Original Word: קַרְדֹּם
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: qardom
Pronunciation: kar-DOME
Phonetic Spelling: (kar-dome')
KJV: ax
NASB: axe, axes
Word Origin: [perhaps from H6923 (קָדַם - meet) in the sense of striking upon]

1. an axe

ax

Perhaps from qadam in the sense of striking upon; an axe -- ax.

see HEBREW qadam

Word Origin
of uncertain derivation
Definition
an axe
NASB Translation
axe (3), axes (2).

[קַרְדֹּם] noun [masculine] axe (√ unknown; compare Late Hebrew קַרְדֹּם double hoe,one side of which could split wood, Vogelst^{Land writhsch.37}; Arabic , adze is loan-word according to Frä⁸⁴); — suffix קַרְדֻמּוֺ 1 Samuel 13:20 + Judges 9:48 (so probably read for הַקַּרְדֻּמוֺתּ, A ᵐ5^L τ. ἀξίνημ, GFM Bu Now); plural קַרְדֻּמִּים 1 Samuel 13:21, קַרְדֻּמוֺת Jeremiah 46:22; Psalm 74:5

Physical Description and Function in Ancient Israel

The קַרְדֹּם was a hand-held axe or hatchet consisting of a wooden shaft fitted with an iron or bronze blade. In daily life it served three primary purposes: (1) felling timber for building and fuel, (2) shaping wood for implements and fortifications, and (3) limited use as an improvised weapon when circumstances demanded. The tool’s presence in agricultural, military, and cultic contexts underscores its versatility in Israelite society.

Occurrences in Scripture

• Judges 9:48 – During the siege of the tower at Shechem, “Abimelech took an axe in his hand, cut off a branch, lifted it to his shoulder, and said to the troops with him, ‘Follow me! Do what you have seen me do.’”. The axe enables rapid gathering of fuel for the judgment that soon engulfs the rebellious city.
• 1 Samuel 13:20-21 – Israel, disarmed by Philistine policy, must pay to have “axes” sharpened, revealing both Philistine domination and Israel’s dependence on iron technology.
• Psalm 74:5 – Invading forces desecrating the sanctuary are compared to “men wielding axes in a thicket of trees,” portraying brutal destruction of what is holy.
• Jeremiah 46:22 – Babylon’s army comes against Egypt “with axes, like woodcutters,” an image of unstoppable, methodical judgment.

Historical and Cultural Background

By the late Bronze and early Iron Ages, iron blades had largely replaced earlier bronze ones, greatly increasing cutting efficiency. Yet ironworking remained in the hands of specialist smiths, often controlled by dominant powers (