This rare word appears only in 1 Samuel 13:21 in a passage describing the Philistines' monopoly on metalworking. The Hebrew text is widely considered corrupt at this point, making the exact meaning uncertain. Traditional interpretations have suggested 'charge' or 'fee' for sharpening tools, based on ancient versions and rabbinic readings, though BDB notes these lack solid philological foundation. The multilingual evidence (charge, precio, price) reflects this traditional understanding of a fee or cost related to the blacksmithing services mentioned in context.