Greek noun (feminine) · G3162
μάχαιρα
machairamakh'-ahee-rah
(in Hom., al.) a large knife or dirk, for sacrificial purposes; a short sword or dagger
29 uses in the Greek text, one for each word STEP Bible has tagged with this key
Concordance spelling: máchaira
Word page · Part of the concordance, one page for every word of the Hebrew and Greek text. Strong's G3162is this word's number in James Strong's 1890 index of the King James Bible.
- 9 of 27New Testament books
- 7spellings
- 2meanings
The definition in full
Strong's key (1890) · G3162
a knife, i.e. dirk; figuratively, war, judicial punishment
The King James renders it: sword.
James Strong, The Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890), public domain. Strong indexed the King James text, and this site quotes his entry as that index.
Summary
machaira is rendered "(in Hom., al.) a large knife or dirk, for sacrificial purposes; a short sword or dagger". It stands 29 times in the Greek text, across nine books.
- Seven of the uses stand in Matthew, more than in any other book.
- The lexicon lists two meanings for it, beginning with "(in Hom., al.) a large knife or dirk, for sacrificial purposes".
- Its first use in canonical order opens the ledger below.Matthew 10:34Do not assume that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.
- The Greek text spells it seven different ways.
The first use
Do not assume that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.
Matthew 10:34μάχαιραν
The first use, in the order of the New Testament's books.
Where the word stands
The word stands in nine of the 27 New Testament books.
What the word means
The word carries two meanings: (in Hom., al.) a large knife or dirk, for sacrificial purposes, and a short sword or dagger.
Each meaning, and the words it is translated by
| Meaning | Tagged as | Where |
|---|---|---|
| (in Hom., al.) a large knife or dirk, for sacrificial purposesGen.22:6 | Tagged as
| WhereGenesis 22:6Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac… |
| a short sword or dagger(as disting. from ῥομφαία, a large broad sword and ξίφος, a straight sword for thrusting): Mat.26:47 ff., Mrk.14:43, 47-48, Luk.22:36... | Tagged as
| WhereMatthew 26:47While Jesus was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived… |
The words built on the same word-part
Each word below begins with the same letters this one begins with. A shared word-part shows a family. It does not settle what any one of them means, so each word carries its own uses on its own page. Scholars call that shared part the stem.
All 29, in canonical order
Every use, in order
Every use, grouped by book, with its verse.
7 spellings and their grammar
STEP Bible tags every word of the Hebrew and Greek text with its spelling and its grammar. Both lists below count the rows printed underneath, written out in English, with the code beside each one as it was tagged.
How it is spelled
- μάχαιραν11
- μαχαίρῃ5
- μαχαιρῶν5
- μαχαίρης4
- μάχαιρα2
- μάχαιραι1
- μάχαιράν1
The grammar of each form
- noun · accusative (object) · feminine singular12N-ASF
- noun · dative (“to / for”) · feminine singular5N-DSF
- noun · genitive (“of”) · feminine plural5N-GPF
- noun · genitive (“of”) · feminine singular4N-GSF
- noun · nominative (subject) · feminine singular2N-NSF
- noun · nominative (subject) · feminine plural1N-NPF
Matthew
seven uses
Do not assume that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.
- μάχαιρανmachairannoun · accusative (object) · feminine singulartagged: a sword
While Jesus was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived, accompanied by a large crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests and elders of the people.
- μαχαιρῶνmachaironnoun · genitive (“of”) · feminine pluraltagged: swords
At this, one of Jesus’ companions drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear.
- μάχαιρανmachairannoun · accusative (object) · feminine singulartagged: sword
“Put your sword back in its place,” Jesus said to him. “For all who draw the sword will die by the sword.
- μάχαιράνmachairannoun · accusative (object) · feminine singulartagged: sword
- μάχαιρανmachairannoun · accusative (object) · feminine singulartagged: sword
- μαχαίρῃmachairenoun · dative (“to / for”) · feminine singulartagged: sword
At that time Jesus said to the crowd, “Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest Me as you would an outlaw? Every day I sat teaching in the temple courts, and you did not arrest Me.
- μαχαιρῶνmachaironnoun · genitive (“of”) · feminine pluraltagged: swords
Mark
three uses
While Jesus was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived, accompanied by a crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests, scribes, and elders.
- μαχαιρῶνmachaironnoun · genitive (“of”) · feminine pluraltagged: swords
And one of the bystanders drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear.
- μάχαιρανmachairannoun · accusative (object) · feminine singulartagged: sword
Jesus asked the crowd, “Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest Me as you would an outlaw?
- μαχαιρῶνmachaironnoun · genitive (“of”) · feminine pluraltagged: swords
Luke
five uses
They will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive into all the nations. And Jerusalem will be trodden down by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.
- μαχαίρηςmachairesnoun · genitive (“of”) · feminine singulartagged: of sword
“Now, however,” He told them, “the one with a purse should take it, and likewise a bag; and the one without a sword should sell his cloak and buy one.
- μάχαιρανmachairannoun · accusative (object) · feminine singulartagged: a sword
So they said, “Look, Lord, here are two swords.” “That is enough,” He answered.
- μάχαιραιmachairainoun · nominative (subject) · feminine pluraltagged: swords
Those around Jesus saw what was about to happen and said, “Lord, should we strike with our swords?”
- μαχαίρῃmachairenoun · dative (“to / for”) · feminine singulartagged: sword
Then Jesus said to the chief priests, temple officers, and elders who had come for Him, “Have you come out with swords and clubs as you would against an outlaw?
- μαχαιρῶνmachaironnoun · genitive (“of”) · feminine pluraltagged: swords
John
two uses
Then Simon Peter drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his right ear. The servant’s name was Malchus.
- μάχαιρανmachairannoun · accusative (object) · feminine singulartagged: a sword
“Put your sword back in its sheath!” Jesus said to Peter. “Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given Me?”
- μάχαιρανmachairannoun · accusative (object) · feminine singulartagged: sword
Acts
two uses
He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword.
- μαχαίρῃmachairenoun · dative (“to / for”) · feminine singulartagged: with the sword
When the jailer woke up and saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, presuming that the prisoners had escaped.
- μάχαιρανmachairannoun · accusative (object) · feminine singulartagged: sword
Romans
two uses
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?
- μάχαιραmachairanoun · nominative (subject) · feminine singulartagged: sword
For he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not carry the sword in vain. He is God’s servant, an agent of retribution to the wrongdoer.
- μάχαιρανmachairannoun · accusative (object) · feminine singulartagged: sword
Ephesians
one use
And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
- μάχαιρανmachairannoun · accusative (object) · feminine singulartagged: sword
Hebrews
three uses
For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it pierces even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It judges the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
- μάχαιρανmachairannoun · accusative (object) · feminine singulartagged: sword
quenched the raging fire, and escaped the edge of the sword; who gained strength from weakness, became mighty in battle, and put foreign armies to flight.
- μαχαίρηςmachairesnoun · genitive (“of”) · feminine singulartagged: of sword
They were stoned, they were sawed in two, they were put to death by the sword. They went around in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, oppressed, and mistreated.
- μαχαίρηςmachairesnoun · genitive (“of”) · feminine singulartagged: of sword
Revelation
four uses
Then another horse went forth. It was bright red, and its rider was granted permission to take away peace from the earth and to make men slay one another. And he was given a great sword.
- μάχαιραmachairanoun · nominative (subject) · feminine singulartagged: a sword
“If anyone is destined for captivity, into captivity he will go; if anyone is to die by the sword, by the sword he must be killed.” Here is a call for the perseverance and faith of the saints.
- μαχαίρῃmachairenoun · dative (“to / for”) · feminine singulartagged: sword
- μαχαίρῃmachairenoun · dative (“to / for”) · feminine singulartagged: sword
Because of the signs it was given to perform on behalf of the first beast, it deceived those who dwell on the earth, telling them to make an image to the beast that had been wounded by the sword and yet had lived.
- μαχαίρηςmachairesnoun · genitive (“of”) · feminine singulartagged: sword
Where it leads
Studies that open this word1
How the numbers are counted
Every count on this page comes from STEP Bible's tagged Hebrew and Greek text, the same text the ledger prints. A use is counted once each time the tagging marks a word with this key.
Spellings are counted as the Greek text spells them, with the sentence's own punctuation taken off the word first, so a form that ends a clause is not counted as a second spelling.