H1270 H1270
Iron — the metal in raw, worked, or figurative form, signifying strength, hardness, and unyielding severity.
Barzel denotes iron across its full material and metaphorical range in the Hebrew Bible. It appears as raw ore extracted from stone (Deut 8:9; Job 28:2), as worked metal fashioned into tools, weapons, and chariots (Josh 17:16; Judg 4:3), and as an article of commerce (Ezek 27:12, 19). Figuratively, iron becomes the Bible's chief image of hardness and oppression — the 'iron furnace' of Egypt (Deut 4:20), the 'iron yoke' of servitude (Deut 28:48), and the 'iron rod' of sovereign rule (Ps 2:9). Cognates in Aramaic (parzel), Akkadian (parzillu), and Arabic (firzil) confirm its ancient Near Eastern pedigree. Every modern rendering — English 'iron,' Spanish hierro, French fer, German Eisen — points to one semantic core.
Senses
1. [split] iron (metal, tools, weapons; fig. strength/hardness) — Iron in all its biblical applications: ore in the ground (Deut 8:9; Job 28:2), worked material for tools, weapons, and chariots (Gen 4:22; Josh 17:16), and a figure for strength and oppressive severity — the 'iron furnace' of Egypt (Deut 4:20) and the 'iron yoke' (Deut 28:48). Cognates in Aramaic, Akkadian, and Arabic confirm a shared Semitic metallurgical term. 0×
AR["الْحَدِيدِ", "حَديدٌ", "حَديدٍ", "حَدِيدًا", "حَدِيدٌ", "حَدِيدٍ"]·ben["কলমে", "লোহা", "লোহায়", "লোহার"]·DE["Eisen"]·EN["iron"]·FR["fer"]·heb["ברזל"]·HI["लोहा", "लोहा।", "लोहे", "लोहे-क", "लोहे-का", "लोहे-की", "लोहे-के", "लोहे-से"]·ID["Besi", "besi"]·IT["ferro"]·jav["Wesi", "tosan", "wesi"]·KO["쇠를", "철", "철(접)", "철-의", "철로", "철을", "철의", "철이다"]·PT["Ferro", "ferro"]·RU["Железо", "железа", "железное", "железные", "железным", "железных", "железо", "железом", "железу"]·ES["hierro", "son-hierro"]·SW["Chuma", "chuma", "havikusikiwa", "ni-chuma", "ya-chuma", "za-chuma"]·TR["Demir", "demir", "demirden", "demirin", "demirle"]·urd["لوہا", "لوہے کا", "لوہے-کا", "لوہے-کے", "لوہے-کے-ہیں"]
Num 31:22, Num 35:16, Deut 3:11, Deut 4:20, Deut 8:9, Deut 19:5, Deut 27:5, Deut 28:23, Deut 28:48, Deut 33:25, Josh 8:31, Josh 17:16 (+38 more)
1. iron (metal, tools, weapons, material) — Split from sense 88054. Criteria: Literal uses: raw ore, worked metal, tools, weapons, chariots, fetters, implements, gates (Gen 4:22; Josh 17:16; Deut 8:9) 63×
AR["الحَديدُ", "الْحَدِيدِ", "حَديدٌ", "حَديدٍ", "حَدِيدًا", "حَدِيدٌ", "حَدِيدٍ"]·ben["কলমে", "লোহা", "লোহায়", "লোহার"]·DE["Eisen"]·EN["iron"]·FR["fer"]·heb["ברזל"]·HI["लोहा", "लोहा।", "लोहे", "लोहे-क", "लोहे-का", "लोहे-की", "लोहे-के", "लोहे-से"]·ID["Besi", "besi"]·IT["ferro"]·jav["Wesi", "tosan", "wesi"]·KO["쇠를", "철", "철(접)", "철-의", "철로", "철을", "철의", "철이", "철이다"]·PT["Ferro", "ferro"]·RU["Железо", "железа", "железного", "железное", "железные", "железным", "железных", "железо", "железом", "железу"]·ES["Hierro", "hierro", "hierro;", "son-hierro"]·SW["Chuma", "chuma", "havikusikiwa", "ni-chuma", "ya-chuma", "za-chuma"]·TR["Demir", "demir", "demirin", "demirle"]·urd["لوہا", "لوہے کا", "لوہے-کا", "لوہے-کے", "لوہے-کے-ہیں"]
Gen 4:22, Num 31:22, Num 35:16, Deut 3:11, Deut 8:9, Deut 19:5, Deut 27:5, Deut 33:25, Josh 6:19, Josh 8:31, Josh 17:16, Josh 17:18 (+38 more)
2. iron (figurative: strength, hardness, severity) — Split from sense 88054. Criteria: Metaphorical uses expressing strength, oppression, unyielding severity: 'iron furnace' of Egypt (Deut 4:20), 'iron yoke' (Deut 28:48), 'iron sinews' (Isa 48:4) 13×
AR["الحَدِيدِ", "الـ-حَدِيدِ", "الْحَدِيدِ", "حَديدٍ", "حَدِيدًا", "حَدِيدٍ", "كَ-الْحَدِيدِ"]·ben["-লোহার", "লোহা", "লোহা-এর", "লোহার", "লোহার-মতো,"]·DE["Eisen", "der-Eisen", "wie-Eisen"]·EN["iron", "like-iron", "of-iron", "the-iron"]·FR["comme-fer", "dans-fer", "fer", "le-fer"]·heb["ברזל", "ה-ברזל", "כ-ה-כברזל"]·HI["-लोहे-की", "कैसे-लोहे", "लोहा", "लोहा।", "लोहे-का", "लोहे-की", "लोहे-के"]·ID["besi", "seperti-besi"]·IT["come-ferro", "ferro", "il-ferro"]·jav["kados-wesi", "tosan", "wesi"]·KO["그-철의", "쇠의", "지팡이", "철-의", "철같이", "철로", "철의"]·PT["como-ferro", "de-ferro", "ferro", "o-ferro", "o-ferro,"]·RU["-железной", "железная", "железное", "железной", "железную", "железным", "железом", "как-железо"]·ES["como-hierro", "el-hierro", "hierro"]·SW["cha-chuma", "chuma", "kama-chuma", "la-chuma", "wa-chuma", "ya-chuma", "za-chuma"]·TR["-gibi-demir", "demir", "demirden", "demirin", "tavayı"]·urd["-لوہے", "لوہا", "لوہے-کا", "لوہے-کی", "لوہے-کی-طرح", "لوہے-کے"]
Lev 26:19, Deut 4:20, Deut 28:23, Deut 28:48, 1 Kgs 8:51, Ps 2:9, Isa 48:4, Jer 1:18, Jer 11:4, Jer 28:13, Jer 28:14, Ezek 4:3 (+1 more)
Related Senses
H4325 1. water, waters (582×)H6965b 1. Qal: to rise, arise, get up (432×)H2091 1. gold (the metal) (389×)H0068 1. stone, rock (material/object) (267×)H5178a 1. bronze/copper as metal (131×)H6083 1. dust, dry earth, soil (108×)H8313 1. burn, set fire to (94×)H2734 1. anger was kindled (82×)G5204 1. water (80×)H2822 1. darkness, absence of light (80×)G5457 1. light (illumination) (71×)G0450 1. rise, stand up (physical) (69×)H6965b 2. Qal: to stand firm, endure, be valid (50×)H6999a 2. burn sacrifice on altar (Hifil) (45×)H5553 1. rock, cliff (physical feature) (43×)H6965b 4. Hifil: to establish, confirm (covenant/kingdom/word) (40×)H1197a 1. burn, be on fire (39×)H4306 1. rain, showers (38×)H1653 1. rain, precipitation (34×)G4655 1. darkness (30×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† בַּרְזֶל n.m. Ez 27:19 iron (c. ל afform.; from piercing? NH id., Aramaic id., פַּרְזֶל, ܦܰܪܙܠܴܐ Ph. ברזל, Assyrian parzillu COTGloss, (Arabic فِرْزِلٌ fetter is loan-word))—always abs. ב׳ Gn 4:22 + 74 times (בַּרְזֶל֑ Gn 4:22 etc.);— 1. iron, lit.: a. iron-ore, stone containing iron, Dt 8:9; Jb 28:2; b. as raw material (to be worked) Gn 4:22; 1 Ch 22:3, 14, 16; 29:2(×2), 7 2 Ch 2:6, 13; 24:12;…