Scripture · Old Testament
1 Samuel 13:21
1 Samuel 13:21 is verse 21 of 1 Samuel chapter 13, shown here in the Berean Standard Bible.
Berean Standard Bible
The charge was a pim for sharpening a plowshare or mattock, a third of a shekel for sharpening a pitchfork or an axe, and a third of a shekel for repointing an oxgoad.
A pim possibly refers to a polished stone weighing approximately 0.25 ounces or 7 grams found in excavations. This is equivalent to about two-thirds of a shekel and likely refers to the price charged by the Philistines for the services listed.
Hebrew does not include the currency unit of a shekel charged for sharpening a pitchfork, an axe, or an oxgoad; alternatively, possibly a third of a pim for each.
King James Version
Yet they had a file for the mattocks, and for the coulters, and for the forks, and for the axes, and to sharpen the goads.
World English Bible
The price was one payim each to sharpen mattocks, plowshares, pitchforks, axes, and goads.
A payim (or pim) was 2/3 shekel of silver, or 0.26 ounces, or 7.6 grams
Read in context
1 Samuel 13:19–23 · Berean Standard Bible
19 And no blacksmith could be found in all the land of Israel, because the Philistines had said, “The Hebrews must not be allowed to make swords or spears.”
20 Instead, all the Israelites would go down to the Philistines to sharpen their plowshares, mattocks, axes, and sickles.
21 The charge was a pim for sharpening a plowshare or mattock, a third of a shekel for sharpening a pitchfork or an axe, and a third of a shekel for repointing an oxgoad.
22 So on the day of battle not a sword or spear could be found in the hands of the troops with Saul and Jonathan; only Saul and his son Jonathan had weapons.
23 And a garrison of the Philistines had gone out to the pass at Michmash.
Read all of 1 Samuel 13Hebrew words
Data created by STEPBible.org based on work at Tyndale House Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).