Sword

A hand-wielded blade in common use throughout biblical times as a weapon of war and in OT times as an instrument of execution. The sword is also a symbol of aggression, authority and power.

The sword as the principal weapon of war

It was in common use

Exodus 17:13 See also Numbers 21:24–35; Joshua 11:10–12, Joshua 19:47

So Joshua overwhelmed Amalek and his army with the sword.

Swordsmen fought and fell in great numbers

Judges 3:28–30 See also Judges 20:17; 2 Samuel 24:9

“Follow me,” he told them, “for the LORD has delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand.” So they followed him down and seized the fords of the Jordan leading to Moab, and they did not allow anyone to cross over. At that time they struck down about ten thousand Moabites, all robust and valiant men. Not one of them escaped. So Moab was subdued under the hand of Israel that day, and the land had rest for eighty years.

Some swordsmen showed great strength and ability

2 Samuel 23:10 See also 1 Samuel 21:8–9; 2 Samuel 23:12

but Eleazar stood his ground and struck the Philistines until his hand grew weary and stuck to his sword. The LORD brought about a great victory that day. Then the troops returned to him, but only to plunder the dead.

The sword used for other purposes

As an instrument of execution and decapitation

2 Samuel 1:14–16 See also 1 Samuel 15:33, 1 Samuel 17:51, 1 Samuel 22:18–19; 1 Kings 19:1; Acts 12:2; Romans 8:35

So David asked him, “Why were you not afraid to lift your hand to destroy the LORD’s anointed?” Then David summoned one of the young men and said, “Go, execute him!” So the young man struck him down, and he died. For David had said to the Amalekite, “Your blood be on your own head because your own mouth has testified against you, saying, ‘I killed the LORD’s anointed.’”

For murder

2 Kings 19:37 See also Joshua 6:21; 1 Kings 2:34; Acts 12:2

One day, while he was worshiping in the temple of his god Nisroch, his sons Adrammelech and Sharezer put him to the sword and escaped to the land of Ararat. And his son Esar-haddon reigned in his place.

For committing suicide

1 Samuel 31:4–6 parallel 1 Chronicles 10:4 See also Acts 16:27

Then Saul said to his armor-bearer, “Draw your sword and run me through with it, or these uncircumcised men will come and run me through and torture me!” But his armor-bearer was terrified and refused to do it. So Saul took his own sword and fell on it. When his armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he too fell on his own sword and died with him. So Saul, his three sons, his armor-bearer, and all his men died together that same day.

Metaphorical use of the sword

To symbolise God's opposition to the sinful

Genesis 3:24 See also Numbers 22:21–23, Numbers 22:31; Deuteronomy 33:29

So He drove out the man and stationed cherubim on the east side of the Garden of Eden, along with a whirling sword of flame to guard the way to the tree of life.

To symbolise warfare

Leviticus 26:6–8

To symbolise temporal power

Ezekiel 32:11–12 See also Psalm 45:3; Micah 5:6

For this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘The sword of the king of Babylon will come against you! I will make your hordes fall by the swords of the mighty, the most ruthless of all nations. They will ravage the pride of Egypt and all her multitudes will be destroyed.

To symbolise suffering

Luke 2:34–35

Then Simeon blessed them and said to His mother Mary: “Behold, this Child is appointed to cause the rise and fall of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed — and a sword will pierce your soul as well.”

To symbolise judgment

Exodus 5:3; Matthew 10:34 See also Judges 7:20–22; 2 Chronicles 20:9; Psalm 7:12; Isaiah 31:8; Jeremiah 50:35–37; Ezekiel 11:8–10, Ezekiel 21:3, Ezekiel 33:2

“The God of the Hebrews has met with us,” they answered. “Please let us go on a three-day journey into the wilderness to sacrifice to the LORD our God, or He may strike us with plagues or with the sword.”

Do not assume that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.

To symbolise the word of God

Ephesians 6:17 See also Hebrews 4:12; Revelation 1:16, Revelation 2:12

And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.