Dictionary of Bible Themes  »  5000 Humanity  »  5200 Human civilisation  »  5583 tools

Implements used for agricultural or mechanical purposes. Early tools were of wood, flint or stone. The development of ironworking brought iron-bladed tools and farm implements into common use. Axes were used to fell trees; hammers, chisels and saws were used by both carpenters and masons. Assyria and Babylon are depicted as tools in God's hand.

Tools made from iron and bronze

General references

Genesis 4:22 See also 2 Samuel 12:31 pp 1 Chronicles 20:3 saws, iron picks and axes; 2 Samuel 23:7 iron tools

Iron axe-heads

2 Kings 6:4-5 Axes comprised an iron head fitted to a wooden shaft. See also Deuteronomy 19:5

Sharpening iron tools

1 Samuel 13:19-21 A ploughshare is the cutting blade of a plough. A mattock is a large pick with a flat edge used for loosening soil and cutting. See also Ecclesiastes 10:10

Tools used in specific tasks

Axes used for felling trees

Judges 9:48 See also Deuteronomy 20:19-20; Psalm 74:5-6

Matthew 3:10 pp Luke 3:9 Felling trees with an axe as a symbol of judgment. See also Jeremiah 46:22-23

Woodworking tools

Isaiah 44:13 See also Exodus 21:6 pp Deuteronomy 15:17 awl; Jeremiah 10:3-4 chisel, hammer and nails

Metalworking tools

Job 19:24 See also Exodus 28:36 pp Exodus 39:30; Jeremiah 17:1

Isaiah 41:7 See also Exodus 32:4; Isaiah 44:12; Jeremiah 10:9

Stoneworking tools

1 Kings 6:7; Kings 7:9 Saws were used in both carpentry and stonemasonry. See also Exodus 34:1; Deuteronomy 10:3; Isaiah 22:16; Jeremiah 23:29

No tools were to be used on stones for an altar:

Exodus 20:25; Deuteronomy 27:5; Joshua 8:31

Agricultural tools

Isaiah 2:4 pp Micah 4:3 A pruning hook is a curved blade used in pruning. See also Joel 3:10; Isaiah 18:5 pruning knives; Isaiah 30:24 fork and shovel

A winnowing fork is a wooden pitchfork used to toss grain into the wind:

Jeremiah 15:7; Matthew 3:12 pp Luke 3:17

The nations as tools in God's hand

Isaiah 10:15 Assyria is used by God to punish his people. See also Isaiah 10:5; Jeremiah 50:23 Babylon is a hammer in God's hand.

See also

4327  flint
4336  iron
4406  agriculture
4508  sickle
4648  goad
5212  arts and crafts
5247  carpenters
5306  engraving
5364  key
5372  knife
5403  masons
7254  plumb-line