בַּרְזֶל (bar.zel)
bar.zel
iron
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 62 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun barzel refers to iron, encompassing both the raw metal and the tools forged from it. In the Old Testament, it appears frequently as a practical material for weapons, agricultural implements, and construction elements. Its presence in texts like Deuteronomy 8:9 highlights Israel’s future possession of a land rich in this valuable resource, while narratives such as the story of the axe head floating in 2 Kings 6:5 demonstrate its everyday utility in ancient life.
Beyond its physical definition, barzel carries strong figurative weight. It symbolizes unyielding hardness or oppressive strength. Psalm 2:9 uses the image of ruling with an iron rod to depict divine authority that cannot be bent, while Jeremiah 17:1 describes sin as being "engraved with an instrument of iron" on the human heart, suggesting a permanent and stubborn condition. This metaphorical usage transforms a common metal into a powerful symbol of resilience or harsh judgment.
The word’s etymology is uncertain, though some sources link it to roots meaning to pierce or cut, emphasizing its functional nature as a tool for shaping other materials. Translators typically render barzel simply as "iron," preserving the directness of the original term. Whether describing the iron chains of a prisoner in Psalm 107:14 or the iron teeth of a beast in Ezekiel 27, the word consistently conveys durability and force without embellishment.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
Iron in the Bible is more than a material for tools or weapons; it represents strength, permanence, and the weight of consequence. When Scripture speaks of an iron yoke or an iron rod, it points to realities that cannot be easily bent or broken. This imagery reminds us that our choices have lasting effects, and that God’s authority stands firm against all opposition.
For your daily life, this word invites you to consider where you need resilience. Just as iron was forged through heat and pressure, your character is often shaped in difficult seasons. You are not alone in these moments. The same God who brought Israel out of the iron furnace of Egypt walks with you now, offering strength that endures beyond temporary struggles.
Even when circumstances feel heavy, like the iron yoke of oppression described in Deuteronomy, there is hope. God’s promises remain unshaken. Trust in His enduring presence, knowing that He provides the grace to bear what seems too heavy to carry alone.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 62 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- iron37×
- <the>/ iron7×
- the/ iron6×
- and/ iron6×
- with <the>/ iron [axe]1×
- the/ iron [axe]1×
- like <the>/ iron1×
- for the/ iron1×
- by/ iron1×
- and/ with/ iron1×
- and/ to the/ iron1×
- and/ of <the>/ iron1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- בַּרְזֶל֙6×
- בַּרְזֶ֑ל5×
- הַ/בַּרְזֶל֙4×
- בַּרְזֶֽל\׃4×
- הַ/בַּרְזֶ֖ל3×
- וּ/בַרְזֶ֑ל2×
- הַ/בַּרְזֶֽל\׃2×
- הַ/בַּרְזֶ֜ל2×
- הַ/בַּרְזֶ֗ל2×
- בַּרְזֶ֥ל2×
- בַּרְזֶ֛ל2×
- בַּרְזֶ֖ל2×
Key Verses
-
Deuteronomy 4:20
But Yahweh has taken you, and brought you out of the iron furnace, out of Egypt, to be to him a people of inheritance, as it is today.
This verse uses iron as a metaphor for Egypt, showing how God refined Israel through hardship to make them His own.
-
Deuteronomy 28:48
therefore you will serve your enemies whom Yahweh sends against you, in hunger, in thirst, in nakedness, and in lack of all things. He will put an iron yoke on your neck until he has destroyed you.
Here the iron yoke symbolizes the severe consequences of turning away from God, illustrating the weight of disobedience.
-
Joshua 17:18
but the hill country shall be yours. Although it is a forest, you shall cut it down, and it’s farthest extent shall be yours; for you shall drive out the Canaanites, though they have chariots of iron, and though they are strong.”
Joshua encourages the tribe of Joseph to face their 'iron' challenges with faith, showing that divine support overcomes seemingly insurmountable odds.
-
I Kings 6:7
The house, when it was under construction, was built of stone prepared at the quarry; and no hammer or ax or any tool of iron was heard in the house while it was under construction.
The absence of iron tools at Solomon’s Temple highlights the sacred peace and reverence required in God’s house.