298. Saws

From: Manners and Customs of the Bible By: James M. Freeman

1 Kings 7:9

1 Kings 7:9⁹All these were of costly stones, according to the measures of hewed stones, sawed with saws, within and without, even from the foundation unto the coping, and so on the outside toward the great court. (1 Kings 7:9). All these were of costly stones, according to the measures of hewed stones, sawed with saws.

When the saw was invented is not known. It is seen on the Egyptian monuments, and also on the Assyrian. The saws referred to in the text were doubtless double-handed, since they were used for sawing stones. A striking peculiarity of the Oriental saw is that the teeth usually incline toward the handle instead of from it, as in the saws used among us.

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