Reference: Hook
Easton
(1.) Heb hah, a "ring" inserted in the nostrils of animals to which a cord was fastened for the purpose of restraining them (2Ki 19:28; Isa 37:28-29; Eze 29:4; 38:4). "The Orientals make use of this contrivance for curbing their work-beasts...When a beast becomes unruly they have only to draw the cord on one side, which, by stopping his breath, punishes him so effectually that after a few repetitions he fails not to become quite tractable whenever he begins to feel it" (Michaelis). So God's agents are never beyond his control.
(2.) Hakkah, a fish "hook" (Job 41:2; Heb 1-13).
(3.) Vav, a "peg" on which the curtains of the tabernacle were hung (Ex 26:32).
(4.) Tsinnah, a fish-hooks (Am 4:2).
(5.) Mazleg, flesh-hooks (1Sa 2:13-14), a kind of fork with three teeth for turning the sacrifices on the fire, etc.
(6.) Mazmeroth, pruning-hooks (Isa 2:4; Joe 3:10).
(7.) 'Agmon (Job 41:2, Heb Text 40:26), incorrectly rendered in the Authorized Version. Properly a rush-rope for binding animals, as in Revised Version margin.
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Fausets
For fishing (Am 4:2). In Job 41:2 translated, "canst thou put a rush rope into his nose? or bore his jaw through with a hook?" or ring attached by a cord to a stake; such rings were put through the mouth of a fish to keep it secure, yet alive, in the water. Wild beasts were led about by the same means. Eze 19:4, "they brought him with chains," rather hooks such as were fastened in a wild beast's nose. So in the Assyrian remains at Khorsabad captives are represented with a hook in the nose or upper lip, and a cord attached in the king's hand.
So God threatens the Assyrian king himself. with retribution in kind, "I will put My hook in thy nose" (Isa 37:29), as thou didst to others. So the last antichrist shall fare, of whom Sennacherib is type (Eze 38:4). So 2Ch 33:11, "in the thorns," rather perhaps "the captains of the host of the king of Assyria took Manasseh with hooks" or "rings" passed through his lips (Maurer). Might not the "thorns" be the instrument of chastising him, just as it was that used by Gideon upon the elders of Succoth (Jg 8:7,16)? In Eze 40:43 the "hooks" are "fastened" in the walls to hang the meat from for roasting, or else to hang up animals to flay them.
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Hastings
1. vav, a book or ring with a spike driven into wood (Ex 26:32 etc.). 2. Isa 19:8; Job 41:1; Am 4:2; Mt 17:27. The hook used in fishing was of course attached to a line, but whether the latter was simply held in the hand or was attached to a rod cannot be decided.