Swedenborg says the hand in the Bible represents power – which is easy to understand – so to reach out or stretch out the hand means to exercise power, to put it to work. This is an image that’s used a great deal in the stories of Moses, who repeated stretched out his hand (or his rod, which represents a more external kind of power) to bring plagues on Egypt and perform other miracles.
This is a correspondence that makes sense, since we reach out constantly to use our hands to do our work.
Passages from Swedenborg
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 7385
- ‘And Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt’ means the effect of the power of inward truth directed through outward truth against falsities. This is clear from the representation of ‘Aaron’ as teachings presenting what is true and good, thus outward truth, dealt with in 6998, 7009, 7089; from the meaning of ‘hand’ as power, dealt with in 878, 4931-4937, at this point the power of inward truth directed through outward truth, as above in 7382; and from the meaning of ‘the waters of Egypt’ as falsities, dealt with in 6693, 7307, the effect being meant by the fact that he did stretch out his hand and the frogs rose up. From all this it is evident that ‘Aaronstretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt’ means the effect of the power of inward truth directed through outward truth against falsities.
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 7417
- ‘Stretch out your rod’ means commanding him to demonstrate the Divine power. This is clear from the meaning of ‘stretching out’ as exercising and demonstrating, as previously; and from the meaning of ‘the rod’ as power, dealt with in 4017, 4015, 4876, 4936, 6947, 7011, 7026. This power was Divine, because Aaron had no power at all; still less did the rod contain any. Rather Aaron and his rod were the instruments by means of which power was exercised. It was exercised by means of a rod because, within the Church, what the Divine commanded to be done was accomplished through representatives. (This was before the Lord’s Coming.) So it was that the stretching out of hand and rod accomplished what was commanded, for arm and hand correspond to power, and so too consequently does a rod.
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 7568
- ‘Stretch out your hand towards heaven’ means attention drawn to heaven, which would then come nearer. This is clear from the meaning of ‘stretching out the hand’ as drawing attention to something, for an outstretched hand is used to draw attention to something and point it out; and from the meaning of ‘heaven’ as the angelic heaven. And since, when a person’s attention is drawn to heaven and it is pointed out to him, he also turns his gaze and thought in that direction, its coming nearer is also meant; for in the spiritual world things are brought nearer by focusing thought on them.
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 7673
- ‘Stretch out your hand’ means an exercising of power. This is clear from the meaning of ‘stretching out’ as that which is connected with the exercising of control, dealt with below; and from the meaning of ‘hand’ as power, dealt with in 878, 3387, 4931-4937, 5327, 5328, 5544, 6292, 6947, 7011, 7188, 7189, 7518. The reason why ‘stretching out the hand’ means the exercising of power is that there is power in the hand or arm when it is stretched out. When therefore Jehovah is said to stretch out His hand or arm, boundless or infinite power in action is meant. This explains why Jehovah told Moses on so many occasions, when miracles were to be performed, to stretch out his hand or his rod; for example,
Stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt, and they will be blood. Exod. 7:19.
Stretch out your hand over the rivers, and cause frogs to rise up. Exod. 8:1, 2.*
Stretch out your rod and strike the dust of the land, and it will then be lice. Exod. 8:11, 12.**
Stretch out your hand towards heaven, and there will be hail. Exod. 9:22, 23.
Such words would never have been used but for the meaning of ‘stretching out the hand’ in the highest sense as Jehovah’s almighty power.
[2] The same thing is meant by Joshua’s being told to stretchout his javelin, described in his book as follows,
Jehovah said to Joshua, Stretch out the javelin that is in your hand towards Ai. When therefore Joshua stretched outthe javelin that was in his hand towards Ai, the ambush rose up quickly out of their place and ran, as soon as he stretchedout his hand, and came to the city and took it. Joshua did not withdraw his hand which he had stretched out together with the javelin until all the inhabitants of Ai had been utterly destroyed. Josh. 8:18, 19, 26.
Being representative of God’s almighty power, this too, like all other representative actions when they were commanded in those times, had force.
[3] There are a number of other places in which almighty power is described when it says that Jehovah ‘stretches outHis hand’, or else His ‘outstretched hand’ or His ‘outstretched arm’ is spoken of. It is described by Jehovah stretching outHis hand in Isaiah,
The anger [of Jehovah] has been roused against His people, and He has stretched out His hand over them and struck them, and the mountains were shaken. Isa. 5:25.
In Ezekiel,
I will stretch out My hand against him and destroy him. Ezek. 14:9, 13.
In the same prophet,
I will stretch out My hand against you, and give you as plunder to the nations. Ezek. 25:7.
I will stretch out My hand over Edom, and cut off from it man and beast. I will stretch out My hand over the philistines, and cut off . . . Ezek. 15:17, 16.
Other places like these are Ezek. 35:3; Isa. 31:3; Zeph. 1:4; 2:13. The use of ‘outstretched hand’ to describe almighty power occurs in Isaiah,
Jehovah’s outstretched hand is over all the nations; who will turn it back? Isa. 14:26, 27.
In Jeremiah,
I will fight with you with an outstretched hand and a strong arm, and in anger and in fury. Jer. 21:5.
In Isaiah,
Still His hand is outstretched. Isa. 9:11, 17; 10:4.
The use of ‘outstretched arm’ occurs in Jeremiah,
I have made the earth, man, and beast by My great strength and by My outstretched arm. Jer. 27:5.
In the same prophet,
You have made heaven and earth by Your great power and Your outstretched arm; there is no matter*** that is too impossible for You. Jer. 32:17.
Here it is self-evident that ‘outstretched arm’ means almighty power. The same applies to many other places in which the expression ‘by a strong hand and an outstretched arm’ is used, such as Deut. 4:34; 5:15; 7:19; 9:29; 11:2; 26:8; 1 Kings 8:42; 2 Kings 17:36; Jer. 32:21; Ezek. 10:33, 34.
[4] There are places too in which Jehovah is said to ‘stretchout the heavens’, and in these places also ‘stretching out’ means almighty power; that is to say, He expands the limits of heaven and fills those who are there with life and wisdom, as in Isaiah,
Jehovah is He who stretches out the heavens like a thin veil, and spreads them out like a tent to dwell in. Isa. 40:22.
In the same prophet,
Jehovah is He who stretches out the heavens, spreads outthe earth, gives breath**** to His people upon it, and spirit to those who walk on it. Isa. 42:5.
In Jeremiah,
. . . He who makes the earth by His power, prepares the world by His wisdom, and stretches out the heavens by His intelligence. Jer. 51:15.
In Zechariah,
Jehovah is He who stretches out the heavens, and founds the earth, and forms the spirit of man within him. Zech. 12:1.
There are still more places besides these, such as Isa. 44:24; 45:12; Ps. 104:2.
From all this one may now see why Moses was commanded to stretch out his hand and rod, that miracles were performed when he did so, and that ‘stretching out the hand’ for that reason means the exercising of power, and in the highest sense almighty power.
Arcana Coelestia (Elliott) n. 8305
- ‘You stretched out Your right hand’ means that the exercising of power over all things became apparent from this. This is clear from the meaning of ‘stretching out’ as that which is connected with the exercising of power, and – when said of Jehovah – as that which is connected with almighty power, dealt with in 7673; and from the meaning of ‘right hand’ as Divine power, dealt with above in 8281. The fact that it became apparent from this is meant, that is to say, the exercising of power over all things became so, is clear from the words immediately following – ‘the earth swallowed them’ – which mean that as a result simply of the Lord’s presence damnation or hell befell them.