Hands in the Bible represent power, the force with which things are put into action. To be specific, they represent the power of spiritual good -- which is the love of others and serving others -- expressed through spiritual truth -- which is an understanding and knowledge of what it is to love and serve others. This is in contrast to the feet, which represent power on the natural level, and a “rod,” which represents the power of the hand passed down into external or natural ideas. In a few cases in the Bible, hands also represent communication and a drawing together. This is true when people lift their hands to heaven or to Jehovah, and also when the Lord touches children or touches people to heal them.

197. It follows from this that, in the Word, by places and spaces and by all things that in any way relate to space are signified such things as relate to states, as by distances, near, far off, ways, journeys, sojournings, miles, furlongs, plains, fields, gardens, cities, streets, movements, measurements of various kinds, by long, broad, high and deep and innumerable other things. For most things that a man has in his thought from the world take on something from space and time. I would mention here only what, in the Word, length, breadth and height signify.

[2] In the world, that is called long or broad which is long or broad spatially, the same being true of height. But in heaven, where there is no thought from space, by length is understood a state of good, by breadth a state of truth, and by height the distinction between them in accordance with degrees (concerning which see 38). The reason why such things are understood by these three dimensions is that "long" in heaven is from east to west where dwell those who are in the good of love, while "broad" in heaven is from south to north and those who dwell there are in truth from good, as may be seen above (148), and "high" in heaven applies to both of these according to degrees. This is why, in the Word, such things are signified by length, breadth and height, as in Ezekiel from chapter Ezekiel 40; 41; 42; 43; 44; 45; 46; 47; 48, where by measurements giving length, breadth and height are described the new temple and the new earth with courts, chambers, gates, doors, windows and surroundings by all of which are signified a new Church and the goods and truths that are in it.

[3] Otherwise, to what purpose would be all these measurements? In a similar way, the New Jerusalem is described in the Revelation in these words:

The city lieth foursquare, and the length thereof is as great as the breadth; and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs, and the length, the breadth and the height of it are equal. Revelation 21:16.

Because by the New Jerusalem here is signified a new Church, so by these measurements are signified the things of the Church, by "length" the good of its love, by "breadth", truth from that good, by "height", the degrees of good and truth, by "twelve thousand furlongs", all good and truth in the complex. What else could be meant by a height of twelve thousand furlongs, the same as the length and the breadth? That truth is signified in the Word by "breadth" is evident in David:

Jehovah, Thou hast not shut me up into the hand of the enemy, Thou hast made my feet to stand in a broad place. Psalm 31:8.

(Thou hast set my feet in a large room. A.V.)

Out of a narrow place I called upon Jah; He answereth me in a broad place. Psalm 118:5.

(I called upon the Lord in distress; the Lord answered me, and set me in a large place. A.V.)

Besides other passages, as in Isaiah 8:8, and in Habakkuk 1:6, so also in other passages.