Overview
The Bible addresses sword, the across 66 verses, drawn from both the Old and New Testaments. These passages cluster most in Ezekiel, Psalms and 1 Samuel. Closely related themes include Sword, War, Jews, the and Spear. Figures whose stories touch this theme include Saul, David, Joab and Jacob.
Key Bible verses about sword, the
Old Testament
Genesis
So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.
And by thy sword shalt thou live, and shalt serve thy brother; and it shall come to pass when thou shalt have the dominion, that thou shalt break his yoke from off thy neck.
And it came to pass on the third day, when they were sore, that two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, Dinah's brethren, took each man his sword, and came upon the city boldly, and slew all the males.
Moreover I have given to thee one portion above thy brethren, which I took out of the hand of the Amorite with my sword and with my bow.
Leviticus
And I will bring a sword upon you, that shall avenge the quarrel of my covenant: and when ye are gathered together within your cities, I will send the pestilence among you; and ye shall be delivered into the hand of the enemy.
And I will scatter you among the heathen, and will draw out a sword after you: and your land shall be desolate, and your cities waste.
Numbers
And whosoever toucheth one that is slain with a sword in the open fields, or a dead body, or a bone of a man, or a grave, shall be unclean seven days.
And Israel smote him with the edge of the sword, and possessed his land from Arnon unto Jabbok, even unto the children of Ammon: for the border of the children of Ammon was strong.
Deuteronomy
The sword without, and terror within, shall destroy both the young man and the virgin, the suckling also with the man of gray hairs. within: Heb. from the chambers destroy: Heb. bereave
If I whet my glittering sword, and mine hand take hold on judgment; I will render vengeance to mine enemies, and will reward them that hate me.
Happy art thou, O Israel: who is like unto thee, O people saved by the LORD, the shield of thy help, and who is the sword of thy excellency! and thine enemies shall be found liars unto thee; and thou shalt tread upon their high places. found: or, subdued
Judges
And the three hundred blew the trumpets, and the LORD set every man's sword against his fellow, even throughout all the host: and the host fled to Bethshittah in Zererath, and to the border of Abelmeholah, unto Tabbath. in: or, toward border: Heb. lip
And the chief of all the people, even of all the tribes of Israel, presented themselves in the assembly of the people of God, four hundred thousand footmen that drew sword.
1 Samuel
Now there was no smith found throughout all the land of Israel: for the Philistines said, Lest the Hebrews make them swords or spears:
And Samuel said, As thy sword hath made women childless, so shall thy mother be childless among women. And Samuel hewed Agag in pieces before the LORD in Gilgal.
And David girded his sword upon his armour, and he assayed to go; for he had not proved it. And David said unto Saul, I cannot go with these; for I have not proved them. And David put them off him.
Then said Saul unto his armourbearer, Draw thy sword, and thrust me through therewith; lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and abuse me. But his armourbearer would not; for he was sore afraid. Therefore Saul took a sword, and fell upon it. abuse: or, mock me
And when his armourbearer saw that Saul was dead, he fell likewise upon his sword, and died with him.
2 Samuel
Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife.
When they were at the great stone which is in Gibeon, Amasa went before them. And Joab's garment that he had put on was girded unto him, and upon it a girdle with a sword fastened upon his loins in the sheath thereof; and as he went forth it fell out.
And Joab gave up the sum of the number of the people unto the king: and there were in Israel eight hundred thousand valiant men that drew the sword; and the men of Judah were five hundred thousand men.
1 Chronicles
Psalms
If he turn not, he will whet his sword; he hath bent his bow, and made it ready.
Arise, O LORD, disappoint him, cast him down: deliver my soul from the wicked, which is thy sword: disappoint: Heb. prevent his face which is: or, by
The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, and to slay such as be of upright conversation. such: Heb. the upright of way
Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O most mighty, with thy glory and thy majesty.
My soul is among lions: and I lie even among them that are set on fire, even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword.
Who whet their tongue like a sword, and bend their bows to shoot their arrows, even bitter words:
He gave his people over also unto the sword; and was wroth with his inheritance.
It is he that giveth salvation unto kings: who delivereth David his servant from the hurtful sword. salvation: or, victory
Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a twoedged sword in their hand; mouth: Heb. throat
Proverbs
Isaiah
And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. pruninghooks: or, scythes
And he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand hath he hid me, and made me a polished shaft; in his quiver hath he hid me;
Jeremiah
He made many to fall, yea, one fell upon another: and they said, Arise, and let us go again to our own people, and to the land of our nativity, from the oppressing sword. made: Heb. multiplied the faller
O thou sword of the LORD, how long will it be ere thou be quiet? put up thyself into thy scabbard, rest, and be still. put: Heb. gather thyself
Ezekiel
Thou shalt burn with fire a third part in the midst of the city, when the days of the siege are fulfilled: and thou shalt take a third part, and smite about it with a knife: and a third part thou shalt scatter in the wind; and I will draw out a sword after them.
So will I send upon you famine and evil beasts, and they shall bereave thee; and pestilence and blood shall pass through thee; and I will bring the sword upon thee. I the LORD have spoken it.
Or if I bring a sword upon that land, and say, Sword, go through the land; so that I cut off man and beast from it:
For thus saith the Lord GOD; How much more when I send my four sore judgments upon Jerusalem, the sword, and the famine, and the noisome beast, and the pestilence, to cut off from it man and beast? How: or, Also when
They shall also bring up a company against thee, and they shall stone thee with stones, and thrust thee through with their swords.
And say to the land of Israel, Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I am against thee, and will draw forth my sword out of his sheath, and will cut off from thee the righteous and the wicked.
Seeing then that I will cut off from thee the righteous and the wicked, therefore shall my sword go forth out of his sheath against all flesh from the south to the north:
That all flesh may know that I the LORD have drawn forth my sword out of his sheath: it shall not return any more.
Son of man, prophesy, and say, Thus saith the LORD; Say, A sword, a sword is sharpened, and also furbished:
I have set the point of the sword against all their gates, that their heart may faint, and their ruins be multiplied: ah! it is made bright, it is wrapped up for the slaughter. point: or, glittering, or, fear wrapped up: or, sharpened
Yea, I will make many people amazed at thee, and their kings shall be horribly afraid for thee, when I shall brandish my sword before them; and they shall tremble at every moment, every man for his own life, in the day of thy fall.
New Testament
Matthew
Luke
Acts
People in the Bible and sword, the
Biblical figures whose stories intersect with this theme.
In the Bible dictionary
Studying sword, the for yourself
- Begin with Genesis 3:24, then read the passages below in canonical order.
- Compare how Ezekiel, Psalms and 1 Samuel each treat the theme.
- Consider the lives of Saul, David and Joab and how their stories intersect with it.
- Widen the study to related themes: Sword, War, Jews, the and Spear.
Frequently asked questions
What does the Bible say about sword, the?
The Bible addresses sword, the across 66 verses, drawn from both the Old and New Testaments. These passages cluster most in Ezekiel, Psalms and 1 Samuel. Closely related themes include Sword, War, Jews, the and Spear. Figures whose stories touch this theme include Saul, David, Joab and Jacob.
How many Bible verses are about sword, the?
The Bible references sword, the in 66 verses (King James Version).
Where does the Bible first mention sword, the?
In canonical order, the first of these passages is Genesis 3:24: “So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.”
Which people in the Bible are associated with sword, the?
Saul, David, Joab, Jacob and Dinah.
Preach & teach
Outline a sermon or build a study series on sword, the.
Preach a series on Sword, the →