1 Samuel 13:19

[Punch The Clown]

King James Bible (Cambridge Ed.)
Now there was no smith found throughout all the land of Israel: for the Philistines said, Lest the Hebrews make them swords or spears:

[timshufflin]

The Egyptians also, before they enslaved the Israelites, disarmed them. Yes, disarming the masses is always the first step before you control them. History is a great teacher, if you can read. Another history lesson, every single time a government disarms its people the same old big government thugs come out and say "you have nothing to worry about, this isn't like then, you are being alarmist".