Word Study for H7134 (קַרְדֹּם)

qardôm /kar-dome'/ Ask about this word

Rootperhaps from קָדַם in the sense of striking upon

Meaningan axe

KJV usageax.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of qardôm — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Hebrew word qardôm, represented by H7134, is the word for an axe. Its definition, perhaps derived from a root meaning "striking upon," aptly describes a tool used for cutting and hewing. It appears 5 times across 5 unique verses, signifying its role as both a common implement and a symbol of force.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In biblical usage, H7134 is shown in both practical and martial contexts. It is a fundamental tool for labor, as when Abimelech took an axe in his hand to cut down a bough from the trees Judges 9:48. It is also listed as one of the essential metal implements, along with the coulter and mattock, that the Israelites were forced to have sharpened by the Philistines 1 Samuel 13:20. In a more destructive capacity, an invading army is described as coming against a nation with axes, like hewers of wood Jeremiah 46:22, and it is mentioned in connection with men who lifted up axes against thick trees Psalms 74:5.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help to frame the function and context of the axe:

H2404 châṭab (to chop or carve wood): This verb describes the primary action performed with an axe. It is used to characterize the advancing army in Jeremiah's prophecy as "hewers of wood" Jeremiah 46:22.
H3772 kârath (to cut (off, down or asunder)): This word for severing is used when Abimelech cut down a bough Judges 9:48, directly linking the action to the tool.
H6086 ʻêts (a tree; wood): This is the object upon which an axe is most frequently used in scripture. It appears as the material being acted upon by the axe in the contexts of cutting down boughs, hewing wood, and felling thick trees (Judges 9:48, Jeremiah 46:22, Psalms 74:5).
H4281 machărêshâh (mattock): This word for another cutting tool is listed alongside the axe in the account of Israelites seeking to sharpen their implements, placing H7134 within a family of essential tools 1 Samuel 13:20.

Theological Significance

The significance of H7134 is found in its dual representation of labor and destructive power.

A Tool of Daily Work: The axe is presented as a foundational tool for civilian life. The detail that Israelites had to go to their enemies to sharpen an axe underscores its necessity for everyday tasks 1 Samuel 13:20.
An Instrument of War: The word is transformed from a simple tool into a weapon in prophetic imagery. An army advancing "with axes" symbolizes overwhelming military force and violent judgment Jeremiah 46:22.
A Symbol of Ruin: The image of lifting up an axe against trees serves as a metaphor for hostile destruction, suggesting a deliberate act of desecration and devastation Psalms 74:5.

Summary

In summary, H7134 is a straightforward term for an axe, grounded in the physical world. While it denotes a practical tool for cutting wood, it also carries the symbolic weight of force and destruction. The word's usage illustrates how a common object can represent both the constructive power of labor and the devastating power of warfare and judgment.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Hebrew Old Testament, this word appears as a noun across 5 occurrences, inflected in 3 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form. Select any form to read what each part of its name means, and to filter the occurrence list to it.

קַרְדֻּמּוֹת
קַּרְדֻּמִּים
קַרְדֻּמּ

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

Appears in 5 verses across 4 of the 39 books. Most frequent in 1 Samuel (2 verses); never once in the other 35.

Judges

1 Samuel

Psalms

Jeremiah

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, by grammatical form, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.