perhaps from קָדַם in the sense of striking upon; an axe; ax.
Transliteration:qardôm
Pronunciation:kar-dome'
Detailed Word Study
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### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
H7134 (qardôm) precisely designates an axe, a robust cutting tool characterized by a heavy head, typically made of metal, and a handle designed for powerful, cleaving strokes. Its primary function is the felling of trees, splitting of wood, and the rough shaping of timber. The proposed etymological connection to קָדַם (qadam), meaning "to precede" or "to strike upon," aptly describes the axe's action as an implement that makes a forceful, initial impact to cut or sever. It is an instrument of significant force, capable of both productive labor and profound destruction.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The term qardôm appears in four distinct contexts within the Hebrew Bible, each illuminating its function and symbolic weight:
* **[[Judges 9:48]]**: In this account, Abimelech and his men use axes to cut down branches, which they then pile against the tower of Shechem and set ablaze, leading to the death of a thousand people. Here, the axe is employed not for constructive purposes, but as a tool of warfare and destructive siege, highlighting its capacity for violence and swift, decisive action in conflict.
* **[[1 Samuel 13:20-21]]**: This passage reveals the Philistine monopoly over ironworking, forcing Israelites to go to the Philistines to sharpen their essential agricultural and domestic tools, including their axes. This context underscores the axe's role as a vital implement for daily life and labor, while simultaneously symbolizing Israel's technological subjugation and dependence on a foreign power. The inability to maintain one's own tools reflected a deeper political and economic oppression.
* **[[Psalm 74:5]]**: The psalmist laments the desecration of the sanctuary by invaders who "lift up axes" against its carved work, likening their destructive actions to woodcutters felling trees in a forest. This vivid imagery portrays the axe as an instrument of sacrilege, wanton destruction, and profound violation of sacred space, signifying a complete and brutal devastation.
* **[[Jeremiah 46:22]]**: In a prophecy against Egypt, Pharaoh's army is depicted fleeing like a serpent, pursued by those who come against them "with axes, like woodcutters." This portrayal casts the attacking force as relentless and effective, wielding the axe as a tool of decisive judgment or military conquest, emphasizing its role in executing divine wrath or battle victory.
Across these occurrences, the qardôm consistently appears as a tool of significant force, frequently employed in contexts of destruction, warfare, and the execution of judgment, rather than solely for constructive labor.
### Related Words & Concepts
While qardôm specifically denotes an axe, its functional domain connects it to a broader semantic field of cutting implements, tools of labor, and instruments of war or judgment.
* `{{H4621}}` (ma'atsad): An adze or cutting tool, mentioned in [[Isaiah 44:12]] in the context of a craftsman shaping wood. While similar in function, qardôm generally implies a heavier, more impactful tool.
* `{{H2722}}` (cherev): Sword, a primary weapon. Both qardôm and cherev are tools of cutting and often appear in contexts of violence or warfare, though their specific applications differ.
* The broader concept of "iron" (`{{H1270}}`, barzel) is highly relevant, as axes were typically forged from iron. The control over iron technology, as seen in [[1 Samuel 13]], was a significant factor in military and economic power, directly impacting the availability and maintenance of tools like the qardôm.
* The skilled worker who wields such a tool, like the carpenter (`{{H5078}}`, naggar), is also conceptually linked, though qardôm itself focuses on the implement rather than the artisan.
### Theological Significance
The qardôm holds a potent and often somber theological significance within the biblical narrative, embodying a duality that reflects both human industry and destructive capacity.
Primarily, the axe serves as an instrument of:
* **Decisive Judgment and Desecration**: Most prominently, the qardôm is depicted as a tool of divine or human judgment and destruction. In [[Psalm 74:5]], its use against the intricately carved work of the sanctuary symbolizes ultimate desecration and the profound suffering of God's people under attack. It represents a brutal, unsparing force that lays waste to what is sacred. Similarly, in [[Jeremiah 46:22]], the attacking forces, likened to woodcutters with axes, embody the relentless and effective execution of divine judgment against nations. This imagery underscores the axe's role in bringing about decisive, often irreversible, consequences.
* **Oppression and Vulnerability**: The account in [[1 Samuel 13]] highlights the strategic importance of tools like the axe. The Philistine control over sharpening essential iron implements symbolizes Israel's subjugation and economic vulnerability. The inability to maintain one's own basic tools for survival and labor becomes a powerful metaphor for a people under foreign dominion, lacking self-sufficiency and true freedom.
* **Forceful Action and Transformation**: Whether felling a mighty tree or breaking down a fortified structure, the axe signifies a powerful, transformative intervention. While the specific Hebrew word qardôm does not appear in the New Testament, the profound imagery of the "axe laid to the root of the trees" (e.g., [[Matthew 3:10]], [[Luke 3:9]]) draws directly upon the inherent destructive and decisive power of the axe. This New Testament metaphor, deeply rooted in the Old Testament understanding of the axe, conveys the imminence and severity of divine judgment and the radical transformation (repentance or destruction) demanded by God.
Thus, the qardôm contributes to a broader biblical understanding of tools as extensions of human will, capable of both creation and profound destruction, and frequently serving as instruments in the unfolding of divine purpose or the manifestation of human rebellion.
### Summary
The Hebrew word H7134 (qardôm) denotes an axe, a heavy cutting tool whose proposed etymology suggests a forceful "striking upon." While fundamentally an implement for labor and shaping wood, its biblical occurrences predominantly highlight its role in contexts of destruction, warfare, and judgment. From Abimelech's destructive acts in [[Judges 9:48]] to the Philistine oppression regarding its sharpening in [[1 Samuel 13:20-21]], and particularly in its use against the Temple's sacred carvings in [[Psalm 74:5]] and as a tool of divine judgment in [[Jeremiah 46:22]], the qardôm consistently signifies decisive, often violent, intervention. It serves as a powerful symbol of human capacity for both industry and devastation, frequently appearing as an instrument in the execution of divine will or the manifestation of human wickedness.
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