Bible Encyclopedias
Battle-Axe

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

(מִפֵּוֹ, mappets', breaker in pieces; Sept. and Vulg. render as a verb, διασκορπίζεις ), a mallet or heavy war-club (Jeremiah 51:20; comp. the cognate מֵפַיוֹ, mephits', "maul," Proverbs 25:18). The ancient Egyptian battle-axes were of two kinds, both answering to this description, being adapted to inflict a severe blow by the weight no less than to cut with the edge. Each was a broad-axe with a semicircular blade, that of the one being usually in two segments both attached to the handle as a back; and that of the other projecting beyond the handle, with a large ball attached to give it momentum (see figs. 12 and 7 in the first series of cuts under the art. ARMOR (See ARMOR) , and compare Wilkinson's Anc. Eg. 1:362, 363, abridgm.). (See AXE); (See MAUL).