μάχαιρα

μάχαιρα, -ης

(Att.. -ας; see WH, App., 1568; ΒΙ., § 7, 1), ἡ, [in LXX chiefly for חֶרֶב; also for מַאֲכֶלֶת, etc. ;]

1. (in Hom., al.) a large knife or dirk, for sacrificial purposes (1 Mos 22,6, 10, Dom 19,20 A).

2. a short sword or dagger (as disting. from ῥομφαία, a large broad sword and ξίφος, a straight sword for thrusting): Matt 26,47 ff., Mark 14,43, 47-48, Luk 22,36 ff., Joh 18,10-11 ApG 16,27, Hebr 11,37, Åb 6,4; 13,10, 14; στόμα μαχαίρης (as in Heb. חֶרֶב פֶּה, 1 Mos 34,26, al.), the edge of the sword: Luk 21,24, Hebr 11,34; μ. δίστομος, Hebr 4,12 ἀναιρεῖν μαχαίρῃ, ApG 12,2 τὴν μ. φορεῖν, Rom 13,4, Metaphorical, Matt 10,34 (opposite to εἰρήνη), Rom 8,35 μ. τοῦ πνεῦματος, Ef 6,17,†