In biblical terms, the concept of "sharpen" is often used metaphorically to describe the process of refining, improving, or preparing oneself or others for a specific purpose. The imagery of sharpening is frequently associated with wisdom, discernment, and the honing of one's character or skills.

Proverbs 27:17 · "As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another." This verse is perhaps the most well-known biblical reference to sharpening. It highlights the importance of relationships and community in personal growth and development. Just as iron is used to sharpen iron, individuals are encouraged to engage with one another in ways that promote mutual edification and spiritual growth. This process involves accountability, encouragement, and constructive criticism, all of which contribute to the sharpening of one's character and faith.

Ecclesiastes 10:10 · "If the ax is dull and its edge unsharpened, more strength is needed, but skill will bring success." This passage underscores the value of preparation and skill. A sharpened tool is more effective and requires less effort to use. Similarly, in life, honing one's skills and abilities through wisdom and understanding leads to greater success and efficiency. The verse serves as a reminder of the importance of preparation and the pursuit of excellence in all endeavors.

1 Samuel 13:19-21 · In this historical context, the Philistines sought to weaken the Israelites by ensuring that there were no blacksmiths in Israel, thus preventing them from sharpening their weapons. "No blacksmith could be found in all the land of Israel, because the Philistines had said, 'Otherwise the Hebrews will make swords or spears.' So all Israel went down to the Philistines, each to sharpen his plowshare, his mattock, his ax, or his sickle." This passage illustrates the strategic importance of sharpening tools and weapons, both in a literal and metaphorical sense. The ability to sharpen one's tools was crucial for survival and defense, symbolizing the broader theme of being prepared and equipped for the challenges of life.

Hebrews 4:12 · While not directly using the word "sharpen," this verse speaks to the penetrating power of God's Word: "For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any double-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and intentions of the heart." The Word of God is described as being sharper than any physical weapon, emphasizing its ability to discern and transform the innermost parts of a person. This metaphorical sharpness is a call to allow Scripture to refine and shape one's life.

In summary, the biblical concept of sharpening encompasses the ideas of preparation, refinement, and the pursuit of wisdom. Whether through interpersonal relationships, personal discipline, or the transformative power of God's Word, the process of sharpening is integral to spiritual growth and effectiveness in the Christian life.1. (v.) To make sharp.

2. (v.) To give a keen edge or fine point to; to make sharper; as, to sharpen an ax, or the teeth of a saw.

3. (v.) To render more quick or acute in perception; to make more ready or ingenious.

4. (v.) To make more eager; as, to sharpen men's desires.

5. (v.) To make more pungent and intense; as, to sharpen a pain or disease.

6. (v.) To make biting, sarcastic, or severe.

7. (v.) To render more shrill or piercing.

8. (v.) To make more tart or acid; to make sour; as, the rays of the sun sharpen vinegar.

9. (v.) To raise, as a sound, by means of a sharp; to apply a sharp to.

10. (v. i.) To grow or become sharp.

3947. paroxuno -- to sharpen, fig. to stimulate, to provoke
... 3946, 3947. paroxuno. 3948 . to sharpen, fig. to ... Souter). Word Origin
from para and oxuno (to sharpen) Definition to sharpen, fig. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3947.htm - 7k

5482. charax -- a pointed stake, a rampart
... From charasso (to sharpen to a point; akin to grapho through the idea of scratching);
a stake, ie (by implication) a palisade or rampart (military mound for ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5482.htm - 6k

5480. charagma -- a stamp, impress
... Word Origin from charasso (to sharpen, to engrave) Definition a stamp, impress
NASB Word Usage image formed (1), mark (7). stamp, mark. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5480.htm - 7k

3913. latash -- to hammer, sharpen, whet
... 3912, 3913. latash. 3914 . to hammer, sharpen, whet. Transliteration: latash
Phonetic Spelling: (law-tash') Short Definition: sharpen. Word Origin a prim. ...
/hebrew/3913.htm - 6k

8150. shanan -- to whet, sharpen
... shanan. 8151 . to whet, sharpen. Transliteration: shanan Phonetic Spelling:
(shaw-nan') Short Definition: sharp. ... prick, sharpen, teach diligently, whet. ...
/hebrew/8150.htm - 6k

2782. charats -- to cut, sharpen, decide
... 2781, 2782. charats. 2783 . to cut, sharpen, decide. Transliteration: charats
Phonetic Spelling: (khaw-rats') Short Definition: decreed. Word Origin a prim ...
/hebrew/2782.htm - 6k

2300. chadad -- to be sharp, keen
... be fierce, sharpen. A primitive root; to be (causatively, make) sharp or (figuratively)
severe -- be fierce, sharpen. 2299, 2300. chadad. 2301 . ...
/hebrew/2300.htm - 6k

7043. qalal -- to be slight, swift or trifling
... easy (2), insignificant (1), light a thing (1), lighten (5), lightly esteemed (2),
make it lighter (2), moved to and fro (1), shakes (1), sharpen (1), slight ...
/hebrew/7043.htm - 6k

5324. natsab -- to take one's stand, stand
... deputy, erect, establish, X Huzzah (by mistake for a proper name), lay, officer,
pillar, present, rear up, set (over, up), settle, sharpen, establish, (make to ...
/hebrew/5324.htm - 6k

4838. maraq -- to scour, polish
... bright, furbish, scour. A primitive root; to polish; by implication, to sharpen;
also to rinse -- bright, furbish, scour. 4837, 4838. maraq. 4839 . ...
/hebrew/4838.htm - 6k

1305. barar -- to purify, select
... select NASB Word Usage choice (2), chosen (2), cleanse (1), pure you show (2), purge
(2), purged (1), purified (1), purify (1), select (1), sharpen (1), show ...
/hebrew/1305.htm - 6k

4803. marat -- to make smooth, bare or bald, to scour, polish
... A primitive root; to polish; by implication, to make bald (the head), to gall (the
shoulder); also, to sharpen -- bright, furbish, (have his) hair (be) fallen ...
/hebrew/4803.htm - 6k

Lii. Trust in God.
... several opinions. Then Aemilius Paulus said to them, "Hold your tongues,
and sharpen your swords, and leave the rest to me.". It ...
/.../the village pulpit volume ii trinity to advent/lii trust in god.htm

Among Such as These, in that Unsettled Age of Mine...
... For not to sharpen my tongue (which thing I seemed to be purchasing with my mother's
allowances, in that my nineteenth year, my father being dead two years ...
/.../augustine/the confessions of saint augustine/chapter iv among such as.htm

Hell.
... the everlastingness of misery. Miseries as well as mercies sharpen and
make quick the apprehensions of the soul. Behold Spira in ...
//christianbookshelf.org/bunyan/the riches of bunyan/xxviii hell.htm

On the Departure of Flavian, Bishop of Antioch, who was Gone on an ...
... So too, when the fast makes its appearance, like a kind of spiritual summer, let
us as soldiers burnish our weapons; and as husbandmen let us sharpen our sickle ...
/.../chrysostom/on the priesthood/homily iii on the departure.htm

Books and Reading.
... Knowledge on almost any subject has a marked tendency to sharpen one's wits, to
refine his tastes, to ennoble his spirit, to improve his judgement, to ...
/.../judy/questionable amusements and worthy substitutes/vi books and reading.htm

The Trial of Saul.
... But all the Israelites went down to the Philistines, to sharpen every man his share,
and his coulter, and his ax, and his mattock." Saul was raised up to throw ...
/.../newman/parochial and plain sermons vol viii/sermon iii the trial of.htm

Spiritual Religion in High Places --Rous, Vane, and Sterry
... refused to run in the well-worn channels, but, as usual, the opposition and hindrances
only served to {267} deepen personal conviction, to sharpen the edge of ...
/.../chapter xiv spiritual religion in.htm

"Let us Pray"
... Then I shall take the text as a whetstone to sharpen our desires, to make us more
earnest, and more diligent in supplication, because "it is good to draw near ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 6 1860/let us pray.htm

The Sad Case of a Relapse into Known and Deliberate Sin, after ...
... And if afflictions be sent, as they probably may, in order to reclaim you,
a consciousness of guilt will sharpen and envenom the dart. ...
/.../the rise and progress of religion in the soul/chapter xxiii the sad case.htm

But this New Cloudy Political Cowardice Has Rendered Useless the ...
... As an instance to sharpen the argument, I take the one case of our everlasting
education bills. We have actually contrived to invent a new kind of hypocrite. ...
/.../chesterton/whats wrong with the world/chapter 3 but this new.htm

Sharpen (8 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (v.) To make sharp. 2. (v.) To give a keen edge or
fine point to; to make sharper; as, to sharpen an ax, or the teeth of a saw. ...
/s/sharpen.htm - 9k

Sickle (13 Occurrences)
... tang. The sickle has one side of the blade notched, so as always to sharpen
with a serrated edge. Cf. Reaping hook, under Reap. ...
/s/sickle.htm - 12k

Sharp (115 Occurrences)
... 25. (vt) To sharpen. ... (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV). Psalms 7:12 If a
man doesn't relent, he will sharpen his sword; he has bent and strung his bow. ...
/s/sharp.htm - 38k

Ax (12 Occurrences)
... 1 Samuel 13:20 but all the Israelites went down to the Philistines, to sharpen every
man his plowshare, mattock, axe, and sickle; (Root in WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE ...
/a/ax.htm - 14k

Axe (19 Occurrences)
... 1 Samuel 13:20 but all the Israelites went down to the Philistines, to sharpen every
man his plowshare, mattock, axe, and sickle; (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY YLT ...
/a/axe.htm - 18k

Sharpened (13 Occurrences)

/s/sharpened.htm - 10k

Keen (3 Occurrences)
... 5. (superl.) Eager; vehement; fierce; as, a keen appetite. 6. (vt) To sharpen; to
make cold. 7. (n.) A prolonged wail for a deceased person. Cf. Coranach. ...
/k/keen.htm - 8k

Grind (12 Occurrences)
... 2. (vt) To wear down, polish, or sharpen, by friction; to make smooth, sharp, or
pointed; to whet, as a knife or drill; to rub against one another, as teeth ...
/g/grind.htm - 11k

Gravel (3 Occurrences)
... grav'-el (chatsats, from root chatsats, "to divide." Kindred roots have the meaning
of "to cut," "to hew," "to sharpen," hence chets, "arrow" (2 Kings 13:17 ...
/g/gravel.htm - 9k

Whet (5 Occurrences)
... 2. (vt) To rub or on with some substance, as a piece of stone, for the purpose
of sharpening; to sharpen by attrition; as, to whet a knife. ...
/w/whet.htm - 8k

What does it mean that iron sharpens iron? | GotQuestions.org

How can a Christian overcome the fear of witnessing? | GotQuestions.org

Who were the Philistines? | GotQuestions.org

Sharpen: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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