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Nail

Artifacts

What is the meaning of Nail in the Bible?

The term 'nail' refers to various fasteners found in biblical Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts, including tent pegs, iron or gold nails, and figurative references to finger-nails.

SIGNIFICANCE

Distinguishing between literal fasteners and metaphorical uses of nails clarifies the material culture and rhetorical devices employed in biblical narratives.

Bible Study Quick-Reference Guide

Physical & Symbolic Reality: Physical objects and natural elements like Nail were everyday realities for biblical writers, frequently used as living metaphors for spiritual truths.
Bible Study Reflection Prompts:
  • Why did the biblical author mention Nail in this passage?
  • What cultural or historical assumption does Nail clarify?

Source Attribution

Built upon the 1915 International Standard Bible Encyclopedia and Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897). Entries have been modernized, checked for academic truthfulness, and shortened for clarity.

How to Cite This Entry

"Nail." Ancient Context Dictionary. Accessed 2026. https://ancientcontext.com/context/nail/
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