Axe, adze

The axe or adze was an instrument with a metal, sharp-edged head attached to a wooden handle about the length of a man’s arm. The handle was usually wedged tightly into a hole opposite the sharp blade, and it could be held more firmly in place by cords bound around the head and handle. The blade of the axe (garzen) was parallel to the handle, while the blade of the adze (qardom) was perpendicular to the handle.

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It was used to cut down trees and woody plants as well as to chop them into smaller pieces. It could also serve as a carpenter’s tool for shaping wood.

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It is likely that the axe mentioned in LJE 1:13 is a kind of weapon rather than a work tool. While the general form of the implement was the same, some languages may make a distinction between the work tool and the weapon. It is also possible to translate the first half of this verse more generally; for example, “Sometimes they are holding weapons.”