μάχαιρα, cen. -as [so (with RG) Lehm. in Lk. xxi. 24] and -ns, dat. -a [so (with R G) Lehm. in Lk. xxii. 49; Acts xii. 2] and -y (betw. which forms the codd. vary, ef. [Serivener, Collation, ete. p. lvi.; ΤῸ Proleg. p. 117; WH. App. p- 1561; W. 62 (61); B.11; Delitzsch on Heb. xb 34 p. 584 note), ἡ, (akin to μάχη and Lat. mactare); 1. a large knife, used for killing animals and cutting up flesh: Hom., Pind., Hdt., al.; hence Gen. xxii. 6,10; Judg. xix. 29 Alex.,for NN. 2. asmall sword, distinguished fr. the large sword, the ῥομφαία (Joseph. antt. 6, 9, 5 ἀποτέμνει THY κεφαλὴν τῇ ῥομφαίᾳ τῇ ἐκείνου (Goliath’s), μάχαιραν οὐκ ἔχων αὐτός), and curved, for a cutting stroke; distinct also fr. ξίφος, a straight sword, for thrusting, Xen. r. eq. 12, 11, cf. Hell. 3, 3, 7; but the words are freq. used interchangeably. Inthe N. T. univ. α sword (Sept. often for 29m) : as a weapon for making or repelling an attack, Mt. xxvi. 47, 51,52, [55]; Mk. xiv. 43, 47 sq.; Lk. xxii. 36, 38, 49, 52; Jn. xviii. 10sq.; Acts xvi. 27; Heb. xi. 37; Rev. vi. 4; xiii. 10, [14]; by a Hebraism, στόμα μαχαίρας, the edge of the sword (1}1) 3, Gen. xxxiv. 26; Josh. viii. 24; 1S. xiii. 22; Judg. iii. 16, ete. [but in the Sept. the rendering or. ξίφους or στ. ῥομφαίας is more com.]): Lk. xxi. 24; Heb. xi. 34; μάχαιρα δίστομος (see δίστομος), Heb. iv. 12. of the sword as the instrument of a magistrate or judge: death by the sword, Ro. viii. 35; ἀναιρεῖν twa μαχαίρᾳ, Acts xii. 2; τὴν μ. φορεῖν, to bear the sword, is used of him to whom the sword has been committed, viz. to use when a malefactor is to be punished; hence i. q. to have the power of life and death, Ro. xiii. 4 (so ξίφος, ξίφη ἔχειν, Philostr. vit. Apoll. 7, 16; vit. sophist. 1, 25, 2 (3), ef. Dion Cass. 42, 27; and in the Talmud the king who bears the sword, of the Hebrew king). Metaph. pdy., a weapon of war, is used for war. or for quarrels and dissensions that destroy peace ; so in the phrase βαλεῖν μάχαιραν ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν, to send war on earth, Mt. x. 34 (for which LK. xii. 51 says διαμερισμόνν 5 ἡ wax. τοῦ πνεύματος, the sword with which the Spirit subdues the impulses to sin and proves its own power and efficacy (which sword is said to be ῥῆμα θεοῦ [cf. B. 128 (112)]), Eph. vi. 17 [on the gen. in this pass. cf. Ellicott or Meyer].

μάχαιρα machaira 29x

a large knife, dagger; a sword, Mt. 26:47, 51; the sword of the executioner, Acts 12:2; Rom. 8:35; Heb. 11:37; hence, φορεῖν μάχαιραν, to bear the sword, to have the power of life and death, Rom. 13:4; meton. war, Mt. 10:34

μάχαιρα, -ης

(Att. -ας; v. WH, App., 156a; Bl., § 7, 1), ἡ, [in LXX chiefly for חֶרֶב; also for מַאֲכֶלֶת, etc.;]

(in Hom., al.) a large knife or dirk, for sacrificial purposes (Ge 22:6, 10, Jg 19:29 A).

a short sword or dagger (as disting. from ῥομφαία, a large broad sword and ξίφος, a straight sword for thrusting): Mt 26:47 ff., Mk 14:43, 47, 48, Lk 22:36 ff., Jo 18:10, 11 Ac 16:27, He 11:37, Re 6:4 13:10, 14; στόμα μαχαίρης (as in Heb. פִּה חֶרֶב, Ge 34:26, al.), the edge of the sword: Lk 21:24, He 11:34; μ. δίστομος, He 4:12; ἀναιρεῖν μαχαίρῃ, Ac 12:2; τὴν μ. φορεῖν, Ro 13:4. Metaph., Mt 10:34 (opp. to εἰρήνη), Ro 8:35; μ. τοῦ πνεύματος, Eph 6:17.†

μάχαιρα. In Ptolemaic papyri the usual forms of the gen. and dat. of this common noun are μαχαίρας, μαχαίρᾳ, e.g. P Par 1215 | (B.C. 157) σπασάμενος λέπει pe τῇ μαχαίρᾳ εἰς Td σκέλος, | and thesame holds generally true of the LXX (cf. Thackeray Gr. i. p. 141f., Helbing Gr. p. 31 ff.). In the NT only μαχαίρης, μαχαίρῃ, are found, and are normal in papyri of the Roman period. For an ex. from an earlier date see P | Tebt I. 16 (Β. 6. 114) ἐν μαχαίρηι ‘armed with a sword ” (for instrumental ἐν cf. 1 Cor 42! and the editors’ note). See further Moulton Pro/eg. pp. 38, 48, and Gr. ii. p. 118. We | may add as further illustrating the word P Tebt I. 48? (c, B.C, 113) σπασαμένων tas μαχαίρας, and P Ryl II. 256% (i/B.c.) where a young man complains that he has been deprived οἵ --πατ]ρικὴν στρατιωτικὴν μάχαιραν, which he had inherited. In Lk 228 Field (Wo/es, p. 76 f.) suggests as an alternative rendering ‘‘knives,” and compares Dion. Hal. Ant. xi. 37 ὡς ἐγγὺς ἣν ἐργαστηρίου μαγειρικοῦ, μάχαιραν ἐξαρπάσας ἀπὸ τῆς τραπέζης κτλ. For the dim. μαχαίριον see P Eleph 515 (8.6. 284--3) and P Oxy XIV. 16588 (iv/a. p.) ᾿ μαχαίρια B μει[κίρά, and for μαχαιρᾶς (not in LS), ‘‘cutler,” | see 20. 16768 (i1i/A.D.) δόντος μοι αὐτὴν τοῦ paxatpa, “which | editor's note on OG/S 7378 (ii/B.c.) : cf. Rom 134. (= Chrest. 11. p. 227) δ οὗ ματαίως εἱστορεῖ περί τε τοῦ | ἑαυτοὺς ἐν μέσῳ τῆς κώμης. (letter) was given me by the cutler” (Edd.). Οπ the μαχαιροφόροι, a kind of military police, see P Amh II. 38° (ii/s.c.), P Oxy II. 2943 (a.p. 22) (= Selections, p. 35) a/., and the MGr μαχαίρι.

μάχαιρα (machaira) — sword. μάχαιρ-α [μᾰ], ας (later -ης, dative -ῃ, [NT+2nd c.BC+], ἡ, large knife or dirk, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; carving-knife, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; sacrificial knife, [Refs 5th c.BC+] —ἡ Δελφικὴ μ. a knife adapted to various purposes, [Refs 4th c.BC+] see at {Δελφικὴ μ}.; proverbial, of greedy persons, because Delphian sacrificers claimed a share for the knife, [Refs]

2. as a weapon, short sword, dagger, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; used by jugglers, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; later, sabre, opposed to the straight sword (ξίφος), [NT+5th c.BC+]; οἱ ἐπὶ τῆς μ., of a bodyguard, [Refs 2nd c.AD+]; but, ἐπὶ μ. τασσόμενοι possessing power of life and death (jus gladii), Cat.Codex Astr.[Refs]; μ. ἱππική cavalry sabre, [Refs 3rd c.BC+]

3. μ. κουρίδες, shears or scissors, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; κεκαρμένος μοιχὸν μιᾶ μ., i.e. with one blade, [Refs 5th c.BC+] see entry {μιᾷ μαχαίρ; μ. κουρικαί} [Refs 1st c.AD+]

4. metaphorically, διὰ μαχαιρῶν καὶ πυρός [NT+3rd c.BC+]

II. name of a precious stone, [Refs 4th c.BC+]

III. part of the liver, [Refs 2nd c.AD+]