Lexical Summary maakeleth: Knife Original Word: מַאֲכֶלֶת Strong's Exhaustive Concordance knife From 'akal; something to eat with,- i.e. A knife -- knife. see HEBREW 'akal NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom akal Definition a knife NASB Translation knife (3), knives (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs מַאֲכֶ֫לֶת noun feminine knife (as cutting instrum., or instrument for dividing, making small, compare S[iegfrom]ThLZ.Nov.17. '88) Judges 19:29; מַאֲכֶ֑לֶת Genesis 22:6,10, plural מַאֲכָלוֺת Proverbs 30:14. Topical Lexicon Definition and General SenseStrong’s Hebrew 3979 מַאֲכֶלֶת denotes a large knife suited for slaughtering an animal. Though the form appears only four times, its contexts trace a line from patriarchal worship through the moral collapse of the Judges period to the ethical warnings of Wisdom literature. Instrument of Sacrifice (Genesis 22) Genesis 22 anchors מַאֲכֶלֶת in the public consciousness of Scripture. Twice the Akedah narrative highlights the tool: • Genesis 22:6 — “Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife.” Here the knife is explicitly tied to burnt‐offering worship. Abraham’s readiness to wield it underscores the completeness of his obedience and the seriousness of substitutionary sacrifice. The Lord’s intervention, staying Abraham’s hand, foreshadows the provision of a greater Substitute (John 1:29). Thus the מַאֲכֶלֶת becomes a silent witness to the gospel pattern: God requires sacrifice, yet He Himself supplies the Lamb (Genesis 22:13). Violence in a Disordered Society (Judges 19) Judges 19:29 offers the second historical appearance: “When he reached his house, he took a knife, laid hold of his concubine, cut her into twelve pieces...”. The same implement that could have offered up life to God is now employed in a grotesque protest against covenant infidelity. The narrative sets the backdrop for the refrain, “In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (Judges 21:25). The מַאֲכֶלֶת thus becomes an emblem of worship turned barbarity when a people forsake the Lord’s kingly rule. Metaphorical Edge in Wisdom Literature (Proverbs 30) Proverbs 30:14 uses the term figuratively: “There is a generation whose teeth are like swords and whose jaws are like knives, devouring the oppressed from the earth…”. The transition from literal blade to metaphor enforces the moral point. Social oppression is branded as spiritual cannibalism. The מַאֲכֶלֶת here diagnoses hearts sharpened for exploitation rather than sacrifice. Theological Trajectory 1. Sacrifice and Substitution — From the outset, the knife’s proper function is priestly. Its presence beside Isaac anticipates the cross, where the Father does not spare His own Son (Romans 8:32). Practical Ministry Implications • Preaching: Use Genesis 22 to illustrate the tension between divine justice and mercy; the knife poised above Isaac yet withheld highlights both. Summary מַאֲכֶלֶת, though rare, traces a consistent biblical message: worship that costs, sin that corrupts, and wisdom that exposes. From Moriah to Gibeah to the sayings of Agur, the knife invites every generation to choose between sacrificial obedience and destructive self‐interest, ultimately directing all eyes to the once-for-all sacrifice fulfilled in Jesus Christ. Forms and Transliterations הַֽמַּאֲכֶ֑לֶת הַֽמַּאֲכֶ֙לֶת֙ המאכלת וּֽמַאֲכָל֪וֹת ומאכלות ham·ma·’ă·ḵe·leṯ hamma’ăḵeleṯ hammaaChelet ū·ma·’ă·ḵā·lō·wṯ ūma’ăḵālōwṯ umaachaLotLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Genesis 22:6 HEB: הָאֵ֖שׁ וְאֶת־ הַֽמַּאֲכֶ֑לֶת וַיֵּלְכ֥וּ שְׁנֵיהֶ֖ם NAS: the fire and the knife. So the two KJV: in his hand, and a knife; and they went INT: his hand the fire and the knife walked the two Genesis 22:10 Judges 19:29 Proverbs 30:14 4 Occurrences |
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