The term "jaw" in the Bible is often associated with strength, power, and sometimes divine intervention. It appears in various contexts, both literal and metaphorical, throughout the Scriptures.

1. Samson and the Jawbone of a Donkey: One of the most notable references to a jaw in the Bible is found in the account of Samson. In Judges 15:15, Samson finds "a fresh jawbone of a donkey" and uses it as a weapon to slay a thousand Philistines. This event highlights the extraordinary strength given to Samson by God and serves as a testament to divine empowerment. The passage reads: "He found the fresh jawbone of a donkey, reached out his hand and took it, and struck down a thousand men with it." This act of deliverance underscores the theme of God using the weak things of the world to confound the mighty.

2. Metaphorical Use: The jaw is also used metaphorically in the Bible to describe God's power over His enemies. In Job 29:17, Job speaks of breaking "the fangs of the wicked" and snatching "the prey from their teeth," illustrating the idea of divine justice and protection. Similarly, in Psalm 3:7, David prays for deliverance from his enemies, saying, "Arise, O LORD! Save me, O my God! Strike all my enemies on the jaw; break the teeth of the wicked." Here, the jaw symbolizes the strength and aggression of the wicked, which God is able to dismantle.

3. Symbol of Judgment: The jaw is sometimes used as a symbol of judgment. In Hosea 11:4, God speaks of leading Israel with "cords of kindness, with ropes of love," and removing "the yoke from their necks," bending down to feed them. This imagery contrasts with the idea of a yoke or bridle in the jaw, which is often used to control or subdue. The removal of such a yoke signifies liberation and divine compassion.

4. Prophetic Imagery: In Ezekiel 29:4, God declares judgment against Pharaoh, king of Egypt, saying, "But I will put hooks in your jaws and make the fish of your streams cling to your scales. I will pull you up from the midst of your streams, with all the fish clinging to your scales." This vivid imagery portrays God's sovereignty and ability to control even the most powerful rulers, using the jaw as a point of capture and subjugation.

5. Cultural and Historical Context: In ancient Near Eastern culture, the jaw was often seen as a symbol of strength and ferocity. Animals with powerful jaws, such as lions and bears, were feared and respected. This cultural understanding is reflected in the biblical text, where the jaw often represents power, both human and divine.

In summary, the concept of the jaw in the Bible serves as a multifaceted symbol, representing strength, divine intervention, judgment, and deliverance. Whether used literally or metaphorically, it underscores the themes of God's power and sovereignty over creation and His ability to protect and deliver His people.1. (n.) One of the bones, usually bearing teeth, which form the framework of the mouth.

2. (n.) Hence, also, the bone itself with the teeth and covering.

3. (n.) In the plural, the mouth.

4. (n.) Fig.: Anything resembling the jaw of an animal in form or action; esp., pl., the mouth or way of entrance; as, the jaws of a pass; the jaws of darkness; the jaws of death.

5. (n.) A notch or opening.

6. (n.) A notched or forked part, adapted for holding an object in place; as, the jaw of a railway-car pedestal. See Axle guard.

7. (n.) One of a pair of opposing parts which are movable towards or from each other, for grasping or crushing anything between them, as, the jaws of a vise, or the jaws of a stone-crushing machine.

8. (n.) The inner end of a boom or gaff, hollowed in a half circle so as to move freely on a mast.

9. (n.) Impudent or abusive talk.

10. (v. i.) To scold; to clamor.

11. (v. t.) To assail or abuse by scolding.

JAW; JAWBONE; JAW TEETH

jo, jo'-bon (lechi, "cheek (bone)," "jaw (bone)"): In Job 41:2, the Revised Version (British and American) gives "pierce his jaw through with a hook" for the King James Version "bore his jaw through with a thorn" (see HOOK; LEVIATHAN). Psalm 22:15, "My tongue cleaveth to my jaws (malqoach)," is descriptive of the effect of a fever or physical torture, a dryness and a horrible clamminess. Malqochayim is an ancient dual form meaning the two jaws, and, metaphorically, malqoach indicates that which is caught between the jaws, booty, prey, including captives (Numbers 31:11, 26, 32 Isaiah 49:24 f).

Figurative:

(1) Of the power of the wicked, with a reference to Divine restraint and discipline: "I brake the jaws (Hebrew "great teeth") of the unrighteous" (Job 29:17 Proverbs 30:14); compare Psalm 58:6, "Break out the great teeth (malta`oth, "jaw teeth") of the young lions, O Yahweh." Let the wicked be deprived of their ability for evil; let them at least be disabled from mischief. Septuagint reads "God shall break," etc. (Compare Edmund Prys's Metrical Paraphrase of the Psalms, in the place cited.) "A bridle. in the jaws of the peoples" (Isaiah 30:28; compare 2 Kings 19:28) is descriptive of the ultimate check of the Assyrian power at Jerusalem, "as when a bridle or lasso is thrown upon the jaws of a wild animal when you wish to catch and tame him" (G.A. Smith Isaiah, I, 235). Compare Ezekiel 29:4 (concerning Pharaoh); 38:4 (concerning Gog), "I will put hooks in (into) thy jaws."

(2) Of human labor and trials, with a reference to the Divine gentleness: "I was to them as they that lift up the yoke on their jaws" (Hosea 11:4), or `take the yoke off their jaws,' as the humane driver eased the yoke with his hands or `lifted it forward from neck to the jaws'; or it may perhaps refer to the removal of the yoke in the evening, when work is over.

Jawbone (Judges 15:15).

See RAMATH-LEHI.

M. O. Evans

4600. siagon -- a jawbone, by impl. cheek
... Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: siagon Phonetic Spelling:
(see-ag-one') Short Definition: the jawbone, cheek Definition: the jawbone, cheek, ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4600.htm - 6k3895. lechi -- jaw, cheek
... 3894, 3895. lechi. 3896 . jaw, cheek. Transliteration: lechi Phonetic Spelling:
(lekh-ee') Short Definition: cheek. ... cheek bone, jaw bone. ...
/hebrew/3895.htm - 6k

7448. resen -- a halter, jaw
... 7447b, 7448. resen. 7449 . a halter, jaw. Transliteration: resen Phonetic
Spelling: (reh'-sen) Short Definition: bridle. Word Origin ...
/hebrew/7448.htm - 5k

4455b. malqoach -- a jaw
... malqoach. 4456 . a jaw. Transliteration: malqoach Short Definition: jaws. Word
Origin from laqach Definition a jaw NASB Word Usage jaws (1). 4455a, 4455b. ...
/hebrew/4455b.htm - 5k

4973. methalleoth -- teeth
... Word Origin from the same as tola Definition teeth NASB Word Usage fangs
(2), jaw teeth (1), jaws (1). cheek jaw tooth, jaw. Contr. ...
/hebrew/4973.htm - 6k

7437. Ramath Lechiy -- "height of a jawbone," a city in Judah
... Ramath-lehi From ramah and lchiy; height of a jaw-bone; Ramath-Lechi, a place in
Palestine -- Ramath-lehi. see HEBREW ramah. see HEBREW lchiy. 7436, 7437. ...
/hebrew/7437.htm - 5k

Fragment Xl. "And He Found the Jaw-Bone of an Ass. ...
... Fragment XL. "And he found the jaw-bone of an ass.? "And [4880] he found
the jaw-bone of an ass." [4881] It is to be observed ...
/.../fragments from the lost writings of irenaeus/fragment xl and he found.htm

Concerning the Fortitude of Samson, and what Mischiefs He Brought ...
... him with two cords, and lead him on, in order to deliver him to the Philistines;
and when they came to a certain place, which is now called the Jaw-bone, on ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 8 concerning the fortitude.htm

Samson who did to Others as they did to Him
... And he found a fresh jaw-bone of an ass, and having seized it, he killed
a thousand men with it. Then Samson said: "With the jaw ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/sherman/the childrens bible/samson who did to others.htm

On the Study of Zoology.
... If I examine the outermost jaw I find it consists of three distinct portions, an
inner, a middle, and an outer, mounted upon a common stem; and if I compare ...
/.../huxley/lay sermons addresses and reviews/vi on the study of.htm

Fragment Xli. This Indicates the Persecution against the Church ...
... First of all, by his betaking himself to the Rock [4885] not cognizable to the senses;
[4886] secondly, by the finding of the jaw-bone of an ass. ...
/.../fragment xli this indicates the.htm

Given to Abstraction of Thought. Cases in Point. Opinion of ...
... place. By an effort in drawing back my under jaw, I could barely get the
edges to so pass as to make a pressure of any value. But ...
/.../chapter v given to abstraction.htm

How Queen Ethelthryth Always Preserved Her virginity, and Her Body ...
... had more certain knowledge. He was wont to relate that in her sickness she
had a very great tumour under her jaw. "And I was ordered ...
/.../bede/bedes ecclesiastical history of england/chap xix how queen ethelthryth.htm

How Fursa Built a Monastery among the East Angles, and of his ...
... the unclean spirits, laying hold of one of those whom they were burning in the fire,
cast him against him, and, touching his shoulder and jaw, scorched them. ...
/.../bede/bedes ecclesiastical history of england/chap xix how fursa built.htm

The Necessity of the Spirit's Work
... sword of the Spirit. If ye had looked at the jaw-bone of the ass in Samson's
hand, you would have said, "What! heaps on heaps with ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 5 1859/the necessity of the spirits.htm

Psalm LVIII.
... broken utterly.... 10. "The jaw-bones of lions the Lord hath broken utterly."
[2188] Not only of asps. What of asps? Asps treacherously ...
/.../augustine/exposition on the book of psalms/psalm lviii.htm

Jaw (6 Occurrences)
... 4. (n.) Fig.: Anything resembling the jaw of an animal in form or action; esp.,
pl., the mouth or way of entrance; as, the jaws of a pass; the jaws of darkness ...
/j/jaw.htm - 11k

Jaw-bone (3 Occurrences)
Jaw-bone. Jawbone, Jaw-bone. Jawbones . Easton's Bible Dictionary Of
an ass afforded Samson a weapon for the great slaughter of ...
/j/jaw-bone.htm - 7k

Jaw-teeth (4 Occurrences)
Jaw-teeth. Jaws, Jaw-teeth. Jazer . Multi-Version Concordance
Jaw-teeth (4 Occurrences). Job 29:17 And I break the jaw...
/j/jaw-teeth.htm - 7k

Jawbone (3 Occurrences)
... In verse 19 the Authorized Version reads, "God clave a hollow place that was in
the jaw, and there came water thereout." This is a mis-translation of the words ...
/j/jawbone.htm - 10k

Teeth (50 Occurrences)
... CHEEK TEETH. (methalle`ah, transposed from malta`ah (only in Psalm 58:6), literally
"the biter," "crusher," "molar," "jaw-teeth," "great ...JAW; JAWBONE; JAW TEETH. ...
/t/teeth.htm - 25k

Ramathlehi (1 Occurrence)
... The phrase "in the jaw," ver. ... The Septuagint seems to have supposed that the
name referred to the "heaving" or throwing up of the jaw-bone. ...
/r/ramathlehi.htm - 8k

Ramath-lehi (1 Occurrence)
... The phrase "in the jaw," ver. ... The Septuagint seems to have supposed that the
name referred to the "heaving" or throwing up of the jaw-bone. ...
/r/ramath-lehi.htm - 8k

Cheek (9 Occurrences)
... CHEEK TEETH. (methalle`ah, transposed from malta`ah (only in Psalm 58:6), literally
"the biter," "crusher," "molar," "jaw-teeth," "great teeth" (Job 29:17 m ...
/c/cheek.htm - 12k

Beard (23 Occurrences)
... 4. (n.) The appendages to the jaw in some Cetacea, and to the mouth or jaws of some
fishes. 5. (n.) The byssus of certain shellfish, as the muscle. ...
/b/beard.htm - 21k

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