A penknife, in biblical terms, refers to a small knife used for cutting or trimming pens, which were typically made from reeds or quills in ancient times. The term "penknife" appears in the Bible in the context of a specific narrative involving the prophet Jeremiah.

Biblical Reference:

The primary reference to a penknife is found in the book of Jeremiah. In Jeremiah 36:23 , it is recorded: "And as Jehudi read three or four columns, the king cut them off with a penknife and threw them into the firepot, until the entire scroll was consumed in the fire." This passage describes an event during the reign of King Jehoiakim of Judah, where the king, in an act of defiance against the prophetic message of Jeremiah, used a penknife to cut and destroy the scroll containing the words of the Lord.

Historical and Cultural Context:

In the ancient Near East, writing materials were often made from papyrus or parchment, and writing instruments included styluses and pens crafted from reeds or quills. The penknife was an essential tool for scribes and writers, used to sharpen and shape these pens to ensure they could write effectively. The act of cutting a scroll with a penknife, as described in Jeremiah, symbolizes a deliberate rejection of God's word and authority.

Symbolic Significance:

The use of the penknife by King Jehoiakim carries significant symbolic weight. It represents the king's blatant disregard for divine revelation and his attempt to silence the prophetic voice. This act of cutting and burning the scroll is seen as an expression of rebellion against God, highlighting the tension between human authority and divine command.

Theological Implications:

From a theological perspective, the incident with the penknife underscores the enduring nature of God's word despite human attempts to suppress it. Although King Jehoiakim destroyed the physical scroll, the message of Jeremiah was preserved and rewritten, as God instructed the prophet to produce another scroll with the same words (Jeremiah 36:27-28). This demonstrates the belief in the inviolability and persistence of divine truth, which cannot be extinguished by human actions.

Application for Believers:

For believers, the account of the penknife serves as a reminder of the importance of reverence for Scripture and the dangers of dismissing or altering God's word. It calls Christians to uphold the integrity of the Bible and to be vigilant against any attempts to undermine its authority. The narrative encourages a commitment to faithfully receiving and proclaiming the message of God, regardless of opposition or cultural pressures.(n.) A small pocketknife; formerly, a knife used for making and mending quill pens.PENKNIFE

pen'-nif (Jeremiah 36:23).

See PEN.

5608. saphar -- to count, recount, relate
... commune, account; declare, number, penknife, reckon, scribe, show forth,
speak,. A primitive root; properly, to score with a mark ...
/hebrew/5608.htm - 6k

8593. taar -- a razor, sheath
... Word Origin from arah Definition a razor, sheath NASB Word Usage knife (1), razor
(5), sheath (7). penknife, razor, scabbard, shave, sheath. ...
/hebrew/8593.htm - 6k

He that is Unjust in the Least is Unjust Also in Much. Luke 16:10.
... One will find a penknife, perhaps, or a pencil case, and never make the least inquiry,
even among those he has reason to believe were the losers. ...
/.../finney/lectures to professing christians/he that is unjust in.htm

I have Been Asked to Tell You About the Back of the North Wind. .. ...
... For one side of the room was built only of boards, and the boards were so old
that you might run a penknife through into the north wind. ...
/.../macdonald/at the back of the north wind/chapter 1 i have been.htm

As I have Said, I Propose to Take Only one Central Instance...
... affections of the family; the two sexes, whether happy or unhappy, are glued together
too tightly for us to get the blade of a legal penknife in between them. ...
/.../chesterton/whats wrong with the world/chapter 7 as i have.htm

Letter xxxi. To Eustochium.
... [735] Rend not the letter written on your heart [736] as the profane king
cut with his penknife that delivered to him by Baruch. ...
/.../jerome/the principal works of st jerome/letter xxxi to eustochium.htm

An Illustration to Help in Forming an Opinion on those who are ...
... when we were living in solitude a feeling of irritation would creep over us against
our pen because it was too large or too small; against our penknife when it ...
/.../cassian/the works of john cassian /chapter xix an illustration to.htm

The Hindrances to Mourning
... Every sin is sinful, therefore damnable. A penknife or stiletto makes but a little
wound, but either of them may kill as well as a greater weapon. ...
/.../the beatitudes an exposition of matthew 51-12/9 the hindrances to mourning.htm

Cleansing.
... In their daring ignorance some have actually taken the penknife, like Judah's foolish
king, and cut a whole petition out of the prayer which the Lord taught ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/macneil/the spirit-filled life/chapter xi cleansing.htm

To the Rev. Andrew Brandram
... I will show it you.' He then asked me for my penknife and proceeded to unrip the
bag, and took out of it a large piece of paper closely folded up. ...
/.../borrow/letters of george borrow/to the rev andrew brandram.htm

The Bible
... Strange that there should be men so vile as to use the penknife of Jehoiakim
to cut passages out of the word, because they are unpalatable. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 1 1855/the bible.htm

Subjects of Study. Home Education in Israel; Female Education. ...
... Reed quills are mentioned in 3 John The best of these came from Egypt; and
the use of a penknife would of course be indispensable. ...
/.../edersheim/sketches of jewish social life/chapter 8 subjects of study.htm

Penknife (1 Occurrence)
... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. PENKNIFE. pen'-nif (Jeremiah 36:23). See
PEN. Multi-Version Concordance Penknife (1 Occurrence). ...
/p/penknife.htm - 7k

Knife (10 Occurrences)
... but of many different forms and names for different uses; as, table knife, drawing
knife, putty knife, pallet knife, pocketknife, penknife, chopping knife, etc ...
/k/knife.htm - 13k

Pen (16 Occurrences)
... the book. In Jeremiah 36:23 it says that the king cut the roll with the
penknife (literally, the scribe's knife). This whole scene ...
/p/pen.htm - 14k

Penitent (7 Occurrences)

/p/penitent.htm - 8k

Jehudi (3 Occurrences)
... Jeremiah 36:23 It happened, when Jehudi had read three or four leaves, that the
king cut it with the penknife, and cast it into the fire that was in the brazier ...
/j/jehudi.htm - 8k

Fireplace (7 Occurrences)
... 36:23 And it came about that whenever Jehudi, in his reading, had got through three
or four divisions, the king, cutting them with his penknife, put them into ...
/f/fireplace.htm - 8k

Pen-knife (1 Occurrence)
Pen-knife. Penknife, Pen-knife. Penned . Multi-Version Concordance Pen-knife
(1 Occurrence). ... (WBS). Penknife, Pen-knife. Penned . Reference Bible.
/p/pen-knife.htm - 6k

Baruch (24 Occurrences)
... the counsellors of the king at a private interview; and then to the king himself,
who, after hearing a part of the roll, cut it with a penknife, and threw it ...
/b/baruch.htm - 46k

Brazier (2 Occurrences)
... Jeremiah 36:23 It happened, when Jehudi had read three or four leaves, that the
king cut it with the penknife, and cast it into the fire that was in the brazier ...
/b/brazier.htm - 7k

Leaves (55 Occurrences)
... Jeremiah 36:23 It happened, when Jehudi had read three or four leaves, that the
king cut it with the penknife, and cast it into the fire that was in the brazier ...
/l/leaves.htm - 24k

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