Knife

1. The knives of the Egyptians, and of other nations in early times, were probably only of hard stone, and the use of the flint or stone knife was sometimes retained for sacred purposes after the introduction of iron and steel.
2. In their meals the Jews, like other Orientals, made little use of knives, but they were required both for slaughtering animals, either for food or sacrifice, and for cutting up the carcass. ( Leviticus 7:33 Leviticus 7:34 ; Leviticus 8:15 Leviticus 8:20 Leviticus 8:25 ; 9:13 ; Numbers 18:18 ; 1 Samuel 9:24 ) etc.
3. Smaller knives were in use for paring fruit (Josephus) and for sharpening pens. ( Jeremiah 36:23 )
4. The razor was often used for Nazarite purposes, for which a special chamber was reserved in the temple. ( Numbers 6:5 Numbers 6:9 Numbers 6:19 ; Ezekiel 5:1 ), etc.
5. The pruning-hooks of ( Isaiah 18:5 ) were probably curved knives.
6. The lancets of the priests of Baal were doubtless pointed knives. ( 1 Kings 18:28 )

KNIFE

nif:

(1) ma'akheleth, literally, an instrument for eating; but used of large knives for slaying animals, cutting up a carcass or a sacrificial victim (Genesis 22:6,10; Judges 19:29; Proverbs 30:14).

(2) cherebh, rendered generally "sword," but in Joshua 5:2,3 of stone knives for circumcision (compare Exodus 4:25), probably of similar knives in 1 Kings 18:28, used by Baal prophets in gashing themselves. In Ezekiel 5:12 the King James Version, "knife," probably better the Revised Version (British and American), "sword."

(3) ta`ar, usually rendered "razor," in combination with ha-copher, "knife of the writer," or "penknife" (Jeremiah 36:23).

(4) machalaphim, "slaughter-knives" (Ezra 1:9).

(5) sakkin, Aramaic, "knife" (Proverbs 23:2). Early knives were commonly made of sharp stones, especially of flint, later of bronze and iron. The-former remained in use in religious ceremonies long after the latter were in common use.

Knives were not generally used at meals, meats being cut into bits before served, and bread being. broken into fragments. Herod used a knife for paring apples, and attempted suicide with the instrument (Josephus, Ant, XVII, vii, 1; BJ, I, xxxiii, 7).

Edward Bagby Pollard