“When you go, you will come to a secure people and a large land. For God has given it into your hands, a place where there is no lack of anything that is on the earth.’ And six hundred men of the family of the Danites went from there, from Zorah and Eshtaol, armed with weapons of war.” Judges 8:10-11
What were the “weapons of war” that Israel used thousands of years ago as its warriors fought with their enemies in the land of Canaan? We’re going to learn about those weapons during the coming months and specifically train with one of them–the sword.
Weapons of war (sometimes called instruments of war) are understood in terms of “cold” and “hot” weapons. Cold weapons are those that do not involve fire or explosions. Hot weapons are those that do involve fire or explosions from the use of gun powder or explosive materials.
Three primary categories of cold weapons are “melee” weapons, “trauma” weapons, and “ranged” weapons. Melee weapons include swords, knives, daggers, bladed fans, brass knuckles, wind and fire wheels, metal bracelets, axes, hatchets, picks and pickaxes. Trauma weapons include clubs, stones, pole-arms, pole-arm axes, blunt staffs, thrusting spears, spikes, and hammers. Ranged weapons include throwing spears, javelins, throwing knives, throwing axes, throwing stars, throwing darts, throwing sticks, throwing stones, longbows, reflex bows, crossbows, blowguns, slings, and bolas. Whips and chain weapons are sometimes included separately because they are a combination of melee, trauma and ranged.
The first use of a weapon was when Cain killed his brother Abel. Cain may have used his bare hands or feet, or possibly a rock or stick, but we know “that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him.” (Genesis 4:8) We also know that Cain built a city to protect himself and his family from anyone who would try to kill him because of what he had done to his brother. Cain’s descendants became experts in working with bronze and iron (Genesis 4:22), which may have included weapons of war. Tubal-Cain, who was the son of Lamech, taught craftsmen how to work with metal. Lamech proudly announced that he had killed a man for wounding him (Genesis 4:23)–with what weapon we do not know, but it may have been a metal melee or trauma weapon based on his son’s expertise. People were healthy and strong for most of the almost thousand years they lived in those times, so that’s plenty of time to develop an expertise in using many types of weapons.
The First Swords
Interestingly, the first sword mentioned in the Bible was made by God.
“So He drove out the man; and He placed cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life.” Genesis 3:24
God created angels and everything they wear and use in their service to Him. That includes their swords. The first sword was a “flaming sword.” Have you ever wondered what materials God used in making a flaming sword? Was it made of materials from the earth or from Heaven? What kind of flame? How devastating would the injury be to a human being cut with an angel’s flaming sword? What chance of success would a human have in fighting against an angel? I think the answers are obvious. The injury would be death and the chance is none.
Here are other mentions of angels and swords in the Bible. Notice how they used them.
“Now the donkey saw the Angel of the Lord standing in the way with His drawn sword in His hand, and the donkey turned aside out of the way and went into the field. So Balaam struck the donkey to turn her back onto the road.” Numbers 22:23
“Then the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the Angel of the Lord standing in the way with His drawn sword in His hand; and he bowed his head and fell flat on his face.” Numbers 22:31
“Then David lifted his eyes and saw the angel of the Lord standing between earth and heaven, having in his hand a drawn sword stretched out over Jerusalem. So David and the elders, clothed in sackcloth, fell on their faces.” 1 Chronicles 21:16
“So the Lord commanded the angel, and he returned h