Lexical Summary chad: sharp Original Word: חַד Strong's Exhaustive Concordance sharp From chadad; sharp -- sharp. see HEBREW chadad NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom achad Definition sharp NASB Translation sharp (4). Brown-Driver-Briggs II. חַד see below חדד. II. [חַד] adjective sharp — only feminine singular חַדָּה, of חֶרֶב Ezekiel 5:1; in figure of tongue Psalm 57:5; simile of mouth Isaiah 49:2; figurative of end of (i.e. final experience with) strange woman כְּחֶרֶב פִיּוֺת ׳ח Proverbs 5:4 ("" מָרָ֯ה כַלַּעֲנָה). — 1. חַד see below אֶחָד. חַדָּה see עֵין חַדָּה. Topical Lexicon Summary of Meaning and Imageryḥad portrays keen, incisive sharpness—whether of weapons, words, or judgment. Its four Old Testament occurrences cluster around three fields of imagery: (1) the violent edge of iron weapons, (2) the piercing force of speech, and (3) the agent of covenantal discipline. Each setting highlights God’s sovereign use of “sharpness,” either to defend the righteous, expose wickedness, or execute corrective justice. Canonical Distribution • Poetry and Wisdom: Psalm 57:4; Proverbs 5:4 Literary and Theological Themes 1. Sharpness as Metaphor for Destructive Speech Psalm 57:4 pictures persecutors whose tongues slash like drawn swords: “Their teeth are spears and arrows; their tongues are sharp swords”. The metaphor warns that verbal hostility can wound as deeply as physical violence. Scripture elsewhere affirms this principle (Psalm 64:3; James 3:5–6), revealing a continuum between heart, mouth, and moral accountability. 2. Sharpness as Alluring Yet Fatal Temptation Proverbs 5:4, contrasting the initial sweetness of the adulteress with her ultimate poison, states, “but in the end she is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a double-edged sword”. Here ḥad underscores the lethal aftermath of sin. The comparison to a two-edged blade anticipates New Testament warnings that sin conceives death (Romans 6:23; James 1:15). 3. Sharpness in Messianic Servanthood Isaiah 49:2 applies ḥad to the Servant’s mouth: “He made My mouth like a sharp sword”. The cutting accuracy of the Servant’s proclamation points to Jesus Christ, whose words pierce hearts (Luke 4:32; Hebrews 4:12). The image safeguards the unity of prophetic and apostolic witness: divine speech never blunts truth. 4. Sharpness in Covenant Discipline Ezekiel 5:1 commands the prophet to wield a “sharp sword” as a barber’s razor over his own head, dramatizing Jerusalem’s coming judgment. The edge symbolizes precision—God divides, weighs, and apportions consequences justly. This enacted prophecy reminds believers that divine chastening, though severe, is measured and purposeful (Hebrews 12:10–11). Historical and Cultural Background Ancient blades were forged from bronze or iron and prized for a keen edge. A ḥad weapon could determine battlefield survival or the legitimacy of a sacrificial rite (Genesis 22:6). By Ezekiel’s era iron swords were ubiquitous in Near-Eastern warfare; repurposing such a sword as a razor accentuated the shocking nature of the sign-act. Intertextual Connections • Word as Sword: Hebrews 4:12; Revelation 1:16 These parallels amplify ḥad’s dual capacity to protect and to punish, always under God’s directive. Christological Significance Isaiah’s Servant song links sharp speech with redemptive mission. Jesus’ authoritative teaching sliced through hypocrisy (Matthew 23) and convicted hearers (John 7:46). In Revelation He appears with a “sharp double-edged sword” proceeding from His mouth, consummating the motif begun in ḥad. Pastoral and Ministry Applications 1. Guarded Speech Because tongues can be “sharp swords,” believers must season words with grace (Colossians 4:6). The seeming sweetness of sin hides a lethal edge; pastors call congregations to look beyond surface allurements. Gospel preaching should retain its Scriptural edge—convicting yet healing (Acts 2:37–38). Trials may cut, but they refine; the sharpness of divine pruning bears lasting fruit (John 15:2). Conclusion ḥad encapsulates the penetrating power of both word and blade under God’s control. Whether indicting enemies, warning the foolish, foreshadowing Christ, or chastening a nation, its edge is never random. Its canonical arc invites the faithful to wield speech responsibly, heed prophetic warnings, and trust the sharp but skillful hand of the Redeemer who wounds to heal and cuts to save. Forms and Transliterations חַ֝דָּ֗ה חַדָּ֔ה חַדָּ֗ה חַדָּֽה׃ חדה חדה׃ chadDah ḥad·dāh ḥaddāhLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Psalm 57:4 HEB: וּ֝לְשׁוֹנָ֗ם חֶ֣רֶב חַדָּֽה׃ NAS: And their tongue a sharp sword. KJV: and their tongue a sharp sword. INT: and their tongue sword A sharp Proverbs 5:4 Isaiah 49:2 Ezekiel 5:1 4 Occurrences |
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