In biblical symbolism, a knife is a complex emblem of division, sacrifice, and spiritual discernment. Most famously, in Genesis 22, Abraham’s readiness to sacrifice Isaac with a knife becomes a profound test of faith and obedience, marking the knife as an instrument of ultimate surrender to God’s will. Additionally, Hebrews 4:12 likens the Word of God to a double-edged sword, highlighting the knife’s role in separating truth from falsehood and exposing the intentions of the heart. Thus, dreaming of a knife may signal a period of spiritual testing, a call to moral clarity, or the necessity to cut away sin and deception from one’s life.

In Buddhist symbolism, knives and swords are metaphors for wisdom that cuts through ignorance and delusion. The Bodhisattva Manjushri’s flaming sword represents the sharpness of insight and the ability to dispel confusion. Dreaming of a knife may reflect the dreamer’s struggle to overcome ignorance, attachment, or destructive desires, and may signal the need for discernment and the courage to sever unhealthy mental patterns.

Culturally, the knife is a dual symbol: a tool for survival, craftsmanship, and nourishment, but also a weapon of violence or betrayal (as in the phrase 'stabbed in the back'). Dreaming of a knife may reflect anxieties about trust, safety, and the ambiguity between help and harm. The meaning is deeply influenced by the dreamer’s personal associations and the cultural stories surrounding knives.

In Hinduism, knives and sharp instruments are associated with fierce deities like Kali and Durga, who wield them to destroy evil and protect the righteous. The knife symbolizes the power to remove obstacles, sever karmic bonds, and enact divine justice. Dreaming of a knife may point to inner or outer conflict, the need for protection, or a call to eliminate negative influences from one’s life.

In Islamic dream interpretation, a knife (sikkeen) is a multifaceted symbol. It can represent authority, the power to resolve disputes, and the ability to sever harmful ties. The Qur’anic account of Prophet Ibrahim’s intended sacrifice of his son (Qur’an 37:102-107) frames the knife as a tool of submission and faith. Ibn Sirin, a renowned Islamic dream interpreter, notes that the meaning of a knife depends on its use: it may signify a servant, a means of sustenance, or a tool for protection. Dreaming of a knife may suggest the dreamer faces a test of faith, must make a decisive choice, or is being cautioned about potential conflict or betrayal.

Psychologically, knives in dreams are potent symbols of aggression, separation, and the establishment of boundaries. Freud and Jung associated sharp objects with repressed anger, sexual anxiety, or the urge to sever unhealthy relationships. The presence of a knife may reflect inner conflict, fear of betrayal, or the desire to assert control. The dream’s context—whether the knife is wielded in defense, attack, or accident—reveals whether the dreamer feels empowered, threatened, or anxious about self-harm or loss.

Spiritually, a knife embodies transformation, purification, and the cutting away of illusions or attachments. Across traditions, the knife is a ritual tool, symbolizing the will to separate the true self from falsehood. Dreaming of a knife may indicate a period of inner cleansing, the necessity of difficult choices, or the courage to release what no longer serves the soul’s evolution.