Hammer

The hammer was an instrument about 30 centimeters (1 foot) long. It had a handle, usually made of wood, to which was attached a stone, wooden, or (less frequently) metal head. The handle was fitted into a hole in the hammer’s head.

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The hammer served many purposes, including the breaking or dressing of building stones, pounding nails or pegs into wood, or pounding pegs into the ground. It also was used by blacksmiths to shape hot metal.

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The meaning of the Hebrew word miqshah is uncertain. It seems to refer to the result of the work of an artisan on metal objects, that is, “hammered work” or “beaten work.”