Scythe (chariot weapon)

The scythe was a sharp, curved blade that was attached to either side of a war chariot. It prevented enemy soldiers from running alongside the chariot to attack. It also could act as an offensive weapon; as the chariot drove swiftly through the enemy, the blade would cut at their legs.

In very few languages will the idea of a weapon attached to a chariot wheel be clear. So a literal translation such as “chariots armed with scythes” (NRSV) at the end of 2MA 13:2 will probably not communicate sufficient information to the reader. GNT expands this to “chariots with sharp blades attached to their wheels.”