Topical Encyclopedia
In biblical times, the saw was an essential tool used in various construction and woodworking activities. The saw is mentioned in several contexts within the Bible, highlighting its significance in both practical and metaphorical terms.
Old Testament ReferencesThe saw is first mentioned in the context of King Solomon's extensive building projects. In
1 Kings 7:9, the construction of the temple and other structures is described: "All these were made of costly stones, cut according to measure, sawed with saws, inside and outside, from the foundation to the coping, and from the outside to the great court." This passage illustrates the use of saws in cutting stones, indicating the advanced craftsmanship and technology employed during Solomon's reign.
Another reference to the saw is found in
Isaiah 10:15, where it is used metaphorically to convey a message about pride and humility: "Does the ax raise itself above the one who swings it, or the saw boast over the one who uses it? As if a rod could wield those who lift it, or a staff could lift what is not wood!" Here, the saw symbolizes human tools and instruments, emphasizing that they are powerless without the hand that wields them. This metaphor serves as a reminder of God's sovereignty and the futility of human pride.
New Testament ContextWhile the New Testament does not explicitly mention the saw, the tool's significance can be inferred from the profession of Jesus as a carpenter (
Mark 6:3). As a carpenter, Jesus would have been familiar with various tools, including the saw, which would have been essential for his trade. This background provides insight into Jesus' earthly life and the humility of his incarnation.
Symbolic and Theological ImplicationsThe saw, as a tool, represents human effort and craftsmanship. In biblical symbolism, tools like the saw can also reflect the idea of shaping and refining, much like God's work in the lives of believers. Just as a saw is used to cut and shape wood or stone, God uses various means to mold and refine His people, as seen in passages like
Isaiah 64:8: "But now, O LORD, You are our Father; we are the clay, and You are our potter; we all are the work of Your hand."
Furthermore, the metaphorical use of the saw in
Isaiah 10:15 serves as a theological reminder of the relationship between the Creator and His creation. It underscores the importance of recognizing God's ultimate authority and the limitations of human power.
Cultural and Historical ContextIn ancient Israel, saws were typically made of iron or bronze, with teeth that were either cut into the metal or set with small, sharp stones. The saw's design and construction would have varied depending on its intended use, whether for cutting wood, stone, or other materials. The presence of saws in biblical narratives reflects the technological advancements of the time and the importance of skilled labor in the construction of significant structures, such as the temple.
Overall, the saw in the Bible serves as both a practical tool and a powerful metaphor, illustrating themes of human effort, divine sovereignty, and the transformative work of God in the lives of His people.
Smith's Bible Dictionary
SawEgyptian saws, so far as has yet been discovered, are single-handed. As is the case in modern Oriental saws, the teeth usually incline toward the handle, instead of away from it like ours. They have, in most cases, bronze blades, apparently attached to the handles by leathern thongs. No evidence exists of the use of the saw applied to stone in Egypt, but we read of sawn stones used in the temple. (1 Kings 7:9) The saws "under" or "in" which David is said to have placed his captives were of iron. The expression in (2 Samuel 12:31) does not necessarily imply torture, but the word "cut" in (1 Chronicles 20:3) can hardly be understood otherwise.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (
v.) imp. of See.
2. (v. t.) Something said; speech; discourse.
3. (n.) A saying; a proverb; a maxim.
4. (v. t.) Dictate; command; decree.
5. (n.) An instrument for cutting or dividing substances, as wood, iron, etc., consisting of a thin blade, or plate, of steel, with a series of sharp teeth on the edge, which remove successive portions of the material by cutting and tearing.
6. (v. t.) To cut with a saw; to separate with a saw; as, to saw timber or marble.
7. (v. t.) To form by cutting with a saw; as, to saw boards or planks, that is, to saw logs or timber into boards or planks; to saw shingles; to saw out a panel.
8. (v. t.) Also used figuratively; as, to saw the air.
9. (v. i.) To use a saw; to practice sawing; as, a man saws well.
10. (v. i.) To cut, as a saw; as, the saw or mill saws fast.
11. (v. i.) To be cut with a saw; as, the timber saws smoothly.
12. (imp.) of See
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
SAWso.
SeeTOOLS.
Greek
4249. prizo -- tosaw (in two)... to
saw (in two). Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: prizo Phonetic Spelling:
(prid'-zo) Short Definition: I
saw,
saw through Definition: I
saw,
saw through.
...1282. diaprio -- tosaw asunder, cut to the heart
... tosaw asunder, cut to the heart. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: diaprio
Phonetic Spelling: (dee-ap-ree'-o) Short Definition: I cut to the quick...
3708. horao -- to see, perceive, attend to
... 21), appearing (1), behold (3), beware (1), certainly seen (1), do (2), look (5),
look after (1), looked (12), perceive (3), recognizing (1),saw (180), see...
2390. iaomai -- to heal
... Is 53:4,5). : Lk 17:15: "Now one of them [ie the ten lepers], when hesaw
that he had been (2390 ), turned back, God with .". [2390...
2300. theaomai -- to behold, look upon
... Word Origin of uncertain origin Definition to behold, look upon NASB Word Usage
look (1), look over (1), looked (1), noticed (3),saw (5), see (3), seeing (2...
990. blemma -- a look
... Word Origin from blepo Definition a look NASB Word Usage what hesaw (1). seeing.
From blepo; vision (properly concrete; by implication, abstract) -- seeing....
2334. theoreo -- to look at, gaze
... spectator) Definition to look at, gaze NASB Word Usage beholds (1), look (1), looking
(5), observe (3), observed (4), observing (3), perceive (2),saw (8), see...
4275. proeido -- to foresee
... Compare 4308 ("see before") with the Critical Text.]. foresee From pro and eido;
foresee -- foresee,saw before. see GREEK eido. see GREEK pro....
991. blepo -- to look (at)
... beware (5), careful (1), careful* (1), consider (1), facing (1), guard (1), keep
on seeing (2), look (7), looking (5), looks (1), partial* (2),saw (12), see...
2335. theoria -- a viewing, hence a spectacle
... See 2334 (). Word Origin from the same as theoreo Definition a viewing, hence
a spectacle NASB Word Usagesaw (1), spectacle (1). sight....
Strong's Hebrew
4883. massor -- asaw... a
saw. Transliteration: massor Phonetic Spelling: (mas-sore') Short Definition:
saw. Word Origin from an unused word Definition a
saw NASB Word Usage
saw (1).
...4050. megerah -- asaw
... 4049, 4050. megerah. 4051 . asaw. Transliteration: megerah Phonetic Spelling:
(meg-ay-raw') Short Definition: saws.... axe,saw. From garar; asaw -- axe,saw...
7787. sur -- tosaw
... sur. 7788 . tosaw. Transliteration: sur Phonetic Spelling: (soor) Short Definition:
cut. Word Origin a prim. root Definition tosaw NASB Word Usage cut (1)....
1641. garar -- to drag, drag away
... root Definition to drag, drag away NASB Word Usage chew (1), drag them away (2),
sawed (1), sweeping (1). catch, chew, continuing, destroy,saw....
8154. shasah -- to spoil, plunder
... shasah or shasah. 8155 . to spoil, plunder. Transliteration: shasah or shasah
Phonetic Spelling: (shaw-saw') Short Definition: plundered. Word Origin a prim....
5631. saris -- eunuch
saris or saris. 5630, 5631. saris or saris. 5632 . eunuch. Transliteration:
saris or saris Phonetic Spelling: (saw-reece') Short Definition: officials....
4499. menusah -- flight
... menusah or menusah. 4500 . flight. Transliteration: menusah or menusah Phonetic
Spelling: (men-oo-saw') Short Definition: fugitives. Word Origin fem....
7704. sadeh -- field, land
... 7703, 7704. sadeh. 7705 . field, land. Transliteration: sadeh Phonetic
Spelling: (saw-deh') Short Definition: field. Word Origin...
5587. saiph -- opinion
... 5586, 5587. saiph or saiph. 5588 . opinion. Transliteration: saiph or saiph
Phonetic Spelling: (saw-eef') Short Definition: opinion. Word Origin see seippah...
5526. cakak -- to overshadow, screen, cover
... 5525, 5526. cakak. 5526a . to overshadow, screen, cover. Transliteration:
cakak Phonetic Spelling: (saw-kak') Short Definition: cover....
Library
ISaw the City
... ISAW THE CITY. TWO very startling things arrest us in John's vision of the
future.... Some such City, surely, was what Johnsaw in his dream....
As in a RaceSaw I the Disputers, the Children of Strife, [Trying]...
... As in a racesaw I the disputers, the children of strife, [trying] to taste fire,
to see the air, to handle the light: they were troubled at the gleaming, and...
'Impossible, --Only ISaw It'
... THE FIRST BOOK OF KINGS IMPOSSIBLE,"ONLY ISAW IT'. 'Then Elisha said, Hear
ye the word of the Lord; Thus saith the Lord, Tomorrow...
Whom MosesSaw.
... The Divine Jesus Whom MosesSaw. What did Jesus say about Himself? The critics
of the world, including the skeptical, infidel critics...
"ISaw . . . As it were in the Time of his Passion . . . And in...
... THE FIRST REVELATION CHAPTER IV "Isaw . . .... And in the same Shewing suddenly
the Trinity filled my heart with utmost joy". "Isaw . . ....
ISaw no Temple There
... ISAW NO TEMPLE THERE. "ISAW no Church there," said John.... "Isaw no Temple
there""the future City will be a City without a Church....
When I Heard This, andSaw what Sorrow the People were In...
... Section 43. When I heard this, andsaw what sorrow the people were in?
43. When I heard this, andsaw what sorrow the people were...
"All was Closed, and ISaw no More. " "For the Folly of Feeling a...
... THE FIFTEENTH REVELATION CHAPTER LXVI "All was closed, and Isaw no more." "For
the folly of feeling a little bodily pain I unwisely lost for the time the...
Of a Holy Friar whoSaw a Wonderful vision of a Companion who was...
... PART ONE. HERE BEGIN THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF SAINT FRANCIS OF ASSISI CHAPTER LVI OF
A HOLY FRIAR WHOSAW A WONDERFUL VISION OF A COMPANION WHO WAS DEAD....
And when HerodSaw that He had Been Made Sport of by the Magi...
... Chapter 17. And when Herodsaw that he had been made sport of by the magi?... [1657]
One ms. has: And when Herod, coming back from Rome the year after,saw....
Thesaurus
Saw (6047 Occurrences)... 6. (vt) To cut with a
saw; to separate with a
saw; as, to
saw timber or
marble. 7. (vt) To form by cutting with a
saw; as, to
saw...Kebar (8 Occurrences)
... year, in the fourth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives
by the river of Kebar, that the heavens were opened, and Isaw visions of...
Casting (54 Occurrences)
... Matthew 4:18 Walking by the sea of Galilee, hesaw two brothers: Simon, who is called
Peter, and Andrew, his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were...
Canal (6 Occurrences)
... Daniel 8:2 Isaw in the vision; now it was so, that when Isaw, I was in the citadel
of Susa, which is in the province of Elam; and Isaw in the vision, and I...
Stedfastly (23 Occurrences)
... Stedfastly (23 Occurrences). Mark 8:25 Then again he laid his hands upon his eyes;
and he looked stedfastly, and was restored, andsaw all things clearly. (ASV)...
Surprise (27 Occurrences)
... Surprise (27 Occurrences). Luke 11:38 Now the Phariseesaw to his surprise that
He did not wash His hands before breakfasting. (WEY BBE NAS NIV)....
Afar (98 Occurrences)
... (adv.) At, to, or from a great distance; far away; -- often used with from preceding,
or off following; as, he was seen from afar; Isaw him afar off....
Visions (43 Occurrences)
... year, in the fourth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives
by the river Chebar, that the heavens were opened, and Isaw visions of...
Amazed (75 Occurrences)
... It is the word especially used to show the effect of Christ's miracles, teaching,
character and Divine personality on those whosaw and heard Him, and were...
Seats (40 Occurrences)
... (BBE). John 2:14 And there in the Temple hesaw men trading in oxen and sheep and
doves, and hesaw the changers of money in their seats: (BBE)....
Resources
How should a Christian respond to people who claim, “I saw Jesus”? | GotQuestions.orgWhat did Jesus mean when He said, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven”? | GotQuestions.orgWill the generation that saw Israel re-formed as a nation still be alive for the Second Coming? | GotQuestions.orgSaw: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
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