IRON
Iron was already known before the Flood. Tubal-Cain, a descendant of Cain, worked bronze and iron (Gen. 4:22).
The ancient Egyptians knew iron, which they called “heavenly metal.”
There were axes and other iron tools in the time of Moses (Num. 35:16; Deut. 19:5).
Og’s bed was made of iron (Deut. 3:11).
In Joshua’s time, iron objects were made (Joshua 6:19, 24); Iron chariots were known for war purposes (Josh. 17:16), also mentioned in the period of the Judges (Judg. 1:19; 4:3, 13).
They were made of iron
armor, weapons, spearheads, breastplates (1 Sam. 17:7; Rev. 9:9);
farming instruments, plows, threshing floors (2 Sam. 12:31; Am. 1:3);
hammers, nails (1 Kings 6:7; 1 Chron. 22:3);
chisels (Jb. 40:26);
doors, fetters, bolts, chains (Ps. 107:10, 16; 145:18; 149:8; Is. 45:2; Acts 12:10);
idols (Dan. 5:4).
The iron came from Tarshish, Greece, and from the north, undoubtedly from places around the Black Sea (Jer. 15:12; Ez. 27:12, 19). It was also found in the land of Israel (Deut. 8:9), especially in the mountains of Lebanon.
There are numerous indications that iron was used much earlier than some archaeologists are willing to admit.
The ore was treated in furnaces (Dt. 4:20; 1 Kings 8:51) which, judging by those in Lebanon, were made of stone and measured more than 3 m. tall with a diameter of almost 1 m.
These ovens were heated with charcoal, activating the flame with bellows (Ez. 22:20; cf. Jer. 6:29).
It seems that the Philistines in the north learned to use iron, and jealously guarded the secret of the metallurgical process (1 Sam. 13:19-22).
Confirmation of this Philistine monopoly was discovered by Flinders Petrie when he unearthed blast furnaces and iron implements at Gerar.
The use of iron did not become widespread in Israel until after David’s crushing of Philistine power.