BARZEL 6nz ; Sept. cianpos; Vulg. ferrnm, except where it gives an explanatory translation, as falcatos currus' (Judg. iv. 3), though it some times gives the literal translation of the same term, as ferreos currus' (Josh. xvii. 18)). In the A. V. it is always translated Iron. The use of the Greek and Latin words, in classical authors of every age, fixes their meaning. That oiashoos means iron, in Homer, is plain from his simile derived from the quenching of iron in water, which he applies to the hissing noise produced in piercing the eye of Poly phemus with the pointed stake (Odys. ix. 391). Much stress has been laid upon the absence of iron among the most ancient remains of Egypt ; but the speedy decomposition of this metal, especially when buried in the nitrous soil of Egypt, may account for the absence of it among the remains of the early monarchs of a Pharaonic age (Wilkinson's Ancient Egypt., iii. 246). Tubal-Cain is the fist mentioned smith, 'a forger of every instrument of iron' (Gen. iv. 22). From that time we meet with manufactures in iron of the utmost variety (some articles of which seem to be anticipations of what are commonly supposed to be modern inventions); as iron weapons or instruments (Num. xxxv. 16 ; Job xx. 24) ; barbed irons, used in hunting (Job xli. 7); an iron bedstead (Deut. iii. II) ; chariots of iron (Josh. xvii. 16, and elsewhere); iron weights (shekels) (i Sam. xvii. 7); harrows of iron (2 Sam. xii. 31) ; iron armour (z Sam. xxiii. 7) ; tools (1 Kings vi. 7 ; 2 Kings vi. 5) ; horns (1 Kings xxii. 1) ; nails, hinges Chron. xxii. 3) ; fetters (Ps. cv. 18) ; bars (Ps. cvii. 16) ; iron bars used in forti fying the gates of towns (Ps. cvii. 16 ; Is. xlv. 2) ; a pen of iron (Job xix. 24 ; Jer. xvii. 1) ; a pillar (Jer. i. 18) ; yokes (Jer. xxviii. 13) ; pan (Ezek. iv. 3) ; trees bound with iron (Dan. iv. 15) ; gods of iron (Dan. v. 4) ; threshing-instruments (Amos i. 3); and in later times, an iron gate (Acts xii. To); the actual cautery (1 Tim. iv. 2); breastplates (Rev. ix. 9).
The mineral origin of iron seems clearly alluded to in Job xxviii. 2. It would seem that in ancient times it was a plentiful production of Palestine (Deut. viii. 9). There appear to have been fur naces for smelting at an early period in Egypt (Deut. iv. 2o). The requirement that the altar should be made of `whole stones over which no man hath lift up any iron,' recorded in Josh. viii. 31, does not imply any Objection to iron as such, but seems to be merely a mode of directing that, in order to prevent idolatry, the stones must not undergo any preparation by art. Iron was pre
pared in abundance by David for the building of the temple (, Chron. xxii. 3), to the amount of one hundred thousand talents (1 Chron. xxix. 7), or rather without weight' Chron. xxii. 11). Working in iron was considered a calling (2 Chron. ii. 7). [SmiTH.] Iron seems to have been better from some countries, or to have undergone some hardening preparation by the inhabitants of them, such as were the people called Chalybes, living near the Euxine Sea (Jer. xv. 12) ; to have been imported from Tarshish to Tyre (Ezek. xxvii. 12), and bright iron' from Dan and Javan (ver. 19). The superior hardness of iron above all other sub stances is alluded to in Dan. ii. 4o. It was found among the Midianites (Num. xxxi. 22), and was part of the wealth distributed among the tribes at their location in the land (Josh. xxii. 8).
Iron is metaphorically alluded to in the following instances :—affliction is signified by the furnace for smelting it (Dent. iv. 2o) ; under the same figure, chastisement (Ezek. xxii. 18, 20, 22) ; reducing the earth to total barrenness by turning it into iron (Deut. xxviii. 23) ; slavery, by a yoke of iron (Dent. xxviii. 48) ; strength, by a bar of it Gob xl. 18) ; the extreme of hardness (Job xli. 27) ; severity of government, by a rod of iron (Ps. ii. 9) ; affliction, by iron fetters (Ps. cvii. ro) ; prosperity, by giving iron for stones (Is. lx. 17) ; political strength (Dan. ii. 33) ; obstinacy, by an iron sinew in the neck (Is. xlviii. 4) ; giving supernatural forti tude to a prophet, making him an iron pillar (Jer. i. 18) ; destructive power of empires, by iron teeth (Dan. vii. 7) • deterioration of character, by be coming iron (Jer. vi. 28 ; Ezek. xxii. IS), which resembles the idea of the iron age ; a tiresome burden, by a mass of iron (Ecclus. xxii. 15) ; the greatest obstacles, by walls of iron (2 Macc. xi. 9) ; the certainty with which a real enemy will ever skew his hatred, by the rust returning upon iron (Ecclus. xii. to). Iron seems used, as by the Greek poets, metonymically for the sword (Is. x. 34), and so the Sept. understands it, prixatpa. The follow ing is selected as a beautiful comparison made to iron (Prov. xxvii. 17), ' Iron (literally) uniteth iron ; so a man uniteth the countenance of his friend,' gives stability to his appearance by his presence. A most graphic description of a smith at work is found in Ecclus. xxxviii. 28.—J. F. D.