Axe
Two types of axe were known in both Egypt and Palestine. One was developed from the Btone axe, and is longer from back to edge than it ia acroaa. BRONZE AXB. (Fiom Tell el Hesy.) The other type was purely metallic, and was developed from a sharp ed^e of metal inserted into a stick, as seen in early Egyp. forma. OOPPKR AXE (BATTLE AXBTX (From Tell el Hesy.) Probably the first type was used as a tool, the second as a weapon.
In Egypt the axe was attached to the handle, but neither passed through the other. In Assyria the axe appears to have passed through the handle (Bonomi, Nineveh, fig. 69). But the handle passing through the axe, as in modem usage, is unknown until the Roman age. The material of axes as tools was first stone, then copper, bronze, and, lastly, iron. The latter metal was unknown for tools in Egypt, and still rare in Assyria at 700 B.C.
Hence the use of the word * iron ' for axe-head among a party of peasants in Pal. two centuries earlier (2 K 6'), seems as if it were a variation due to a later copyist. W. M. Flinders Pktrie.
Fausset's Bible Dictionary on Axe
Hebrew kardom, "sharp"; large, for telling trees (Jdg 9:48; Jer 46:22); garzen, "cutting", as "hatchet" from "hack," securis from seco; barzel,"iron " garzen sometimes means the "adze." The head was fastened to the handle by thongs, and so was liable to slip off (Deu 19:5; 2Ki 6:5). For "axe" in Isa 44:12 margin; Jer 10:3, ma'atzad, others trans. a "knife" or "chisel," such as a carver of wood idols would use. But KJV is good sense and good Hebrew; the "axe" is meant as the instrument to cut down the tree in the forest. Mappeetz (Jer 51:20), "battle axe," a heavy mace or maul, whence Charles Martel was designated. Kasshil occurs only once, Psa 74:6, a large axe.
References
- Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
- Easton, M.G. (1893) Easton's Bible Dictionary. 3rd edn. Thomas Nelson. [Public Domain]
- Nave, O.J. (1897) Nave's Topical Bible. Topical Bible Publishing Co.. [Public Domain]
- Hastings, J. (ed.) (1909) A Dictionary of the Bible. Edinburgh: T&T Clark. [Public Domain]
- Smith, W. (ed.) (1884) Smith's Bible Dictionary. London: John Murray. [Public Domain]
- Fausset, A.R. (1878) Fausset's Bible Dictionary. [Public Domain]A Critical and Expository Bible Cyclopaedia