חֲנִית
cha.nit
spear
Lexicon Entry
Lexicon data from STEPBible TIPNR, Tyndale House, Cambridge. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
What Original Readers Understood
ExploredThe Hebrew word "חֲנִית" (cha.nit) has a clear and direct meaning - a spear. Its primary function is as a weapon in warfare and conflict, making it a significant term in the context of military action. The high frequency of its occurrence in the Bible (47 times) highlights its importance in ancient Jewish culture and their understanding of war. The use of this word extends beyond just describing the physical object, as it also implies a sense of aggression, attack, and combat. It is often used in combination with other words to convey the intensity and brutality of battles. The significance of "חֲנִית" lies in its representation of the harsh realities of war and the importance of military prowess in ancient society. Given its prevalence in the Bible and its explicit meaning, it is clear that "חֲנִית" held a prominent place in the collective imagination and experience of the Israelites. Its depiction in various biblical passages provides valuable insight into the culture, values, and daily life of ancient Jewish communities.
Source data & methodology
Occurrences in Scripture
47 total occurrences across the text
Jehoiada the priest delivered to the captains of hundreds the spears, and bucklers, and shields, that had been king David’s, which were in God’s house.
Job 39:23The quiver rattles against him, the flashing spear and the javelin.
Job 41:26If one attacks him with the sword, it can’t prevail; nor the spear, the dart, nor the pointed shaft.
Psalms 35:3Brandish the spear and block those who pursue me. Tell my soul, “I am your salvation.”
Psalms 46:9He makes wars cease to the end of the earth. He breaks the bow, and shatters the spear. He burns the chariots in the fire.
Psalms 57:4My soul is among lions. I lie among those who are set on fire, even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword.
Isaiah 2:4He will judge between the nations, and will decide concerning many peoples. They shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.
1 Samuel 13:19Now there was no blacksmith found throughout all the land of Israel; for the Philistines said, “Lest the Hebrews make themselves swords or spears”;
Micah 4:3and he will judge between many peoples, and will decide concerning strong nations afar off. They will beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, neither will they learn war any more.
Nahum 3:3the horseman mounting, and the flashing sword, the glittering spear, and a multitude of slain, and a great heap of corpses, and there is no end of the bodies. They stumble on their bodies,
Habakkuk 3:11The sun and moon stood still in the sky, at the light of your arrows as they went, at the shining of your glittering spear.
1 Samuel 13:22So it came to pass in the day of battle, that neither sword nor spear was found in the hand of any of the people who were with Saul and Jonathan; but Saul and Jonathan his son had them.
1 Samuel 17:7The staff of his spear was like a weaver’s beam; and his spear’s head weighed six hundred shekels of iron. His shield bearer went before him.
1 Samuel 17:7The staff of his spear was like a weaver’s beam; and his spear’s head weighed six hundred shekels of iron. His shield bearer went before him.
1 Samuel 17:45Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin; but I come to you in the name of Yahweh of Armies, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.
1 Samuel 17:47and that all this assembly may know that Yahweh doesn’t save with sword and spear; for the battle is Yahweh’s, and he will give you into our hand.”
1 Samuel 18:10On the next day, an evil spirit from God came mightily on Saul, and he prophesied in the middle of the house. David played with his hand, as he did day by day. Saul had his spear in his hand;
1 Samuel 18:11and Saul threw the spear, for he said, “I will pin David to the wall!” David escaped from his presence twice.
1 Samuel 19:9An evil spirit from Yahweh was on Saul, as he sat in his house with his spear in his hand; and David was playing with his hand.
1 Samuel 19:10Saul sought to pin David to the wall with the spear; but he slipped away out of Saul’s presence, and he stuck the spear into the wall. David fled, and escaped that night.
1 Samuel 19:10Saul sought to pin David to the wall with the spear; but he slipped away out of Saul’s presence, and he stuck the spear into the wall. David fled, and escaped that night.
1 Samuel 20:33Saul cast his spear at him to strike him. By this Jonathan knew that his father was determined to put David to death.
1 Samuel 21:8David said to Ahimelech, “Isn’t there here under your hand spear or sword? For I have neither brought my sword nor my weapons with me, because the king’s business required haste.”
1 Samuel 22:6Saul heard that David was discovered, with the men who were with him. Now Saul was sitting in Gibeah, under the tamarisk tree in Ramah, with his spear in his hand, and all his servants were standing around him.
1 Samuel 26:7So David and Abishai came to the people by night: and, behold, Saul lay sleeping within the place of the wagons, with his spear stuck in the ground at his head; and Abner and the people lay around him.
1 Samuel 26:8Then Abishai said to David, “God has delivered up your enemy into your hand today. Now therefore please let me strike him with the spear to the earth at one stroke, and I will not strike him the second time.”
1 Samuel 26:11Yahweh forbid that I should stretch out my hand against Yahweh’s anointed; but now please take the spear that is at his head, and the jar of water, and let’s go.”
1 Samuel 26:12So David took the spear and the jar of water from Saul’s head; and they went away: and no man saw it, or knew it, nor did any awake; for they were all asleep, because a deep sleep from Yahweh had fallen on them.
1 Samuel 26:16This thing isn’t good that you have done. As Yahweh lives, you are worthy to die, because you have not kept watch over your lord, Yahweh’s anointed. Now see where the king’s spear is, and the jar of water that was at his head.”
1 Samuel 26:22David answered, “Behold the spear, O king! Then let one of the young men come over and get it.
2 Samuel 1:6The young man who told him said, “As I happened by chance on Mount Gilboa, behold, Saul was leaning on his spear; and behold, the chariots and the horsemen followed close behind him.
2 Samuel 2:23However he refused to turn away. Therefore Abner with the back end of the spear struck him in the body, so that the spear came out behind him; and he fell down there, and died in the same place. As many as came to the place where Asahel fell down and died stood still.
2 Samuel 2:23However he refused to turn away. Therefore Abner with the back end of the spear struck him in the body, so that the spear came out behind him; and he fell down there, and died in the same place. As many as came to the place where Asahel fell down and died stood still.
2 Samuel 21:19There was again war with the Philistines at Gob; and Elhanan the son of Jaare-Oregim the Bethlehemite killed Goliath the Gittite’s brother, the staff of whose spear was like a weaver’s beam.
2 Samuel 23:7But the man who touches them must be armed with iron and the staff of a spear. They will be utterly burned with fire in their place.”
2 Samuel 23:18Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief of the three. He lifted up his spear against three hundred and killed them, and had a name among the three.
2 Samuel 23:21He killed a huge Egyptian, and the Egyptian had a spear in his hand; but he went down to him with a staff, and plucked the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand, and killed him with his own spear.
2 Samuel 23:21He killed a huge Egyptian, and the Egyptian had a spear in his hand; but he went down to him with a staff, and plucked the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand, and killed him with his own spear.
2 Samuel 23:21He killed a huge Egyptian, and the Egyptian had a spear in his hand; but he went down to him with a staff, and plucked the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand, and killed him with his own spear.
2 Kings 11:10The priest delivered to the captains over hundreds the spears and shields that had been king David’s, which were in Yahweh’s house.
1 Chronicles 11:11This is the number of the mighty men whom David had: Jashobeam, the son of a Hachmonite, the chief of the thirty; he lifted up his spear against three hundred and killed them at one time.
1 Chronicles 11:20Abishai, the brother of Joab, he was chief of the three; for he lifted up his spear against three hundred and killed them, and had a name among the three.
1 Chronicles 11:23He killed an Egyptian, a man of great stature, five cubits high. In the Egyptian’s hand was a spear like a weaver’s beam; and he went down to him with a staff, plucked the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand, and killed him with his own spear.
1 Chronicles 11:23He killed an Egyptian, a man of great stature, five cubits high. In the Egyptian’s hand was a spear like a weaver’s beam; and he went down to him with a staff, plucked the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand, and killed him with his own spear.
1 Chronicles 11:23He killed an Egyptian, a man of great stature, five cubits high. In the Egyptian’s hand was a spear like a weaver’s beam; and he went down to him with a staff, plucked the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand, and killed him with his own spear.
1 Chronicles 12:34Of Naphtali: one thousand captains, and with them with shield and spear thirty-seven thousand.
1 Chronicles 20:5Again there was war with the Philistines; and Elhanan the son of Jair killed Lahmi the brother of Goliath the Gittite, the staff of whose spear was like a weaver’s beam.