Bible Dictionaries
Knife

Holman Bible Dictionary

A small instrument made of flint, copper, bronze, or iron used mainly for domestic purposes. Joshua was ordered to make flint knives for the circumcision of Israelite males (Joshua 5:2-3 ). Since flint was not the common material used to make knives in the days of Joshua, the command to make the knives of flint probably reflects a very ancient practice of circumcision (see Genesis 17:11; Circumcision). Knives were used most commonly for killing and skinning animals and for killing sacrificial animals (see Leviticus 7:2; Leviticus 8:15 ,Leviticus 8:15,8:20 ,Leviticus 8:20,8:25; Leviticus 9:8-15; 1 Samuel 9:24 ). Some Bible students think the pruning hooks of Isaiah 18:5 were curved knives. Others believe that the lances of the priests of Baal were pointed knives with which they cut themselves to gain Baal's attention ( 1 Kings 18:28 ). According to Ezra 1:9 , the furnishings for the Temple included 29 knives (KJV, NRSV), but the meaning of the Hebrew term is uncertain as seen in modern translations: NIV, “silver pans”; REB, “vessels of various kinds”; RSV, “censers”; NAS, “duplicates.”