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Thursday 3 November 2011

Metals in the Bible

Metals

  1. brass
  2. copper
  3. gold
  4. iron
  5. silver
  6. steel
  7. tin
  8. refiner
  9. lead
  10. zinc—Pure zinc is too reactive to be produced by ancient metalworking techniques.

Brass

This metal is an alloy of copper and zinc. Brass has been known to man since prehistoric times, long before zinc itself was discovered. It was produced smelting copper ore that contained zinc or by melting copper together with calamite, a zinc ore. During this process, the zinc is extracted from the calamite and instantly mixes with the copper. Pure zinc, on the other hand, is too reactive to be produced by ancient metalworking techniques.
It was used for fetters (Judg. 16:21; 2 Kings 25:7), for pieces of armor (1 Sam. 17:5-6), for musical instruments (1 Chr. 15:19; 1 Cor. 13:1), and for money (Matt. 10:9).
It is a symbol of insensibility and obstinacy in sin (Isa. 48:4; Jer. 6:28; Ezek. 22:18), and of strength (Ps. 107:16; Micah 4:13).
The Macedonian empire is described as a kingdom of brass (Dan. 2:39). The “mountains of brass” Zechariah (6:1) speaks of have been supposed to represent the immutable decrees of God.
The serpent of brass was made by Moses at the command of God (Num. 21:4-9), and elevated on a pole, so that it might be seen by all the people when wounded by the bite of the serpents that were sent to them as a punishment for their murmurings against God and against Moses. It was afterwards carried by the Jews into Canaan, and preserved by them till the time of Hezekiah, who caused it to be at length destroyed because it began to be viewed by the people with superstitious reverence (2 Kings 18:4). (See NEHUSHTAN.)
The brazen serpent is alluded to by our Lord in John 3:14-15. (See SERPENT.)
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Copper

This word is derived from the Greek kupros (the island of Cyprus), called “Cyprian brass,” occurs only in the Authorized Version in Ezra 8:27.
Elsewhere, the Hebrew word nehosheth is improperly translated “brass,” and sometimes “steel” (2 Sam. 22:35; Jer. 15:12). The “bow of steel” (Job 20:24; Ps. 18:34) should have been “bow of copper” (or “brass,” as in the Revised Version). The vessels of “fine copper” of Ezra 8:27 were probably similar to those of “bright brass” mentioned in 1 Kings 7:45; Dan. 10:6.
Tubal-cain was the first artificer in brass and iron (Gen. 4:22). Hiram was noted as a worker in brass (1 Kings 7:14). Copper abounded in Palestine (Deut. 8:9; Isa. 60:17; 1 Chr. 22:3, 14). All sorts of vessels in the tabernacle and the temple were made of it (Lev. 6:28; Num. 16:39; 2 Chr. 4:16; Ezra 8:27); also weapons of war (1 Sam. 17:5-6, 38; 2 Sam. 21:16).
Iron is mentioned only four times (Gen. 4:22; Lev. 26:19; Num. 31:22; 35:16) in the first four books of Moses, while copper (rendered “brass”) is mentioned forty times. (See BRASS.)
We find mention of Alexander (q.v.), a “coppersmith” of Ephesus (2 Tim. 4:14).
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Gold

  1. Hebrew: zahab, so called from its yellow color (Ex. 25:11; 1 Chr. 28:18; 2 Chr. 3:5).
  2. Hebrew: segor, from its compactness, or as being enclosed or treasured up; thus precious or “fine gold” (1 Kings 6:20; 7:49).
  3. Hebrew: paz, native or pure gold (Job 28:17; Ps. 19:10; 21:3, etc.).
  4. Hebrew: betzer, “ore of gold or silver” as dug out of the mine (Job 36:19, where it means simply riches).
  5. Hebrew: kethem, i.e., something concealed or separated (Job 28:16, 19; Ps. 45:9; Prov. 25:12). Rendered “golden wedge” in Isa. 13:12.
  6. Hebrew: haruts, i.e., dug out; poetic for gold (Prov. 8:10; 16:16; Zech. 9:3).
Gold was known from the earliest times (Gen. 2:11). It was principally used for ornaments (Gen. 24:22). It was very abundant (1 Chr. 22:14; Nah. 2:9; Dan. 3:1). Many tons of it were used in connection with the temple (2 Chr. 1:15). It was found in Arabia, Sheba, and Ophir (1 Kings 9:28; 10:1; Job 28:16), but not in Palestine.
In Dan. 2:38, the Babylonian Empire is spoken of as a “head of gold” because of its great riches; and Babylon was called by Isaiah (14:4) the “golden city” (Revised Version marginal note, “exactress,” adopting the reading marhebah, instead of the usual word madhebah).
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Iron

Tubal-Cain is the first-mentioned worker in iron (Gen. 4:22). The Egyptians wrought it at Sinai before the Exodus.
David prepared it in great abundance for the temple (1 Chr. 22:3: 29:7). The merchants of Dan and Javan brought it to the market of Tyre (Ezek. 27:19).
Various instruments are mentioned as made of iron (Deut. 27:5; 19:5; Josh. 17:16, 18; 1 Sam. 17:7; 2 Sam. 12:31; 2 Kings 6:5-6; 1 Chr. 22:3; Isa. 10:34).
Figuratively, a yoke of iron (Deut. 28:48) denotes hard service; a rod of iron (Ps. 2:9), a stern government; a pillar of iron (Jer. 1:18), a strong support; a furnace of iron (Deut. 4:20), severe labor; a bar of iron (Job 40:18), strength; fetters of iron (Ps. 107:10), affliction; giving silver for iron (Isa. 60:17), prosperity.
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Silver

used for a great variety of purposes, as may be judged from the frequent references to it in Scripture
It first appears in commerce in Gen. 13:2; 23:15-16. It was largely employed for making vessels for the sanctuary in the wilderness (Ex. 26:19; 27:17; Num. 7:13, 19; 10:2). There is no record of its having been found in Syria or Palestine. It was brought in large quantities by foreign merchants from abroad, from Spain and India and other countries probably.
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Steel

The “bow of steel” in (Authorized Version) 2 Sam. 22:35; Job 20:24; Ps. 18:34 is in the Revised Version "bow of brass" (Hebrew: kesheth-nehushah).
In Jer. 15:12 the same word is used, and is also rendered in the Revised Version “brass.” But more correctly it is copper (q.v.), as brass in the ordinary sense of the word (an alloy of copper and zinc) was not known to the ancients.
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Tin

Hebrew: bedil
(Num. 31:22; Ezek. 22:18, 20), a metal well known in ancient times
It is the general opinion that the Phoenicians of Tyre and Sidon obtained their supplies of tin from the British Isles. In Ezek. 27:12 it is said to have been brought from Tarshish, which was probably a commercial emporium supplied with commodities from other places.
In Isa. 1:25 the word so rendered is generally understood of lead, the alloy with which the silver had become mixed (ver. 22).
The fire of the Babylonish Captivity would be the means of purging out the idolatrous alloy that had corrupted the people.
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Refiner

The process of refining metals is referred to by way of illustrations in Isa. 1:25; Jer. 6:29; Zech. 13:9; Mal. 3:2-3.
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Zarephath

Meaning: smelting-shop, “a workshop for the refining and smelting of metals”
a small Phoenician town, now Surafend, about a mile from the coast, almost midway on the road between Tyre and Sidon. Here Elijah sojourned with a poor widow during the "great famine," when the “heaven was shut up three years and six months” (Luke 4:26; 1 Kings 17:10). It is called Sarepta in the New Testament (Luke 4:26).

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*Lead

*Zinc—Pure zinc is too reactive to be produced by ancient metalworking techniques.








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