—Josh. 15:21, 23

3. Another name for Kerioth-hezron, a town of Judah that has generally been identified with Khirbet el-Qaryatein located about 12.5 miles (20 kilometers) S of Hebron.—Josh. 15:21, 25.

4. A town located in the territory of Benjamin. (Neh. 11:31, 33) El-Burj, situated about four miles (6.4 kilometers) NW of Jerusalem, has been suggested as a probable site. The name “Hazor” is still preserved in nearby Khirbet Hazzur.

5. A region in the Arabian Desert E of the Jordan mentioned in the prophecy of Jeremiah as being due for despoiling by King Nebuchadrezzar (Nebuchadnezzar) of Babylon.—Jer. 49:28-33.

HAZOR-HADATTAH

(Haʹzor-ha·datʹtah).

A city in the southern part of Judah. (Josh. 15:21, 25) Its exact location is not known. Some geographers, however, tentatively suggest it may be modern el-Hudeira, about twenty-two miles (35.4 kilometers) E-NE of Beer-sheba.

HAZZELELPONI

(Haz·ze·lel·poʹni) [give shade, you who are turning toward me].

Probably the daughter of the “father of Etam”; the sister of Jezreel, Ishma and Idbash.—1 Chron. 4:1, 3; see ETAM No. 3.

HEʼ

[====].

The fifth letter in the Hebrew alphabet, and, outside the Hebrew Scriptures, representing five when used as a number. The meaning of the name is “window.”

In speaking, heʼ has a guttural sound somewhere between the softer ʼaʹleph and the harsher hhehth. It thus corresponds generally to the English “h,” and is similar to the sound of “h” in the word “behind.” In the Hebrew, it appears at the beginning of each verse of Psalm 119:33-40. The letters heʼ [====] and hhehth [====] are very similar in form.

HEAD

[Heb., roʹsh; Gr., ke·pha·leʹ].

Due to its superior position at the top of the human body and especially as the location of the mind and the senses of sight, hearing, smell and taste, the head figures prominently in the Bible in both a literal and a figurative sense.

The book of Ecclesiastes contains a metaphorical description of the effects of old age, terminating in death. (Eccl. 12:1-7) The ‘crushing of the golden bowl,’ if applying to some part of the body, may describe the breaking down at death of the brain and its functions in the bowllike cranium of the head. Or it may apply to the body, like a vessel holding the golden content of life. Death or destruction are represented by the expression ‘breaking the head’ or ‘wounding’ the head. (Ps. 68:21; 74:13, 14) The Bible’s first prophecy (Gen. 3:15) states that the ‘seed of the woman,’ after himself suffering a bruising of the heel, will bruise the serpent’s head. In fulfillment, other texts show that the great Serpent, Satan the Devil, is to be put into a deathlike condition in the abyss for a thousand years, and shortly thereafter to be annihilated forever in the “lake of fire,” the “second death.”—Rev. 20:1-3, 7, 10, 14; 12:9.

Expressions concerning the literal head are usually connected with some figurative or representative meaning. Pharaoh fulfilled Joseph’s interpretation of the dream of the chief cupbearer by ‘lifting up his head’ prominently among his servants, restoring him to his former office. But Pharaoh ‘lifted up [the] head from off’ his chief baker, putting him to death. (Gen. 40:13, 19-22) Among some of the nations, soldiers were buried with their swords under their heads, that is, with military honors. (Ezek. 32:27) Jesus Christ’s having “nowhere to lay down his head” meant he had no residence that he could call his own.—Matt. 8:20.

BLESSING, ANOINTING, SWEARING

The head was the member of the body on which blessings were placed. (Gen. 48:13-20; 49:26) The priests and others in whose behalf certain sacrifices were made laid their hands on the head of the animal in acknowledgment that the sacrifice was for them. (Lev. 1:2-4; 8:14; Num. 8:12) Anointing oil was poured on the head. (Lev. 8:12; Ps. 133:2) In his Sermon on the Mount Jesus counseled to ‘grease the head’ when fasting, so as to appear well groomed and not make a sanctimonious show of self-denial for public acclaim. (Matt. 6:17, 18) Greasing the head of a guest with oil came to be one of the essential marks of hospitality. (Luke 7:46) Dust, earth or ashes put on the head signified distress, mourning, or humiliation. (Josh. 7:6; 1 Sam. 4:12; 2 Sam. 13:19) The psalmist, in recounting the testings and hardships on God’s people, says that men had ridden over Israel’s head. He apparently refers to the subjection under which God’s people were brought by mere worldly men (the Hebrew word used is ʼenohshʹ, “mortal man”) who were powerful, cruel and haughty. (Ps. 66:12; compare Isaiah 51:23.) The Jews developed a custom of swearing by their heads, a practice Jesus condemned.—Matt. 5:36, 37.

REPRESENTING THE PERSON

The head as the governing member of the body was also used to represent the person himself. The head of a Nazirite was under a vow, his long hair attesting to the fact. (Num. 6:5, 18-20) The sins or errors of a person were spoken of as being over his head. (Ezra 9:6; Ps. 38:4; compare Daniel 1:10.) When judgment catches up with the wicked one he is said to be recompensed by having his evil or his punishment come upon his own head. (Judg. 9:57; 1 Sam. 25:39; Jer. 23:19; 30:23; Joel 3:4, 7; Obad. 15; compare Nehemiah 4:4.) One’s bloodguilt or blood being on his own head meant that an individual pursuing a wrong course of action worthy of bringing the death sentence was personally responsible for the loss of his life. (2 Sam. 1:16; 1 Ki. 2:37; Ezek. 33:2-4; Acts 18:6) To bring back on his head the blood of those a person killed would be to bring him to judgment for bloodguilt. (1 Ki. 2:32, 33) With similar significance, the sins of the people were confessed by Israel’s high priest, with his hands on the head of the goat for Azazel (transferring the sins to the goat), after which the animal was led into the wilderness to carry these errors off into oblivion. (Lev. 16:7-10, 21, 22) As other texts show, Jesus Christ personally ‘carried our sicknesses and bore our pains’ and ‘bore the sins of many.’—Isa. 53:4, 5; Heb. 9:28; 1 Pet. 2:24.

EXALTATION, HUMILIATION, CONTEMPT

God’s favor, guidance and wisdom are likened to a lamp shining on the head and a wreath of charm on the head. (Job 29:3; Prov. 4:7-9) The wise man’s “eyes are in his head,” that is, he sees where he is going. (Eccl. 2:14) King David, bowed in humiliation and trouble, looked to Jehovah as his Shield and the One ‘lifting up his head,’ enabling him to hold his head high again. (Ps. 3:3; compare Luke 21:28.) He also showed appreciation for reproof from the righteous, calling it oil which his head would not want to refuse. (Ps. 141:5) To bow down the head was a sign of humility or mourning (Isa. 58:5), and to wag or shake the head was symbolic of derision, contempt or astonishment.—Ps. 22:7; Jer. 18:15, 16; Matt. 27:39, 40; Mark 15:29, 30.

KINDNESS TO ENEMIES

The Bible recommends that one treat his enemy kindly, “for by doing this you will heap fiery coals upon his head.” (Rom. 12:20; Prov. 25:21, 22) This metaphor is drawn from the ancient process of smelting, where coals were heaped on top of the ore as well as being underneath. So exercising kindness will tend to soften the person and melt his hardness, separating evil impurities and bringing out the good in him.

RULING POSITION

“Head” could refer to the chief member of a family, tribe, nation or government. (Judg. 11:8; 1 Sam. 15:17; 1 Ki. 8:1; 1 Chron. 5:24) “Patriarch” (Gr., pa·tri·arʹkhes) is, literally, “family head.” (Acts 2:29; 7:8, 9; Heb. 7:4) Hence, “at the head” was used in the sense of leading. (Mic. 2:13) Israel itself, if obedient to God, was to be at the head of the nations, on top, in that the nation would be free and prosperous, even having the people of other nations in their debt. (Deut. 28:12, 13) If the Israelites disobeyed, the alien resident would lend to them, becoming head over them.—Deut. 28:43, 44.

Seven heads of the dragon

The “dragon” seen in heaven in the apostle John’s vision had seven heads. It is identified as the Devil. (Rev. 12:3, 9) Additionally, the “wild beast” on earth, which receives its power from the dragon, and also the “scarlet-colored wild beast” are both depicted as having seven heads, and these heads are clearly used to represent world powers. (Rev. 13:1; 17:3, 9, 10; compare Daniel 2:32, 37, 38, where King Nebuchadnezzar’s dynasty is called a “head.”) Hence, the seven diademed heads of the Dragon would evidently point to Satan’s headship over the seven world powers of Bible prophecy.—Eph. 6:12; see BEASTS, SYMBOLIC; GOG No. 2.

THE RELATIONSHIP OF JESUS CHRIST

TO THE CHRISTIAN CONGREGATION

In the Christian congregation Jesus Christ is the Head of the congregation, which is his “body,” of 144,000 members. (Eph. 1:22, 23; Col. 1:18; Rev. 14:1) Having immortality, he is the ever-living liaison member of the body of spirit-begotten Christians on earth at any given time, supplying all necessary things for them to grow spiritually and function to God’s glory. (1 Cor. 12:27; Eph. 4:15, 16; Col. 2:18, 19) As the material temple had a “headstone” (Zech. 4:7), so Jesus is the Headstone of the spiritual temple (Acts 4:8-11; 1 Pet. 2:7) and the Head of all government and authority under God, who is the Head over all. (Col. 2:10; 1 Cor. 11:3) The Bible likens Christ’s position as Head of the congregation to that of a husband toward his wife, to impress upon human married couples the direction, love and care the husband must exercise and the subjection that the wife must manifest within the marital union.—Eph. 5:22-33.

The apostle Paul, drawing on the principle of the primary headship of God, the Head of Christ, and the relative headship of the man over the woman, sets forth the principle governing the Christian congregation, namely, that the woman should recognize the God-ordained headship of man by wearing a head covering, a “sign of authority,” upon her head when praying or prophesying in the congregation.—1 Cor. 11:3-16; see HAIR; HEADDRESS; HEADSHIP.

OTHER USES

The Hebrew word for “head” is used to refer to the tops of pillars of the tabernacle, the courtyard and the temple (Ex. 36:37, 38; 38:17; 1 Ki. 7:16), as well as to the tops of mountains (Gen. 8:5), of bushes or trees (1 Chron. 14:15), of a ladder (Gen. 28:12) and of a scepter (Esther 5:2), to cite a few examples. It is also applied to that which is the head of or the beginning of something, such as the first month (“the start [head] of the months” [Ex. 12:2]). The Jewish name for their new year’s day is Rosh Hashana, meaning, literally, “Head of the Year.” Roʼsh is also used to refer to the head of rivers and of roads.—Gen. 2:10; Ezek. 21:21; see ATTITUDES AND GESTURES; HAND.

HEADBAND

See HEADDRESS.

HEAD COVERING

Aside from being an item of dress, head covering has a spiritual significance among God’s servants, as a symbolic figure in connection with headship and subjection. The apostle Paul sets forth the God-ordained principle of headship operative in the Christian congregation, saying: “The head of every man is the Christ; in turn the head of a woman is the man; in turn the head of the Christ is God.” (1 Cor. 11:3) Paul points out that a head covering is a “sign of authority” that the woman should wear in acknowledging the headship of the man, submitting herself to proper theocratic authority, when she is praying or prophesying in the congregation.—1 Cor. 11:4-6, 10.

The apostle shows, conversely, that the man should not wear a head covering when taking the lead before the congregation, such as praying or prophesying. It is his normal position under God’s arrangement. For