Original Word: מָנוֹר
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: manowr
Pronunciation: mah-NOHR
Phonetic Spelling: (maw-nore')
KJV: beam
NASB: beam
Word Origin: [from H5214 (נִיר - break)]

1. a yoke (properly, for plowing), i.e. the frame of a loom

beam

From niyr; a yoke (properly, for plowing), i.e. The frame of a loom -- beam.

see HEBREW niyr

Word Origin
from an unused word
Definition
a (weaver's) beam
NASB Translation
beam (4).

[מָנוֺר] noun masculine beam (probably round) carrying the heddles (in loom), = Latin jugum, so GFM^l.c.; — only construct in phrase כִּמְנוֺר אֹרְגִים beam of weavers 1 Samuel 17:7; 2 Samuel 21:19 = 1 Chronicles 20:5; 1 Chronicles 11:23, all simile of thick and heavy shaft of spear.

Occurrences in Scripture

The word מָנוֹר appears four times in the Old Testament, each time describing the imposing shaft of a warrior’s spear: Goliath of Gath (1 Samuel 17:7), the Philistine warrior slain by Elhanan son of Jaare-Oregim (2 Samuel 21:19), an Egyptian confronted by Benaiah son of Jehoiada (1 Chronicles 11:23), and Lahmi the brother of Goliath (1 Chronicles 20:5). In every instance it serves to highlight extraordinary size and weight, setting the scene for dramatic deliverance through God-empowered champions.

Cultural and Historical Background

In ancient Near Eastern weaving, the “beam” was the sturdy wooden bar that held taut the warp threads of a loom. By likening a spear’s shaft to this beam, the biblical narrator invokes an object familiar to daily Israelite life yet renowned for girth and rigidity. Such a comparison would have communicated to original hearers the massive diameter and strength of the enemy’s weapon, far exceeding ordinary military equipment. It was not merely a poetic flourish; it evoked tangible awe and intimidation.

Military Imagery and Divine Reversal

The recurring “weaver’s beam” motif forms part of a broader biblical pattern in which seemingly invincible weapons are neutralized by the Lord working through faithful servants.
• Goliath’s spear intimidates Israel until David confronts him “in the name of the LORD of Hosts” (1 Samuel 17:45). The contrast between the giant’s oversized armament and the shepherd’s sling accentuates God’s power perfected in weakness.
• Elhanan’s victory over a later Philistine giant reaffirms that the earlier triumph was no anomaly (2 Samuel 21:19).
• Benaiah’s daring exploit—“although the Egyptian had a spear in his hand like a weaver’s beam, Benaiah went down to him with a staff, snatched the spear from the Egyptian’s hand, and killed him with his own spear” (1 Chronicles 11:23)—demonstrates the continuing courage of David’s mighty men.
• The chronicler’s mention of Lahmi (1 Chronicles 20:5) indicates that oversized Philistine weaponry was repeatedly overcome, reinforcing Israel’s collective memory that no human strength can thwart the covenant God.

Theological Significance

1. God’s supremacy over human might: The exaggerated dimensions of the מָנוֹר emphasize that the contest belongs ultimately to the Lord (see 1 Samuel 17:47).
2. Faith as the decisive factor: Each narrative pairs the “weaver’s beam” spear with a protagonist acting in reliance on God rather than comparable armaments.
3. Covenant continuity: Victories spanning several generations show that divine faithfulness outlasts individual heroes. David’s successors experience the same enabling grace he knew at Elah.

Christological Foreshadowing

The triumphs over spear-wielding giants anticipate the greater victory of the Messiah, who disarms principalities and powers (Colossians 2:15). As David prefigures Christ in defeating a towering enemy with unconventional means, so Jesus overcomes sin and death not by earthly force but through the cross—an instrument of apparent weakness that proves mightier than any “weaver’s beam” weapon raised against God’s people.

Ministry Application

• Encouragement for believers facing outsized challenges: God delights to employ humble instruments against formidable obstacles.
• Leadership lesson: Spiritual leaders, like Benaiah, model courage that emboldens the community.
• Mission perspective: The repeated neutralizing of giant spears urges the church to confront cultural “giants” with confidence in divine resources rather than merely matching worldly power.

Related Biblical Themes

Weapons rendered powerless (Psalm 44:6; Hosea 1:7); God choosing the weak to shame the strong (Judges 7; 1 Corinthians 1:27); the victory motif continued in Revelation, where Christ conquers with the word of His mouth rather than conventional arms (Revelation 19:15).

Thus מָנוֹר serves as more than a technical term; it functions as a vivid narrative device spotlighting God’s overriding strength, instilling hope that every daunting “weaver’s beam” confronting the people of God will ultimately fall.

כִּמְנ֖וֹר כִּמְנ֣וֹר כִּמְנוֹר֙ כמנור kim·nō·wr kimnOr kimnōwrInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts