Sword is the symbol of war and slaughter, as may be seen in many places of Holy Writ, especially in the Prophets. See Ezek 21. So likewise our Saviour uses it in opposition to peace. Mat 10:34, "I came not to send peace but a sword," which St. Luk 12:51, expresses by the word division.
Thus the Egyptians, those grent masters of symbolical learning, called Ochus, king of Persia, a cruel conqueror to them, by the name of sword.f1
With the Oneirocritics, a sword is the symbol of authority, power, and increase of offspring.f2
In all sorts of authors innumerable are the places in which the sword is the symbol of death or destruction. Thus in Euripides,f3
"The sword shall reach thee, not my nuptial bed."
The Word of God is often in Scripture compared to a sword; as by St. Paul, Eph 6:17, "And the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God." So in Heb 4:12, " For the Word of God is quick and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword. And in Hos 6:5, the Word of God is said to destroy all his enemies: "Therefore have I mowed down your prophets; I have slain them by the words of my mouth, and my judgments go out as the light.
Sword is the symbol of the office of magistrate or judge, who have it on solemn occasions carried before them, Rom 13:4, "He is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain," &c.
My sword shall be bathed in heaven, (Isa 34:5), denotes a prodigious carnage of the princes, the governors, and nobles of the nations, who, in the symbolical style are called heaven, by a metonymy for the host of heaven.
Sword is the symbol of Christ’s power, by which he destroys his enemies, Psa 45:3. In Isa 49:2, our Lord is the speaker: and his words are, "Jehovah hath made my mouth like a sharp sword." And in Rev 1:16, "Out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword." Again, Rev 19:15, "Out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations." See also Rev 19:21.
[ARMS]
Sword. See Arms.
This is constantly referred to in scripture as the instrument of death, and is mentioned in the N.T. as being borne by the magistrate, Rom 13:4, showing that the gospel does not set aside God’s governmental principle of capital punishment which was enjoined after the flood. Gen 9:5-6. See ARMOUR, ARMS.
SWORD OF THE SPIRIT. This is the word (
SWORD.—In Luk 2:35 and in some passages in the Apocalypse the word for ‘sword’ is
Metaphorically the sword stands as a symbol for war (to ‘fall by the edge of the sword’ means to die in war), or for a divided state of society (Mat 10:34 ‘I came not to send peace, but a sword’ [in Luk 12:51 ‘division’]). In Mat 26:52 ‘They that take the sword shall perish with the sword,’ the sword probably denotes the use of physical force generally, although we have also the belief that a tyrant is despatched with the very weapon which he employs against the victims of his tyranny. The expression in Luk 2:35 ‘A sword shall pierce through thy own soul,’ was sometimes interpreted as a prediction of martyrdom (Epiphanius, Haer. 78).
T. H. Weir.
("ḥereb"; "baraḳ" [poetic form] in Job xx. 25; Greek,
By: Emil G. Hirsch, Wilhelm Nowack
The sword hung at the hip from a sword-belt (I Sam. xvii. 39; xxv. 13; II Sam. xx. 8), probably on the left side, Judges iii. 16, 21, notwithstanding. It was kept in a sheath ("ta'ar," I Sam. xvii. 51; "nadan," I Chron. xxi. 27;
The blade ("lahab") of the double-edged sword was probably straight, and this portion of the weapon seems generally to have been made of iron, sometimes (but rarely) of bronze (comp. I Sam. xiii. 19; Joel iii. 10; Micah iv. 3; Isa. ii. 4); this was also the custom among the Egyptians, as the blue blades in the paintings indicate. The hilt of the sword was made probably of a different material, in accordance with Egyptian and Assyrian usage; probably the hilt afforded, sometimes, an opportunity for artistic workmanship. The word "mekerah" in Gen. xlix. 5 has frequently been compared with
In the Roman period the Jews adopted the short dirk ("sica") used by the Romans, and especially by the gladiators. This weapon, which was concealed in the garments, and which was especially affected by the Sicarii, who derived their name from it (Josephus, "Ant." xx. 8, § 10; "B. J." ii. 13, § 3), was only a foot in length, and somewhat curved.
SWORD.—See Armour, Arms, § 1 (c).
See Armour.
Deu 33:29 (a) GOD Himself takes this name because He alone is able to guard Israel and to preserve them from their enemies.
Jos 5:13 (b) The man in this passage is the Holy Spirit. The sword in His hand is the Word of GOD. When the sword is with CHRIST, it is in His mouth. He speaks the word, and the Holy Spirit uses it effectively, as the Lord of the harvest.
2Sa 12:10 (b) The reference here is to war with all of its ravaging and killing effects.
1Ch 21:16 (b) Again we see the sword of the Spirit which brings a curse upon the people. This same truth is mentioned in Isa 40:7. The Spirit of GOD punishes and curses just the same as GOD the Father, and GOD the Son.
Psa 7:12 (b) This is a picture of GOD’s judgments by which He will punish men for their iniquities.
Psa 45:3 (a) David desired the judgments of the Lord JESUS CHRIST to be put into effect. He looked forward to the time when CHRIST would take His place as King of kings, and the Lord of lords.
Psa 57:4 (a) The tongue is described as being this sharp, cruel instrument that brings damage and injury to many. Terrible destruction of heart, mind and life are brought about by a cruel tongue which cuts deeply into the hearts of the hearers. (See also Psa 55:21; Psa 64:3).
Psa 149:6 (b) The reference here is to the Word of GOD, the Bible. It does indeed cut down false faith, destroys doubts, and condemns the sinner. (See also Rev 1:16).
Pro 5:4 (a) The lips of a strange woman do indeed cut down and permanently injure many a life. That hurts the heart, destroys the family, and often injures the body. (See Pro 12:18).
Pro 25:18 (a) The gossiping man who carries tales from one to another injures, harms and hurts as the sword hurts the body. The damage is most severe in many cases as he separates friends, and brings hatred into hearts.
Isa 49:2 (a) The words that come from the mouth of our precious Lord are indeed a sharp instrument for bringing consternation to His enemies, and punishment to all His foes. (See also Rev 19:15).
Zec 9:13 (a) This is a wonderful picture of the way that GOD will use Israel as a sharp instrument to fight and subdue His enemies on the earth.
Zec 13:7 (b) In this unusual way GOD describes how He Himself will bring about the punishment of our Lord JESUS on Calvary when He was made sin for us, and was punished in our stead.
Luk 2:35 (a) By this picture we understand the deep sorrow that would pierce the heart of Mary when she saw her Son, her first. born, mistreated, misunderstood, and crucified on the Cross.
Eph 6:17 (a) This type represents the Word of GOD which effectually works in the souls of men. (See also Heb 4:12).
Rev 1:16 (b) The Bible is this sword. It cuts down its enemies, it cuts the attachments of men to their sins, it conquers the enemy, it brings victory to GOD’s people.
The sword was one of the earliest objects made of iron. People used swords for stabbing or striking.
A stabbing sword had a long, straight blade that narrowed to a point. Both edges were sharp, so the sword could also cut.
A striking sword had one sharp edge and one thick, blunt edge. It was often curved like a sickle, a tool used to cut grain. The outer edge was sharp. The earliest sickle swords appeared late in the third millennium BC. The handle and blade were made from one piece of metal.
During the Middle Bronze Age, the curved striking sword looked like an ax. It had a long handle and a short blade.
This type of sword disappeared during the Late Bronze Age. It was not effective against helmets and body armor. A new design replaced it. This sword had a curved blade that was as long as, or longer than, its handle.
The new sword worked well in chariot battles and against enemies who did not wear armor. This may explain why the Bible says that Joshua struck the Canaanites with "the edge of the sword" (for example, Joshua 8:24; 10:28–39). This expression would not describe an attack with a short, straight, narrow sword that a soldier pushed into an enemy.
Archaeologists found a well-made curved sword at Gezer. It dates to the fourteenth century BC. An ivory carving from Megiddo also shows this type of sword. The carving dates to the thirteenth century BC.
Improved methods of forging iron also made straight swords more effective. Forging means shaping metal by heating and hammering it. The Sea Peoples were groups that fought and migrated around the eastern Mediterranean region. They included the Philistines and were skilled in using weapons for close combat.
By the thirteenth century BC, they had improved the straight sword. It became more effective than the curved sword.
By the time of Saul, the Philistines had strong cities and controlled much of the region by military power. Their strength came from chariots and well-armed infantry, or soldiers who fought on foot.
The Philistines controlled the production of iron. They did not allow the Israelites to make their own weapons (compare 1 Samuel 13:19–22). Israel could not successfully challenge the Philistines until this situation changed.
See also Armor and Weapons.
Aquifer Open Bible Dictionary © 2026 Mission Mutual, an adaptation of the Tyndale Open Bible Dictionary © 2023 Tyndale House Publishers. Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
References:
Description and usage:
The length and shape of swords varied widely in different periods and different nations. The basic concept, however, remained the same: the sword was a long, heavy knife made of metal, at first of bronze, and later of harder metals like iron. In earlier biblical times the blade tended to be more for cutting; it was curved similar to a sickle (see 1.1.6 Sickle<REALIA:1.1.6>), but it was sharpened only on the outside of the curve, unlike the sickle, which was sharpened on the inside of the curve. With this type of sword for cutting, no emphasis was placed on a point for piercing. In the later Old Testament period, swords were made more for piercing. These swords, which were as short as 30–40 centimeters (12–16 inches) at first, had relatively broad, pointed blades that were sharpened on both sides. By the time of the Israelite kings, the blades had become longer and relatively narrower.
Translation:
In a number of languages the term for “sword” is simply “large knife,” but in some regions it may be called “machete for killing” or “war knife.”
The Hebrew word cherev is a general term and does not specify whether the sword is long or short. Where a language makes a distinction, it will generally be best to translate it “short sword.” In the New Testament the Greek word machaira refers to a short sword and rhomfaia is a long sword. The phrase “with/by the edge of the sword” (occurring over 30 times with over half of them in Joshua and Judges) usually has in view the older, curved sword, which had only one edge. Normally it will not be necessary to render this expression literally, but it will be sufficient to say something like “with/by the sword.”
In many passages we find the phrase “die by the sword” or “slain by the sword” (for example, JOB 36:12; JER 5:12; JER 21:9; EZK 31:17; MAT 26:52). This is an idiomatic expression meaning to die a violent death. It normally (but not always; compare 1SA 2:33) means to die in war, and translators may often use an expression such as “killed in war” (GNT in JER 16:4) or “die in battle.” In such cases it usually indicates a non-heroic death; where a language has a special word or phrase for “die the death of a warrior,” the translator should not use that expression unless such a death is what is intended by the biblical text. In cases where death in warfare is not the meaning, one may say “die a violent death” or “killed by people.” One should not substitute a modern weapon for “sword”; for example, it would be anachronistic to say “shot to death.”
In some passages the word “sword” simply stands for warfare, for example, JER 5:12; ROM 8:35; REV 6:8. JOS 24:12 says literally “Then I sent the hornet before you and it drove out the two kings of the Amorites from before you, [but] not by your sword or your bow” (NASB). It may be preferable in some languages to translate the last part of this verse without naming the specific weapons: “Your weapons and strength had nothing to do with it.” It is also possible to translate this with both a positive and negative statement: “I defeated them for you. It was not your own strength and weapons that did it.”
The phrase “men who drew the sword” occurs in a number of passages (JDG 8:10; JDG 8:20 [6 times]; 2SA 24:9; 1CH 21:5). This is simply an idiomatic expression for “soldiers,” which is the GNT rendering in JDG 8:10.
The phrase “lift up the sword” occurs in ISA 2:4 and MIC 4:3 with the meaning “go into battle” or “go to war.” GNT gives the correct English equivalent by rendering the second to last line in each of these verses as “Nations will never again go to war.” In some languages a literal rendering of the idiom “to lift up the sword” will have quite a different meaning, such as “to surrender” or “to be victorious.” This is not the meaning of the text and should be avoided.
The Hebrew phrase cherev pifiyoth (PSA 149:6) or cherev piyoth (PRO 5:4) refers to a sword sharpened on both edges of the blade, that is, a “two-edged sword” (RSV; compare HEB 4:12; REV 1:16; REV 2:12; SIR 21:3). This is the straight sword of later Old Testament times and onward.
In GEN 49:5 the meaning of the Hebrew word mkerah is doubtful. Most translators connect Jacob’s words to the events described in GEN 34:25; GEN 34:26 and understand mkerah to be a kind of weapon, probably parallel to the “sword” (cherev in Hebrew) in those verses.
In PSA 55:22 the Hebrew word pthichoth refers to swords that are “drawn” (literally “open”), that is, ready for use. Thus, for the last line of this verse CEV has “and he was ready to attack with a sword.” Others prefer to use a simile; for example, GNT has “but they [his words] cut like sharp swords” and NCV says “… cut like knives.”
In LUK 2:35 the word “sword” is used figuratively for pain or anguish. Often translators can use a rather literal rendering. Sometimes it is preferable to shift to a simile; for example, the first half of this verse may be rendered “As for your soul, it will be as if a sword pierced it.” In some cases the equivalent expression does not need a term for “sword,” for example, “and you too shall be pierced to the heart” (NEB). It is also possible to use a nonfigurative expression, for example, “you will experience anguish.” There is no implication here of a military death, and the translator should avoid the use of a term that might carry that implication.
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A hand-wielded blade in common use throughout biblical times as a weapon of war and in OT times as an instrument of execution. The sword is also a symbol of aggression, authority and power.
The sword as the principal weapon of war
It was in common use
EXO 17:13 See also NUM 21:24–21:35; JOS 11:10–11:12, JOS 19:47
Swordsmen fought and fell in great numbers
JDG 3:28–3:30 See also JDG 20:17; 2SA 24:9
Some swordsmen showed great strength and ability
2SA 23:10 See also 1SA 21:8–21:9; 2SA 23:12
The sword used for other purposes
As an instrument of execution and decapitation
2SA 1:14–1:16 See also 1SA 15:33, 1SA 17:51, 1SA 22:18–22:19; 1KI 19:1; ACT 12:2; ROM 8:35
For murder
2KI 19:37 See also JOS 6:21; 1KI 2:34; ACT 12:2
For committing suicide
1SA 31:4–31:6 parallel 1CH 10:4 See also ACT 16:27
Metaphorical use of the sword
To symbolise God's opposition to the sinful
GEN 3:24 See also NUM 22:21–22:23, NUM 22:31; DEU 33:29
To symbolise warfare
To symbolise temporal power
EZK 32:11–32:12 See also PSA 45:3; MIC 5:6
To symbolise suffering
To symbolise judgment
EXO 5:3; MAT 10:34 See also JDG 7:20–7:22; 2CH 20:9; PSA 7:12; ISA 31:8; JER 50:35–50:37; EZK 11:8–11:10, EZK 21:3, EZK 33:2
To symbolise the word of God
EPH 6:17 See also HEB 4:12; REV 1:16, REV 2:12
Dictionary of Bible Themes © 1999 Martin H. Manser. Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.