1 Samuel 13:21yet they had a file for the mattocks, and for the plowshares, and for the forks, and for the axes, and to set the goads.
The setting
Philistine blacksmith shops, ~1025 BC. Israelites pay inflated prices for basic tool maintenance. Modern-day Gaza and Ashkelon area.
The emotion here: meticulously recording economic details with indignation
The original word
peṣirah (פְּצִירָה) — a file, sharpening tool, from root meaning 'to press, urge'
Why it matters
A file cost about two-thirds of a shekel — roughly what a worker earned in a week
Read with care
What most readers miss in 1 Samuel 13:21
The pricing was deliberately exploitative — the Philistines charged premium rates because they had a monopoly
Common misconceptionPeople think this verse is boring bookkeeping, but it's actually documenting systematic economic oppression designed to keep Israel dependent.
The thread continues
Verses that echo 1 Samuel 13:21
Bible Genome reading
1 Samuel 13:21 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
1 Samuel 13:21 comes from the book of 1 Samuel, written during the United Kingdom period. The setting is the battlefield. These words are attributed to Narrator. The dominant emotion in this verse is anxious, with a comfort power of 10% and a tone that is reflective. It belongs to the narrative genre of biblical literature. Key themes include limited resources, control. Notable phrases: had a file.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same anxious
“And no wonder, for even Satan masquerades as an angel of light.”
— 2 Corinthians 11:14
“Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.”
— 2 Timothy 3:12
“The evil spirit answered, "Jesus I know, and Paul I know, but who are you?"”
— Acts 19:15
“I fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to me, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?'”
— Acts 22:7
“When we had all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is har…”
— Acts 26:14
Your reflection
What does 1 Samuel 13:21 mean to you, today?
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