Topical Bible: The Sword was Used by the Jews

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The sword, a symbol of warfare and authority, holds significant historical and theological importance in the biblical narrative, particularly in the context of the Jewish people. Throughout the Scriptures, the sword is depicted as both a literal weapon of war and a metaphorical instrument of divine judgment and protection.

Historical Context

In ancient Israel, the sword was a primary weapon used in warfare. The Israelites, like many ancient Near Eastern cultures, relied on swords for defense and conquest. The sword's presence is evident in various military campaigns and battles recorded in the Old Testament. For instance, during the conquest of Canaan, the Israelites wielded swords as they took possession of the Promised Land, as seen in the book of Joshua. Joshua 11:10-11 recounts, "Then Joshua turned back at that time and captured Hazor and struck its king with the sword, because Hazor had formerly been the head of all these kingdoms. They struck down everyone in the city with the sword, devoting them to destruction."

Symbol of Divine Judgment and Protection

The sword also serves as a symbol of divine judgment. In the prophetic literature, God often uses the imagery of the sword to convey impending judgment upon nations, including Israel, for their disobedience. For example, in Ezekiel 21:3-4 , the Lord declares, "Tell the land of Israel that this is what the LORD says: 'Behold, I am against you, and I will draw My sword from its sheath and cut off from you both the righteous and the wicked.'"

Conversely, the sword is also a symbol of divine protection and deliverance. In the narrative of David and Goliath, David's victory over the Philistine giant is achieved not with a sword, but with a sling and a stone, yet he ultimately uses Goliath's own sword to behead him, as recorded in 1 Samuel 17:50-51 . This act signifies God's deliverance and the triumph of faith over physical might.

The Sword in Jewish Law and Tradition

The sword's role extends beyond warfare into the realm of justice and law. The Mosaic Law prescribed the use of the sword in certain judicial executions, reflecting the seriousness of upholding God's commandments. In Exodus 32:27-28 , following the incident of the golden calf, Moses commands the Levites, "Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: 'Each man strap a sword to his side. Go back and forth through the camp from gate to gate and kill his brother, his friend, and his neighbor.' The Levites did as Moses commanded, and that day about three thousand of the people fell dead."

Metaphorical Use in Wisdom Literature

In the wisdom literature, the sword is often used metaphorically to describe the power of words and wisdom. Proverbs 12:18 states, "There is one who speaks like the piercings of a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing." Here, the sword represents the potential harm of reckless words, contrasting with the healing power of wise speech.

The Sword in the New Testament

While the New Testament shifts focus from physical warfare to spiritual battles, the sword remains a potent symbol. In Ephesians 6:17 , the Apostle Paul describes the "sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God," as part of the full armor of God, emphasizing the importance of Scripture in spiritual warfare. Additionally, in Revelation 19:15 , the returning Christ is depicted with a sharp sword coming from His mouth, symbolizing His authority to judge and conquer.

Throughout the biblical narrative, the sword serves as a multifaceted symbol, representing both the physical reality of warfare and the spiritual truths of judgment, protection, and the power of God's word.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Judges 20:2
And the chief of all the people, even of all the tribes of Israel, presented themselves in the assembly of the people of God, four hundred thousand footmen that drew sword.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

2 Samuel 24:9
And Joab gave up the sum of the number of the people to the king: and there were in Israel eight hundred thousand valiant men that drew the sword; and the men of Judah were five hundred thousand men.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

The Misfortunes which Overwhelmed the Jews after their Presumption ...
... clothing, forbidding them to use the sword, but commanding ... Whether the Jews suffered
in the same way in ... which Josephus has employed here, was used to denote ...
/.../pamphilius/church history/chapter vi the misfortunes which overwhelmed.htm

The Wisdom of God in the Means Used to Propagate the Gospel.
... greater enmity to Christianity than the Jews, or entered ... In treating of the means
used to propagate ... often been propagated with the sword "particularly that ...
/.../lee/sermons on various important subjects/sermon i the wisdom of.htm

The Jews Expound These Signs Jejunely and Feebly, and Take up ...
... Chapter CXII."The Jews expound these signs jejunely and feebly ... cursed and cut off
by the great sword, as Isaiah ... and so many measures of oil [are used] in the ...
/.../chapter cxii the jews expound these.htm

The Armour of God
... Greeks, Syrians, Jews, Egyptians,"all alike in his days obeyed the Roman soldiers ...
The Roman soldier had used bodily force"the persuasion of the sword. ...
/.../kingsley/discipline and other sermons/sermon xi the armour of god.htm

The Necessity of Regeneration, Argued from the Immutable ...
... himself the Son of Man; and he particularly used this phrase ... the patriarchs had no
share; nor did the Jews at all ... if he turn not he will whet his sword; he has ...
/.../practical discourses on regeneration/discourse iv the necessity of.htm

Conclusion. Clue to the Error of the Jews.
... Clue to the Error of the Jews. ... Gird Thee Thy sword around Thy thigh, most potent
in Thy bloom and beauty ... we may understand; and that the events which used to be ...
/.../tertullian/an answer to the jews/chapter xiv conclusion clue to the.htm

The Gospel was Preached to Jews and Gentiles in Hades.
... For God is not only Lord of the Jews, but of all men, and ... if ye hear Me not, and
are not willing, the sword shall devour ... [3265] euengelisthai used actively for ...
/.../clement/the stromata or miscellanies/chapter vi the gospel was preached.htm

Appendix xvi. On the Jewish views About Demons' and the Demonised ...
... Christianity had widely spread among the Jews, and R ... and exorcism, the formulas to
be used for the ... as against another cutaneous disease: A sword drawn, and a ...
/.../the life and times of jesus the messiah/appendix xvi on the jewish.htm

Concerning Esther and Mordecai and Haman; and How in the Reign of ...
... 9. When Esther had used this supplication for three days ... through all my kingdom,
that the Jews may be ... in this epistle, shall be destroyed by fire and sword. ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 6 concerning esther and.htm

How Titus Marched to Jerusalem, and How He was in Danger as He was ...
... So he diverted those perpetually with his sword that came on his side, and overturned ...
So they used their utmost force against the Jews, and declining ...
/.../chapter 2 how titus marched.htm