In the biblical context, tools are instruments used by humans to perform tasks, often related to construction, agriculture, or craftsmanship. The Bible references various tools, highlighting their significance in daily life and their symbolic meanings in spiritual teachings.

Old Testament References

1. Agricultural Tools: The agrarian society of ancient Israel relied heavily on tools for farming. The plow is mentioned in several passages, such as in 1 Samuel 13:20-21, where the Israelites went to the Philistines to sharpen their plowshares, mattocks, axes, and sickles. This highlights the dependence on tools for sustenance and survival.

2. Construction Tools: Tools were essential in the construction of significant structures, including the Tabernacle and the Temple. In Exodus 31:3-5, God fills Bezalel with the Spirit of God, giving him wisdom, understanding, and knowledge in all kinds of craftsmanship, including working with gold, silver, and bronze, and cutting stones for setting. This passage underscores the divine inspiration and skill involved in using tools for sacred purposes.

3. Craftsmanship: Isaiah 44:12 describes the blacksmith who uses tools to fashion an idol, illustrating the skill and labor involved in craftsmanship. This passage also serves as a critique of idolatry, contrasting the power of God with the lifelessness of man-made idols.

New Testament References

1. Symbolic Use: In the New Testament, tools are often used metaphorically. For instance, in 2 Timothy 2:15, Paul advises Timothy to be a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. Here, the imagery of a worker with tools is used to convey the diligence and precision required in handling the Word of God.

2. Parables and Teachings: Jesus frequently used agricultural imagery in His parables, which would have been familiar to His audience. While not explicitly mentioning tools, the parables of the sower (Matthew 13:3-9) and the vineyard workers (Matthew 20:1-16) imply the use of tools in the tasks described, emphasizing themes of labor, reward, and the Kingdom of God.

Cultural and Spiritual Significance

Tools in the Bible are not only practical implements but also carry deeper spiritual meanings. They symbolize human effort, divine craftsmanship, and the relationship between God and His people. The use of tools in constructing the Tabernacle and Temple signifies the cooperation between divine instruction and human skill. Moreover, the metaphorical use of tools in the New Testament highlights the importance of diligence, precision, and faithfulness in spiritual endeavors.

Conclusion

Throughout the Bible, tools are depicted as essential for daily life and spiritual symbolism. They represent human ingenuity and the divine gift of craftsmanship, serving as reminders of the partnership between God and humanity in fulfilling His purposes.1. (n.) An instrument such as a hammer, saw, plane, file, and the like, used in the manual arts, to facilitate mechanical operations; any instrument used by a craftsman or laborer at his work; an implement; as, the tools of a joiner, smith, shoe-maker, etc.; also, a cutter, chisel, or other part of an instrument or machine that dresses work.

2. (n.) A machine for cutting or shaping materials; -- also called machine tool.

3. (n.) Hence, any instrument of use or service.

4. (n.) A weapon.

5. (n.) A person used as an instrument by another person; -- a word of reproach; as, men of intrigue have their tools, by whose agency they accomplish their purposes.

6. (v. t.) To shape, form, or finish with a tool.

7. (v. t.) To drive, as a coach.

5481. charakter -- a tool for engraving
... a tool for engraving. Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine Transliteration: charakter
Phonetic Spelling: (khar-ak-tare') Short Definition: an exact reproduction ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5481.htm - 7k

3696. hoplon -- a tool, implement, weapon
... a tool, implement, weapon. Part of Speech: Noun, Neuter Transliteration: hoplon
Phonetic Spelling: (hop'-lon) Short Definition: an instrument, arms, weapons ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3696.htm - 7k

2680. kataskeuazo -- to prepare
... 2680 (from 2596 , ", exactly according to," intensifying , "to prepare , using a
vessel, implement, or tool") -- properly, prepare (make ready), skillfully ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2680.htm - 8k

5061. Tertullos -- Tertullus, probably a Roman
... Tertullus, probably a Roman. Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine Transliteration: Tertullos
Phonetic Spelling: (ter'-tool-los) Short Definition: Tertullus Definition ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5061.htm - 6k

1783. enteuxis -- a petition, ie spec. supplication
... Intercession is not "the tool in and of itself" to act according to the , of
the intercessor! It always builds on faith (learning God's ).]. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1783.htm - 8k

2747. cheret -- engraving tool, stylus
... 2746, 2747. cheret. 2748 . engraving tool, stylus. Transliteration: cheret
Phonetic Spelling: (kheh'-ret) Short Definition: tool. ...
/hebrew/2747.htm - 6k

4741. maqtsuah -- a scraping tool
... 4740, 4741. maqtsuah. 4742 . a scraping tool. Transliteration: maqtsuah
Phonetic Spelling: (mak-tsoo-aw') Short Definition: planes. ...
/hebrew/4741.htm - 6k

2719. chereb -- a sword
... Word Origin from charab Definition a sword NASB Word Usage axes (1), knives
(2), sword (390), swords (18), swordsmen* (1), tool (1). ...
/hebrew/2719.htm - 6k

4621. maatsad -- an axe
... 4620, 4621. maatsad. 4622 . an axe. Transliteration: maatsad Phonetic
Spelling: (mah-ats-awd') Short Definition: tool. Word Origin ...
/hebrew/4621.htm - 5k

3627. keli -- an article, utensil, vessel
... jar (2), jars (1), jars* (1), jewels (3), jewels* (1), object (3), pots (1), pottery
(1), sack (1), something* (1), thing (5), things (3), tool (1), utensils ...
/hebrew/3627.htm - 6k

2848. chittul -- a bandage
... 2847, 2848. chittul. 2849 . a bandage. Transliteration: chittul Phonetic
Spelling: (khit-tool') Short Definition: bandage. Word ...
/hebrew/2848.htm - 6k

5319. naphtulim -- wrestlings
... 5318, 5319. naphtulim. 5320 . wrestlings. Transliteration: naphtulim
Phonetic Spelling: (naf-tool') Short Definition: wrestlings. ...
/hebrew/5319.htm - 6k

2904. tul -- to hurl, cast
... 2903, 2904. tul. 2905 . to hurl, cast. Transliteration: tul Phonetic Spelling:
(tool) Short Definition: hurled. Word Origin a prim. ...
/hebrew/2904.htm - 6k

The New Leaders Commission
... The instruments are changed, but the Master-hand is the same, and lays one tool
aside and takes another out of the tool-chest as He will. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture f/the new leaders commission.htm

Building in Silence
... '. . . There was neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of Iron heard In the house,
while it was in building.'"1 KINGS 7. The Temple was built in silence. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture f/building in silence.htm

The Account of the Building of Solomon's Temple Contains Serious ...
... The holy house, too, was got ready in peace and was to be built for God without
hammer or axe or any iron tool, that there might be no disturbance in the house ...
/.../origen/origens commentary on the gospel of john/24 the account of the.htm

False Witnesses
... The priest who attended her on her deathbed, a friend and tool of Eusebius of Nicomedia,
induced her to persuade Constantine, who visited her continually ...
//christianbookshelf.org/forbes/saint athanasius/chapter 5 false witnesses.htm

Chapter iii
... So we are driven to the conclusion that Satan used the serpent as his tool or
instrument and was in the final analysis the one who spoke through this creature. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/leupold/exposition of genesis volume 1/chapter iii.htm

Against those who Say that Demons Govern Human Affairs, and who ...
... And as the miscreants who sail the sea, often bore through the ship with a small
iron tool, and let in the whole sea to the ship from below; so accordingly then ...
/.../chrysostom/on the priesthood/homily i against those who.htm

A Description of the Temple.
... insensible acclivity. It was formed without any iron tool, nor did any
such iron tool so much as touch it at any time. There was ...
/.../chapter 5 a description of 2.htm

Are You Mocked?
... things don't go right." The smith took no notice of his observations, but after
a while walked across the smithy, and took down an odd-looking tool which he ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 62 1916/are you mocked.htm

The Arrest of the Body
... So that if anything new arose to be done, or to be better done, it was not a better
Hand that was now made but a better tool. Tools are external Hands. ...
/.../drummond/the lowell lectures on the ascent of man/chapter iii the arrest of.htm

The Tears of the Penitent.
... the king's indifference to the loss of his men so long as Uriah is out of the way;
the solemn platitudes with which he pretends to console his tool for the ...
/.../maclaren/the life of david/xiii the tears of the penitent.htm

Tool (13 Occurrences)
... 2. (n.) A machine for cutting or shaping materials; -- also called machine tool. ...
6. (vt) To shape, form, or finish with a tool. 7. (vt) To drive, as a coach. ...
/t/tool.htm - 11k

Tools (3 Occurrences)
... (1) The percussion tool was the hammer, used for ... But the adz is a very ancient tool
and must certainly have existed in Palestine. See AX (AXE), AX-HEAD. ...
/t/tools.htm - 14k

Graving (7 Occurrences)
... 1:10, 11). (6.) Heret. In Exodus 32:4 rendered "graving tool;" and in Isaiah 8:1,
"a pen.". Noah Webster's Dictionary. 1. (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Grave. ...
/g/graving.htm - 10k

Feed (117 Occurrences)
... 9. (vt) To produce progressive operation upon or with (as in wood and metal working
machines, so that the work moves to the cutting tool, or the tool to the ...
/f/feed.htm - 39k

Axe (19 Occurrences)
... 1. (n.) A tool or instrument of steel, or of iron with a steel edge or blade, for
felling trees, chopping and splitting wood, hewing timber, etc. ...
/a/axe.htm - 18k

Gouge (4 Occurrences)
... 2. (n.) A bookbinder's tool for blind tooling or gilding, having a face
which forms a curve. 3. (n.) An incising tool which cuts ...
/g/gouge.htm - 8k

Wield (8 Occurrences)
... Exodus 20:25 If you make me an altar of stone, you shall not build it of cut stones;
for if you lift up your tool on it, you have polluted it. (See NAS RSV). ...
/w/wield.htm - 9k

Float (4 Occurrences)
... 10. (n.) The trowel or tool with which the floated coat of plastering is leveled
and smoothed. 11. (n.) A polishing block used in marble working; a runner. 12. ...
/f/float.htm - 10k

Edge (150 Occurrences)
... evening. 5. (vt) To furnish with an edge as a tool or weapon; to sharpen.
6. (vt) To shape or dress the edge of, as with a tool. 7 ...
/e/edge.htm - 39k

Drift (1 Occurrence)
... 12. (n.) A slightly tapered tool of steel for enlarging or shaping a hole in metal,
by being forced or driven into or through it; a broach. 13. ...
/d/drift.htm - 9k

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