Topical Bible: Iron: Made Into: Armour

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Iron, a metal of significant importance in biblical times, was utilized in various applications, including the crafting of armor. The use of iron for making armor is indicative of its strength and durability, qualities that were essential for protection in ancient warfare. The Bible provides several references to iron, highlighting its value and utility in the context of military equipment.

In the Old Testament, iron is frequently mentioned as a material used for weapons and armor. The Israelites, during their conquest and settlement in Canaan, encountered peoples who possessed advanced iron technology. This is evident in the account of the Philistines, who were known for their iron chariots and weaponry. In 1 Samuel 17:5-7, the description of Goliath's armor includes iron components: "He had a bronze helmet on his head and wore a coat of scale armor of bronze weighing five thousand shekels. He had armor of bronze on his legs and a bronze javelin slung between his shoulders. The shaft of his spear was like a weaver’s rod, and its iron point weighed six hundred shekels."

The use of iron in armor is also noted in the context of King Saul's reign. In 1 Samuel 13:19-22, the text describes the Philistine control over ironworking, which left the Israelites at a disadvantage: "Now there was no blacksmith to be found throughout 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 axe, or his sickle. The charge was two-thirds of a shekel for the plowshares and mattocks, and a third of a shekel for the pitchforks and axes and for repointing the goads. So on the day of battle, not a sword or spear was to be found in the hands of the entire army that was with Saul and Jonathan; only Saul and his son Jonathan had weapons."

The strategic advantage of iron weaponry and armor is further underscored in the biblical narrative. The ability to forge iron into effective military gear was a significant factor in the power dynamics of the ancient Near East. The Philistines' mastery of iron technology gave them a formidable edge over their adversaries, including the Israelites, until the latter could acquire similar capabilities.

Iron's symbolic representation in the Bible also extends to its metaphorical use as a symbol of strength and resilience. In Job 40:18, the behemoth's bones are described as "tubes of bronze, his limbs like rods of iron," emphasizing the creature's formidable strength. Similarly, in Daniel 2:40, the fourth kingdom is described as "strong as iron," illustrating its power to crush and break all others.

In summary, iron's role in the manufacture of armor in biblical times underscores its importance as a material of strength and protection. The biblical accounts reflect the historical and cultural significance of iron in warfare, highlighting its impact on the balance of power among ancient civilizations.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

2 Samuel 23:7
But the man that shall touch them must be fenced with iron and the staff of a spear; and they shall be utterly burned with fire in the same place.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Revelation 9:9
And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

One Metaphor and Two Meanings
... is the unwelcome necessity which grips us with iron and sharpened ... shined.' Christ
the Light has gone down into the darkness ... to Him was night He has made for us ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture i/one metaphor and two meanings.htm

Canaan
... among the booty. Iron, which was found in the hills, was freely used, and made
into armour, weapons, and chariots. It was "the chariots ...
/.../sayce/early israel and the surrounding nations/chapter ii canaan.htm

Saint George Kills the Enchanter Osmond.
... block of rock, a huge giant in his iron coat, with ... and told him that the necromancer
had made a huge ... De Fistycuff to watch over him, he advanced into the tower ...
/.../the seven champions of christendom/chapter thirteen saint george kills.htm

The Warfare of Christian Service
... mind, and we can put some kind of logical sequence into them ... is from above, and the
metal of which they are made is given from heaven, like meteoric iron. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture k/the warfare of christian service.htm

The Prison-House.
... Joseph resists temptation, and he is cast into prison. But the iron of his chain
made his soul as iron, and changed the spoiled darling of his father ...
/.../the life of duty a years plain sermons v 2/sermon lii the prison-house.htm

The Name Above Every Name
... Iron will ... when we accept the teaching which tells us that in that Word made flesh
and ... early sparkle, and gathers scum on its surface from filth flung into it by ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture a/the name above every name.htm

Strong Christians.
... iron dukes, and iron men, God wants iron saints." Much ... Holy Ghost, for your strength
shall be made perfect in ... small body of French who had formed into a square ...
/.../the life of duty a years plain sermons v 2/sermon lvi strong christians.htm

The Adventures of Saint David of Wales.
... he and the faithful Owen, having made all preparation ... their heads, screeching their
terrific notes into the ears ... bearing in their hands some iron chains, which ...
/.../kingston/the seven champions of christendom/chapter ten the adventures of.htm

The Adventures of Saint Andrew of Scotland.
... such like dreadful sounds, which would have made any other ... which stood the castle
within whose iron walls the ... by no means get changed back into their natural ...
/.../kingston/the seven champions of christendom/chapter eight the adventures of.htm

Of the Causes which Alienate us from God.
... the irons of another, but my own iron will ... as yet to overcome my former wilfulness,
made strong by ... i. part 2), "Satan leads poor creatures down into the depths ...
/.../augustine/the confessions and letters of st/chapter v of the causes which.htm