Charlie Trimm (Associated Professor of OT and Semitic Languages at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School) wrote the following about YHWH’s “sword” in the Old Testament. Such may have implications for the Book of Mormon's frequent reference to the sword of God's justice (e.g., 1 Nephi 12:18 [Original Manuscript]; Alma 26:19; Ether 8:23; cf. Book of Mormon Central's article How Are Rod and Sword Connected to the Word of God?):
The most common human
weapon associated with YHWH is the sword. The Israelites were concerned about
YHWH attacking them with a sword (Exod 5:3). In the covenant curses YHWH
threatens Israel that he will destroy them with the sword if they mistreat the
poor (Exod 22:24 [Heb 22:23]) or break the covenant (Lev 26:25; cf. v. 33). One
of the more extended descriptions of this judgment is found in Deuteronomy.
“If I sharpen my
flashing sword and my hand takes hold on judgement, I will take vengeance on my
adversaries and will repay those who hate me. I will make my arrows drunk with
blood, and my sword shall devour flesh—with the blood of the slain and the
captives, from the long-haired heads of the enemy.” (Deut 32:41-42)
The poetic texts
frequently also ascribe a sword to YHWH. Psalms frequently refers to YHWH using
(or threatening to use) a sword or bow against an enemy (Ps 7:12-13 [Heb 13-14];
17:13). Likewise, the prophetic texts frequently refer to YHWH’s sword that he
uses in judgement (Isa 66:16; Jer 12:12). The target of YHWH’s sword varies in
the prophetic texts. Sometimes YHWH’s sword comes against Israel (Jer 29:17;
Ezek 12:14). Frequently foreign nations are the target.
“And the Assyrian
shall fall by a sword, not of man; and a sword, not of man, shall devour him;
and he shall flee from the sword, and his young men shall be put to forced
labor.” (Isa 31:8)
“For my sword has
drunk its fill in the heavens; behold, it descends for judgement upon Edom,
upon the people I have devoted to destruction. The LORD has a sword; it is
sated with blood; it is gorged with fat, with the blood of lambs and goats,
with the fat of the kidneys of rams. For the LORD has a sacrifice in Bozrah, a
great slaughter in the land of Edom.” (Isa 34:5-6)
“Who stirred up one
from the east whom the victory meets at every step? He gives up nations before
him, so that he tramples kings underfoot; he makes them like dust with his sword,
like driven stubble with his bow.” (Isa 41:2)
One remarkable text
refers to Israel as the sword and bow of YHWH against a foreign nation (Zech
9:13). An unusual example involves defeating Leviathan: “In that day the LORD
with his hard and great and strong sword will punish Leviathan the fleeing
serpent, Leviathan the twisting serpent, and he will slay the dragon that is in
the sea” (Isa 27:1) (Charlie Trimm, “The Sword of YHWH: The Human Use of Divine
Weapons in the Ancient Near East and the Hebrew Bible,” in Adam Miglio, Caryn
A. Reeder, Joshua T. Walton, and Kenneth C. Way, eds., For Us, But Not To
Us: Essays on Creation, Covenant, and Context in Honor of John H. Walton
[Eugene, Oreg.: Pickwick Publications, 2020], 293-304, here, pp. 297-98)
