Bible Dictionary: Awl

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Smith's Bible Dictionary

Awl

a tool of which we do not know the ancient form. The only notice of it is in connection with the custom of boring the ear of the slave. (Exodus 21:6; 15:17)

Easton's Bible Dictionary

An instrument only referred to in connection with the custom of boring the ear of a slave (Exodus 21:6; Deuteronomy 15:17), in token of his volunteering perpetual service when he might be free. (Comp. Psalm 40:6; Isaiah 50:5).

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary

(n.) A pointed instrument for piercing small holes, as in leather or wood; used by shoemakers, saddlers, cabinetmakers, etc. The blade is differently shaped and pointed for different uses, as in the brad awl, saddler's awl, shoemaker's awl, etc.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

AWL

ol martsea`: "Bore his ear through with an awl" (Exodus 21:6 Deuteronomy 15:17). The ear was pierced as being the organ of hearing, thus signifying the servant's promise of obedience. See BORE.

Strong's Hebrew

4836. martsea -- a boring instrument, awl
... 4835, 4836. martsea. 4837 . a boring instrument, awl. Transliteration: martsea
Phonetic Spelling: (mar-tsay'-ah) Short Definition: awl. ...
/hebrew/4836.htm - 6k

7776. shual -- fox, perhaps jackal
... 7775, 7776. shual. 7777 . fox, perhaps jackal. Transliteration: shual
Phonetic Spelling: (shoo-awl') Short Definition: foxes. Word ...
/hebrew/7776.htm - 6k

3636. Kelal -- an Israelite
... Kelal. 3637 . an Israelite. Transliteration: Kelal Phonetic Spelling: (kel-awl')
Short Definition: Chelal. Word Origin from the same as kallah Definition an Isr ...
/hebrew/3636.htm - 6k

4611. maalal -- a deed, practice
... 4610, 4611. maalal. 4612 . a deed, practice. Transliteration: maalal Phonetic
Spelling: (mah-al-awl') Short Definition: deeds. Word ...
/hebrew/4611.htm - 6k

3978. maakal -- food
... 3977, 3978. maakal. 3979 . food. Transliteration: maakal Phonetic Spelling:
(mah-ak-awl') Short Definition: food. Word Origin from ...
/hebrew/3978.htm - 6k

8279. sered -- a stylus
... line. From sarad; a (carpenter's) scribing-awl (for pricking or scratching measurements)
-- line. see HEBREW sarad. 8278, 8279. sered. 8280 . Strong's Numbers
/hebrew/8279.htm - 6k

5096. Nahalal -- a place in Zebulun
... 5095, 5096. Nahalal or Nahalol. 5097 . a place in Zebulun. Transliteration:
Nahalal or Nahalol Phonetic Spelling: (nah-hal-awl') Short Definition: Nahalal. ...
/hebrew/5096.htm - 6k

2705. Chatsar Shual -- "village of the fox," a place in S. Judah
... "village of the fox," a place in S. Judah. Transliteration: Chatsar Shual Phonetic
Spelling: (khats-ar' shoo-awl') Short Definition: Hazar-shual. ...
/hebrew/2705.htm - 6k

7777. Shuw'al -- "fox," a district in Isr.
Shuw'al. 7776, 7777. Shuw'al. 7777a . "fox," a district in Isr. Transliteration:
Shuw'al Phonetic Spelling: (shoo-awl') Short Definition: Shual. Shual ...
/hebrew/7777.htm - 5k

4515. minal -- a bolt
... 4514, 4515. minal. 4516 . a bolt. Transliteration: minal Phonetic Spelling:
(man-awl') Short Definition: locks. Word Origin from ...
/hebrew/4515.htm - 6k

Library

How, by the Contrivance of the Devil, Brother Juniper was ...
... guise of a poor beggar, with his clothes all tattered and patched, and a torn hood
falling on his shoulders, and he will carry with him an awl, wherewith to ...
/.../ugolino/the little flowers of st francis of assisi/chapter iii how by the.htm

The Scar-Marks of Surrender.
... And he would take his servant out to the door of the home, and standing him up against
the door-jamb would pierce the lobe of his ear through with an awl. ...
/.../gordon/quiet talks on service/the scar-marks of surrender.htm

Follies of the Greek Mythology.
... [2503] Not, as the editors dispute, either the tongue of the buckle with which he
put out his eyes, nor the awl with which his heels were bored through, but ...
/.../justin/justins discourse to the greeks/chapter iii follies of the greek.htm

The Caroline Settlement
... And in corroboration of all this we might point to the lamentation of Chancellor
Hyde, where he bemoans the fact that Papists awl Puritans were both computing ...
/.../studies in the book of common prayer/chapter iv the caroline settlement.htm

Outward and Inward Morality
... But love often begins with fear; fear is the approach to love: fear is like the
awl which draws the shoemaker's thread through the leather. ...
/.../eckhart/meister eckharts sermons/vii outward and inward morality.htm

Patrick, the Apostle of the Irish.
... Whilst he roamed about with his flocks through ice and snow, communion with
his God in prayer awl quiet contemplation were his portion. ...
/.../neander/light in the dark places/patrick the apostle of the.htm

Appendix J.
... divinely instructed students,"these inspired readers of the sacred page,"are aware
of that which they read, being inspired; God its author, awl not Alan. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/burgon/inspiration and interpretation/appendix j.htm

Whereunto Art Thou Like? Let Thy Stillness Speak to one that Hears
... The awl passed in thee since they handled thee roughly, as they did His hands; and
because He suffered He reigned, as by thy sufferings thy beauty increased. ...
/.../ephraim/hymns and homilies of ephraim the syrian/hymn ii whereunto art thou.htm

The Early Life of Malachy. Having Been Admitted to Holy Orders He ...
... But when he went into the house he saw the man playing with an awl, and with rapid
strokes making furrows in the wall in some strange fashion. ...
/.../chapter i the early life.htm

Review
... is plain that Prophecy must be evacuated of its meaning; or rather, must be denied
entirely: and to do this, falls to the share of the vulgar awl violent Vice ...
//christianbookshelf.org/burgon/inspiration and interpretation/review.htm

Thesaurus

Awl (2 Occurrences)
... The blade is differently shaped and pointed for different uses, as in the brad awl,
saddler's awl, shoemaker's awl, etc. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. AWL. ...
/a/awl.htm - 8k

Tools (3 Occurrences)
... (3) Among the boring tools, only the awl appears (Exodus 21:6 Deuteronomy 15:17),
an instrument primarily for the use of workers in leather. ... See AWL. ...
/t/tools.htm - 14k

Ear (670 Occurrences)
... disobedient. To have the ear "bored" through with an awl was a sign of perpetual
servitude (Exodus 21:6). Noah Webster's Dictionary. ...
/e/ear.htm - 42k

Pierce (30 Occurrences)
... 21:6 then his master shall bring him to God, and shall bring him to the door or
to the doorpost, and his master shall bore his ear through with an awl, and he ...
/p/pierce.htm - 15k

Slavery (31 Occurrences)
... shall bring him unto the judges (margin), and shall bring him to the door, or unto
the door-post; and his master shall bore his ear through with an awl; and he ...
/s/slavery.htm - 36k

Bore (221 Occurrences)
... judges" of the King James Version), "and shall bring him to the door, or unto the
doorpost; and his master shall bore his ear through with an awl" (Exodus 21:6 ...
/b/bore.htm - 38k

Slave (148 Occurrences)
... shall bring him unto the judges (margin), and shall bring him to the door, or unto
the door-post; and his master shall bore his ear through with an awl; and he ...
/s/slave.htm - 54k

A-whoring (35 Occurrences)
A-whoring. Awhile, A-whoring. Awl . Multi-Version Concordance A-whoring
(35 Occurrences). ... Awhile, A-whoring. Awl . Reference Bible.
/a/a-whoring.htm - 17k

Bondman (108 Occurrences)
... master shall bring him before the judges, and shall bring him to the door, or to
the door-post; and his master shall bore his ear through with an awl; and he ...
/b/bondman.htm - 36k

Ochre
... "Red ochre" supposes this to have been a crayon (as does "pencil"), but a
scratch-awl is quite as likely. Ochre is clay colored by an iron compound. ...
/o/ochre.htm - 7k

Bible Concordance

Awl (2 Occurrences)

Exodus 21:6 then his master shall bring him to God, and shall bring him to the door or to the doorpost, and his master shall bore his ear through with an awl, and he shall serve him for ever.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Deuteronomy 15:17 then you shall take an awl, and thrust it through his ear to the door, and he shall be your servant forever. Also to your female servant you shall do likewise.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Subtopics

Awl

Awl: A Tool

Related Terms

Tools (3 Occurrences)

Ear (670 Occurrences)

Pierce (30 Occurrences)

Slavery (31 Occurrences)

Bore (221 Occurrences)

Slave (148 Occurrences)

A-whoring (35 Occurrences)

Bondman (108 Occurrences)