A mattock is an ancient agricultural tool mentioned in the Bible, primarily used for digging and breaking up hard ground. It is similar in function to a pickaxe, with a broad, chisel-like blade on one side and a pointed end on the other. The mattock was an essential implement for farmers and laborers in biblical times, aiding in the preparation of soil for planting and the removal of stones and roots.

Biblical References

The mattock is referenced in several passages of the Bible, highlighting its importance in agricultural and labor contexts. In Isaiah 7:25, the prophet speaks of a time when the land will be so desolate that it will only be suitable for grazing, and not even the mattock will be used: "As for all the hills once cultivated with the hoe, you will no longer go there for fear of the briers and thorns; they will become places where cattle are turned loose and where sheep run."

In 1 Samuel 13:20-21, the scarcity of weapons among the Israelites is noted, and it is mentioned that they had to go to the Philistines to sharpen their agricultural tools, including mattocks: "So all Israel went down to the Philistines, each to sharpen his plowshare, his mattock, his ax, or his sickle. The charge was a pim for sharpening a plowshare or a mattock, a third of a shekel for sharpening a pitchfork or an ax and for repointing an oxgoad."

Symbolic Significance

The mattock, like other agricultural tools, can be seen as a symbol of labor and the human effort required to cultivate the earth. In a spiritual sense, it may represent the diligence and perseverance needed in the Christian life to prepare one's heart for the seeds of God's Word. Just as a farmer uses a mattock to break up fallow ground, believers are called to break up the hardened areas of their hearts to receive divine truth and bear fruit.

Cultural and Historical Context

In the ancient Near East, agriculture was the backbone of society, and tools like the mattock were indispensable for survival. The use of the mattock reflects the agrarian lifestyle of the Israelites and their dependence on the land for sustenance. The biblical references to the mattock also underscore the socio-political dynamics of the time, such as the Israelites' reliance on the Philistines for tool sharpening, which highlights their subjugation and lack of resources.

The mattock's presence in the biblical narrative serves as a reminder of the daily toil faced by the people of God and the importance of relying on divine provision and strength in all endeavors.

(1.) Hebrews ma'eder, an instrument for dressing or pruning a vineyard (Isaiah 7:25); a weeding-hoe.

(2.) Hebrews mahareshah (1 Samuel 13:1), perhaps the ploughshare or coulter.

(3.) Hebrews herebh, marg. of text (2 Chronicles 34:6). Authorized Version, "with their mattocks," marg. "mauls." The Revised Version renders "in their ruins," marg. "with their axes." The Hebrew text is probably corrupt.

(n.) An implement for digging and grubbing. The head has two long steel blades, one like an adz and the other like a narrow ax or the point of a pickax.MATTOCK

mat'-ok: The translation of 3 Hebrew words:

(1) machereshah, probably "a pick-axe" (1 Samuel 13:20, 21; compare 1 Samuel 13:21 margin);

(2) cherebh, "sword," "ax," "tool" (2 Chronicles 34:6 the King James Version, "with their mattocks," the King James Version margin "mauls," the Revised Version (British and American) "in their ruins," the Revised Version margin "with their axes");

(3) ma`-der, "a hoe," "rake," "chopping instrument" (Isaiah 7:25). Vines were usually grown on terraces on the hills of Palestine, and then the mattock was in constant use. The usual mattock is a pick with one end broad, the other pointed.

2719. chereb -- a sword
... tool (1). axe, dagger, knife, mattock, sword, tool. From charab; drought;
also a cutting instrument (from its destructive effect), as ...
/hebrew/2719.htm - 6k

4576. mader -- a hoe
... Word Origin from adar Definition a hoe NASB Word Usage hoe (1). mattock. From adar;
a (weeding) hoe -- mattock. see HEBREW adar. 4575b, 4576. mader. 4577 . ...
/hebrew/4576.htm - 6k

4281. machareshah -- a plowshare
... 1). mattock. From charash; probably a pick-axe -- mattock. see HEBREW charash.
4280, 4281. machareshah. 4282 . Strong's Numbers.
/hebrew/4281.htm - 6k

855a. eth -- a plowshare
... Word Origin of uncertain derivation Definition a plowshare NASB Word Usage mattock
(1), mattocks (1), plowshares (3). 855, 855a. eth. 855b . Strong's Numbers
/hebrew/855a.htm - 5k

Psalm LXXIV.
... "As if in a forest of trees with axes, they have cut down the doors thereof at once;
with mattock and hammer they have thrown Her down" (ver.6). That is ...
/.../augustine/exposition on the book of psalms/psalm lxxiv.htm

To the Honourable Mr Yorke.
... Receives, not suffers, Death's tremendous blow. The knell, the shroud, the mattock,
and the grave; 10. The deep damp vault, the darkness, and the worm; ...
/.../young/youngs night thoughts/to the honourable mr yorke.htm

The Trial of Saul.
... But all the Israelites went down to the Philistines, to sharpen every man his share,
and his coulter, and his ax, and his mattock." Saul was raised up to throw ...
/.../newman/parochial and plain sermons vol viii/sermon iii the trial of.htm

Gold and Silver not Superior in Origin or in Utility to Other ...
... strength of silver. No mattock plunges a golden edge into the ground; no
nail drives a silver point into planks. I leave unnoticed ...
/.../tertullian/on the apparel of women/chapter v gold and silver not.htm

Memento Mori
... MAN IS UNWILLING to consider the subject of death. The shroud, the mattock
and the grave, he labors to keep continually out of sight. ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 6 1860/memento mori.htm

On Costly Vessels.
... For though such of us as cultivate the soil need a mattock and plough, none of us
will make a pickaxe of silver or a sickle of gold, but we employ the material ...
/.../clement/the instructor paedagogus/chapter iii on costly vessels.htm

The Tenets of the Esseni Concluded.
... On other days, however, when they wish to relieve nature, they dig a hole a foot
long with the mattock,"for of this description is the hatchet, which the ...
/.../hippolytus/the refutation of all heresies/chapter xx the tenets of the.htm

The Sinner's Friend
... He takes himself the mattock and the spade, and goes to work in the great quarry
that he may get out the rough stones which afterwards he will himself polish ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 10 1864/the sinners friend.htm

A Notice of Aetius, Eunomius' Master in Heresy, and of Eunomius ...
... syllables with, winning his bread with the money these sold for.) Seeing all this
in his father's life, he said goodbye to the plough and the mattock and all ...
/.../gregory/gregory of nyssa dogmatic treatises etc/section 6 a notice of.htm

The Comer's Conflict with Satan
... I cannot disembowel the deep rocks of obscurity to find out that hidden thing,
unless evidences and effects furnish me with spade and mattock. ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 2 1856/the comers conflict with satan.htm

Mattock (2 Occurrences)
... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. MATTOCK. ... Vines were usually grown on terraces on
the hills of Palestine, and then the mattock was in constant use. ...
/m/mattock.htm - 8k

Mattocks (3 Occurrences)
... 1 Samuel 13:20 but all the Israelites went down to the Philistines, to sharpen every
man his plowshare, and his coulter, and his axe, and his mattock. ...
/m/mattocks.htm - 7k

Mattithi'ah (8 Occurrences)
Mattithi'ah. Mattithiah, Mattithi'ah. Mattock . Multi-Version Concordance ... (See
RSV). Mattithiah, Mattithi'ah. Mattock . Reference Bible.
/m/mattithi'ah.htm - 8k

Lesser (7 Occurrences)
... Isaiah 7:25 And on all hills that shall be digged with the mattock, there shall
not come thither the fear of briers and thorns: but it shall be for the sending ...
/l/lesser.htm - 8k

Fence (12 Occurrences)
... wall" or "fence" (Job 19:8 the American Standard Revised Version, "walled up" (gadhar);
Psalm 62:3); `azaq, "to loosen" (the ground) as with a mattock (Isaiah 5 ...
/f/fence.htm - 15k

Tools (3 Occurrences)
... fixed. So garzen in Deuteronomy 20:19 is certainly an ax, but in the Siloam
Inscription (ll 2, 4) it is a pickax (see MATTOCK). The ...
/t/tools.htm - 14k

Maul (3 Occurrences)
... mol (mephits, literally, "a breaker," "a club," "mace," "mattock"): A smashing weapon
like the oriental war-club or the clubs always carried by the shepherds ...
/m/maul.htm - 8k

Plowshare (1 Occurrence)
... 1 Samuel 13:20 but all the Israelites went down to the Philistines, to sharpen every
man his plowshare, mattock, axe, and sickle; (WEB JPS NAS RSV NIV). ...
/p/plowshare.htm - 6k

Plowshares (5 Occurrences)
... 1 Samuel 13:20 but all the Israelites went down to the Philistines, to sharpen every
man his plowshare, and his coulter, and his axe, and his mattock. ...
/p/plowshares.htm - 8k

Bill (9 Occurrences)
... 7. (n.) One who wields a bill; a billman. 8. (n.) A pickax, or mattock. 9. (n.)
The extremity of the arm of an anchor; the point of or beyond the fluke. 10. ...
/b/bill.htm - 11k

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