Description and usage
The awl was a hand tool with a narrow point used for boring holes in wood, leather, or other substances. The point could be made of metal, bone, or stone. The awl sometimes had a handle made of wood or bone.
Translation
In the only references to this implement in Scripture, it is used to pierce the ear of a slave to symbolize that he has chosen to remain with his master for life. It is possible that, in the hole made by the piercing, the master placed a ring or band indicating ownership. The exact instrument is not as important as its form. Where there is no word for “awl,” translators may use a word for some similar pointed implement, such as “nail” or “knife.”