steel

[Reba]

I believe the bible is the Word of God. I happen to like the KJV  mostly  "just because". I can accept the the scriptures in many translation.  If one translated  KJV in to Spanish it would then no longer be KJV. I love the Amplified i even read the Good news! but dont tell anyone..With out the thoughts of 'finding falt' i have a question.

Did man have steel in the days of JOB?


Job 20:24

24 He shall flee from the iron weapon, and the bow of steel shall strike him through.
KJV

[JudgeNot]

Whoa!  Good question Reba.

The "Bronze Age" was when?...  The steel age had to come after...

Could there be a Greek or Hebrew word which can only be translated to "steel" in "modern" (AD 1411) English?

[ebia]

Whoa!  Good question Reba.

I thought 'steel' was a mixture of iron and bronze to make a metal harder than iron, but "cheaper" than bronze - although I really don't know when it came about.

The "Bronze Age" was when?...  The steel age had to come after...

Could there be a Greek or Hebrew word which can only be translated to "steel" in "modern" (AD 1411) English?

Steel certainly wasn't around then, and it looks like the KJV authors have put steel when they should have put bronze OR the word steel has changed meaning since the 15th century.

[sincereheart]

Easton's Bible Dictionary
Steel
The "bow of steel" in (A.V.) 2 Samuel 22:35; Job 20:24; Psalms 18:34 is in the Revised Version "bow of brass" (Heb. kesheth-nehushah). In Jeremiah 15:12 the same word is used, and is also rendered in the Revised Version "brass." But more correctly it is copper (q.v.), as brass in the ordinary sense of the word (an alloy of copper and zinc) was not known to the ancients.

[Symphony]

Yes, good question Reba.


According to the time line in current issue of BAR magazine(p.47),

There were three Bronze Ages--Early, Middle, and Late.  The Late lasted from 1550 to 1200 B.C.


Then came the Iron Age, divided in two:  Iron Age I, 1200 to 1000 B.C.(short--to the time of King David...)...

and Iron Age II, from 1000 to 586 B.C...


BAR's timeline then uses other terms to classify the succeeding periods(Babylonian, Persian, Hellenistic, Hasmonean, and then Roman, beginning 37 B.C...)...


When do they surmise Job took place?   It's a curious book.  Very oriental, far eastern, it seems.


When did "steel" first appear?   Apparently long after Job took place.


One interesting side note:

   Pond and lake sediment throughout Europe has revealed a layer, dated to the time of the Romans, heavily laden with lead.   Apparently, throughout the Empire, lead smelting for weapons was pervasive--in the atmosphere.  Perhaps evidence for one of the reasons for the Empire's demise--lead poisoning.


In my RSV, Job 20:24  is "...an iron weapon..." and  "... a bronze arrow..."

[Tibby]

Interesting observation, Reba. Now I'm curious! I'll look into it.

[ebia]

Easton's Bible Dictionary
Steel
The "bow of steel" in (A.V.) 2 Samuel 22:35; Job 20:24; Psalms 18:34 is in the Revised Version "bow of brass" (Heb. kesheth-nehushah). In Jeremiah 15:12 the same word is used, and is also rendered in the Revised Version "brass." But more correctly it is copper (q.v.), as brass in the ordinary sense of the word (an alloy of copper and zinc) was not known to the ancients.

In which case, surely it would have to be bronze (which is what most translations have - another alloy of copper).  Copper on its own is far to soft for either an arrow or a bow.  Some translations seem to have arrow rather than bow, presumably because a bow made out of copper, bronze or brass would be no use whatsoever.  A copper one would just bend, while a bronze or brass one would have no spring.   A bronze arrowhead is fine though.