H2595 H2595
chanith -- spear, lance; a thrusting and throwing weapon carried by warriors and kings in ancient Israel
The feminine noun chanith ('spear') designates a weapon consisting of a metal point affixed to a long wooden shaft, used both for thrusting in close combat and for hurling at a distance. Its 48 occurrences are concentrated in the narrative books, especially 1-2 Samuel and Chronicles, where it figures prominently in accounts of combat and royal authority. Saul's spear becomes almost a character in its own right: he hurls it at David twice (1 Sam 18:10-11; 19:9-10) and at Jonathan once (1 Sam 20:33), and it stands planted in the ground as a mark of his royal presence while he sleeps (1 Sam 26:7). Goliath's spear, described with extraordinary measurements (1 Sam 17:7), symbolizes Philistine power. The prophetic vision of beating spears into pruning hooks (Isa 2:4; Mic 4:3) draws its power from the familiarity of this weapon. Spanish lanza, French lance, and German Speer render it uniformly.
Senses
1. spear, lance — A spear or lance used in warfare, both for thrusting and throwing, and as a symbol of royal and military authority. Saul's chanith serves as a marker of his presence and a weapon of rage (1 Sam 18:10-11; 26:7), Goliath's massive spear symbolizes Philistine might (1 Sam 17:7), and the prophetic reversal of spears into pruning hooks envisions universal peace (Isa 2:4; Mic 4:3). Spanish lanza, French lance, and German Speer confirm a single, stable referent across all 48 occurrences with no semantic subdivision. 48×
AR["الرُّمحَ", "الرُّمْح", "الرُّمْحَ", "الرُّمْحُ", "الرُّمْحِ", "رُمْح", "رُمْحًا", "رُمْحٌ", "رُمْحٍ", "رُمْحِهِ"]·ben["-বর্শা", "তার-বর্শায়", "বর্ছাটি", "বর্শা", "বর্শাকে", "বর্শার"]·DE["Speer", "[החנית]", "[חנית]", "der-Speer", "der-spear", "sein-Speer", "spear"]·EN["a-spear", "his-spear", "spear", "the-spear"]·FR["der-lance", "lance", "le-lance", "son-lance", "חנית"]·heb["ה-חנית", "חנית", "חנית-ו"]·HI["बर्छी", "भल", "भाला", "भाला-अपना", "भाला-के", "भाले-की"]·ID["-tombak", "tombak", "tombak,", "tombaknya"]·IT["a-spear", "il-lancia", "il-spear", "lancia", "suo-lancia"]·jav["-tumbak", "tombak", "tumbak", "tumbakipun"]·KO["그-창-을", "그-창과", "그-창을", "그-창의", "그-창이", "그의-창", "창", "창-을", "창-의", "창을", "창의", "창이", "창이나"]·PT["a-lança", "de-lança", "lança", "lança-sua"]·RU["копья", "копьё", "копьё-своё"]·ES["la-lanza", "lanza", "lanza-suya"]·SW["-mkuki", "mkuki", "mkuki-wake", "wa-mkuki"]·TR["-mızrağı", "mızrak", "mızrağı", "mızrağın", "mızrağının"]·urd["برچھا", "برچھی", "برچھے-اپنے", "برچھے-کی", "نیزا", "نیزہ", "نیزے-کی"]
1 Sam 13:19, 1 Sam 13:22, 1 Sam 17:7, 1 Sam 17:7, 1 Sam 17:45, 1 Sam 17:47, 1 Sam 18:10, 1 Sam 18:11, 1 Sam 19:9, 1 Sam 19:10, 1 Sam 19:10, 1 Sam 20:33 (+36 more)
Related Senses
H2719 1. sword, weapon of war (410×)H4196 1. altar (place of sacrifice) (403×)H7393 1. chariot, chariotry (117×)H7198 1. bow (weapon) (72×)H7979 1. table (71×)H7782 1. ram's horn trumpet (69×)H4294 2. staff, rod, scepter (63×)H4043 1. shield, defensive weapon (60×)H0646 1. ephod (priestly garment) (49×)H8504 1. blue (violet-blue yarn/fabric) (49×)H2671 1. arrow, projectile weapon (46×)H4818 1. chariot, war-chariot (44×)H3658 1. lyre, harp (stringed instrument) (42×)H1537 1. Gilgal (place name) (41×)H0713 1. purple (fabric/dye) (38×)H0905 3. poles, staves (37×)H7392 1. Qal participle: rider, charioteer (37×)H4501 1. cultic lampstand (menorah) (36×)H0212 1. wheel (35×)H7626 2. rod, staff, stick (33×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† חֲנִית n.f. spear (as flexible? v. Thes);—abs. חֲנִית 2 S 13:19 + 26 times; cstr. id. 1 S 26:16 (so v 22 Qr, where Kt has art.); sf. חֲנִיתֶ֑ךָ Hb 3:11; חֲנִיתוֹ 1 S 17:7(×2) + 11 times + 2 S 23:8, v. infr.; pl. חֲנִיתִים 2 Ch 23:9; חֲנִיתוֹתֵיהֶם Is 2:4 = חֲנִיתֹתֵיהֶם Mi 4:3;— 1. spear, as hurled 1 S 18:10, 11; 19:9, 10(×2) 20:33; held by king 22:6; sign of king’s presence 26:7, 8, 11, 12,…