What is a Spear According to the Bible? (Numbers 25:7)

In the Bible, the word “spear” refers to two types of weapons: a stabbing spear and a throwing spear (javelin).

The stabbing spear—is a long, heavy weapon with a sharp point, used in close combat to stab the enemy (Numbers 25:7: “Phinehas son of Eleazar… took a spear in his hand…”). This spear symbolizes direct confrontation and decisive action.
The throwing spear or javelin is lighter and designed to be thrown over a distance to strike enemies from afar (1 Samuel 17:45 “You come to me with a sword and spear and javelin…”). This weapon represents attack from a distance, often symbolizing preparation and strategy.

Because both types are mentioned in Scripture, they may appear interchangeably, but they share a common theme: weapons of warfare.

For example:

1 Samuel 17:45 David says to Goliath, “You come to me with a sword and spear and javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD Almighty.”
Job 41:26 “If one attacks him with a sword, it does not avail; nor does spear or javelin or dart.”

Other passages mention the stabbing spear

Numbers 25:7-8: Phinehas uses his spear to stop a plague among the Israelites by killing an Israelite man and a Midianite woman caught in sin.
1 Samuel 17:7 Goliath’s spear is described as very large and heavy.
1 Samuel 26:12 David takes King Saul’s spear while Saul sleeps, showing God’s protection and David’s restraint.

Spiritual Weapons in Christian Life

The Bible uses physical weapons like spears as metaphors for spiritual authority and power. In the New Testament, believers are called to put on the “armor of God” (Ephesians 6:10-18), which includes spiritual weapons to fight against evil.

2 Corinthians 6:7: Paul speaks of “the weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left,” referring to spiritual weapons of faith, truth, righteousness, and prayer.
Luke 10:19: Jesus says, “I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.”

This spiritual authority is not physical but comes through the name of Jesus and His blood (Acts 1:8; Revelation 12:11). It enables Christians to stand firm, resist the devil, and destroy his works (James 4:7).

Just as soldiers carried spears and javelins in battle, Christians must wield spiritual weapons—faith, the Word of God, prayer, and the authority given by Jesus. These weapons empower us to: