Arms

VIEW:19 DATA:01-04-2020

Neither remains of Hebrew Arms, nor representations of them in Scripture, or on vases, bronzes, mosaics, paintings, coins, or jewels, have been preserved to us. Of offensive armor there was the SWORD (chereb), first mentioned Gen_3:24. Lighter and shorter than our modern sword (2Sa_2:16; 2Sa_20:8-10; 1Sa_17:51; 1Sa_21:9-10). It was carried in a sheath, slung by a girdle, resting upon the thigh (Psa_45:3; 2Sa_20:8). In peace even a king wore no sword (1Ki_3:24). So that "gird on the sword" was a phrase for begin war (Psa_45:3). "Devour with the sword" (Isa_1:20), "smite with the edge (mouth) of the sword," are familiar personifications. Some swords were "two edged" (Psa_149:6), type of the Word (Heb_4:12; Rev_1:16). Traces of the primitive use of flint for swords or knives appear in Exo_4:25; Jos_5:2.
The SPEAR (chanith), Saul's regular companion (appropriate to his own stately height), at his head when sleeping, in his hand when gathering his soldiers, his leaning staff when dying (1Sa_26:7; 1Sa_22:6; 2Sa_1:6). It was this ponderous (compare 2Sa_2:23) weapon, not the lighter "javelin" (as KJV) which he hurled at David twice, and at Jonathan (1Sa_18:11; 1Sa_19:10; 1Sa_20:33). The JAVELIN (kidon) was lighter, appropriate to maneuvering, easy to hold outstretched (Jos_8:14-27); carried on the back between the shoulders. In 1Sa_17:6 translate, not "target," but "a JAVELIN of brass," distinguished from "the spear" (chanith), 1Sa_17:7; so 1Sa_17:45, "with a javelin," not "a shield"; Job_39:23, "the glittering spear and the JAVELIN."
The LANCE (romach), translated KJV "spear," "javelin," "lancet" (1Ki_18:28). The DART (shelach) (2Ch_32:5). The BATON, or SCEPTRE (shebet) used in 2Sa_18:14 of the "darts" with which Joab killed Absalom. The BOW (quesheth). Captains of high rank did not disdain to seek expertness in it: as Jonathan (2Sa_1:22), Jehu (2Ki_9:24). The tribe Benjamin was noted for archery (1Ch_8:40; 1Ch_12:2), where a bow for shooting stones forth is implied (2Ch_14:8). The phrase for "bend the bow" is "tread" it, implying that it was bent with the foot. Some bows were made of brass or "steel" (Psa_18:34). In the beginning of Saul's reign the Philistines had reduced Israel so as that "no smith was found throughout all the land of Israel; for the Philistines said, Lest the Hebrew make them swords or spears; so in the day of battle there was neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people but with Saul and with Jonathan" (1Sa_13:19-22). Curiously analogous to this is the stipulation mentioned in the league which the Etrurian Potsena conceded to the vanquished Romans (Pliny, 34:14), namely, "that they should not use iron save in agriculture."
The arrows (chitzim) were carried in a quiver (theli); Job_6:4 refers to poisoned arrows; Psa_120:4 to the practice of attaching burning material to some arrow heads. Divination by arrows was practiced by the Chaldees. Nebuchadnezzar, undecided whether to attack Jerusalem or Ammon first, wrote their names on distinct arrows; the arrow first drawn from the quiver decided his course (Eze_21:21-22). The SLING (Jdg_20:16), the usual weapon of a shepherd, as David, to ward off beasts from the flock. His weapon in slaying Goliath; hence gracefully alluded to by Abigail in her prayer for him (1Sa_25:29): "the souls of thine enemies ... shall God sling out, as out of the middle of a sling." ENGINES for "shooting great stones" prepared by king Uzziah (2Ch_26:15).
Of defensive armor there was the COAT OF MAIL (1Sa_17:5), Hebrew "breast-plate (shirion) of scales." In 1Ki_22:34, translate as margin "between the joints and the breast. plate." KJV trans. shirion "habergeons" (2Ch_26:14; Neh_4:16), i.e. hauberks, a quilted shirt or doublet put over the head. From its breast-plate-like outline Hermon is called Sirion, contracted into Sion (Deu_3:9; Deu_4:48). The HELMET from a root meaning "high and round." GREAVES of brass, for the feet (1Sa_17:6). Two kinds of SHIELD: the tzinnah protecting the whole person (Psa_5:12), carried before the warrior when not in actual battle (1Sa_17:7; 1Sa_17:41); the Roman doorlike oblong shield, four feet long by two broad (thureon), from thura, a door), is meant Eph_6:16, "above all," i.e. over all, covering all the body, not the small round shield.
The mageen was smaller, a buckler for hand to band fight. 1Ki_10:16-17; "six hundred shekels of gold went to one target" (tzinnah), but" three pounds of gold went to one shield" (mageen); the greater weight required for the tzinnah shows its larger size. The light mageen is that in 2Ch_12:9-10. The shelet ("buckler," from shalat, to exercise authority), probably a small peculiarly shaped shield of gold, the badge of men high in authority. In 2Sa_8:7 "shields" of gold taken by David from Hadadezer king of Zobah, and dedicated in the temple, used in proclaiming, Joash king (2Ki_11:10), compare Son_4:4). In the New Testament compare Eph_6:14-17 for the Roman armor, except the spear. The breast-plate had a girdle beneath to brace up the person.
The Greek greaves protected the legs as well as the feet. The light armed troops (psiloi), instead of shield and cuirass, wore a garment of leather, and fought with parts, bows, stones, and slings. The targeteers (peltastes) also were more lightly equipped than the heavy armed (hoplitoe). Three integuments are specified in Ephesians 6: the breast-plate, girdle, and shoes; two defenses, the helmet and shield; two offensive weapons, the sword and the spear (not the type, but its antitype, prayer, shot up as a javelin mightily; ejaculation is derived from jaculum, "a javelin".) There is no armor for the back, but only for the front we must never turn our back to the foe (Luk_9:62), our only safety is ceaseless fighting (Mat_4:11; Jas_4:7). The girdle kept the armor in its place and supported the sword; so the "truth" in Jesus appropriated secures the believer, and braces him for the good fight (Eph_4:21; compare Exo_12:11; Luk_12:35).
The Roman soldier wore military sandals (caligoe whence the emperor Caligula took his name); so Christians, "your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace"; the peace within beautifully contrasting with the raging war outside (Isa_26:3). To be at peace with God and ourselves we must ever war with Satan. In Assyrian remains we see a coat of scale armor reaching down to the knees or ankles. The MAUL or mace is alluded to in Psa_2:9; Pro_26:18; Jer_50:23; Jer_51:20; Nah_2:1; literally "that which scatters in pieces." So "Martel," a little HAMMER, was the surname of the king of the Franks.
Fausset's Bible Dictionary
By Andrew Robert Fausset, co-Author of Jamieson, Fausset and Brown's 1888.

Arms. The subject naturally divides itself into — I. Offensive weapons: Arms. II. Defensive weapons: Armor.
I. Offensive weapons. —
1. Apparently the earliest known and most widely used was the Chereb or Sword. Very little can be gathered as to its shape, size, material or mode of use. Perhaps if anything is to be inferred, it is that the Chereb is both a lighter and a shorter weapon than the modern sword. It was carried in a sheath, 1Sa_17:51; 2Sa_20:8; 1Ch_21:27, slung by a girdle, 1Sa_25:13, and resting upon the thigh, Psa_45:3; Jdg_3:16, or upon the hips. 2Sa_20:8.
2. Next we have the Spear; and of this weapon we meet with at least three distinct kinds.
a. The Chanith, a "spear," and that of the largest kind. It was the weapon of Goliath, 1Sa_17:7; 1Sa_17:45; 2Sa_21:19; 1Ch_20:5, and also of other giants, 2Sa_23:21; 1Ch_11:23, and mighty warriors. 2Sa_2:23; 2Sa_23:18; 1Ch_11:11; 1Ch_11:20.
b. Apparently lighter than the preceding was the Cidon or "javelin." When not in action, the Cidon was carried on the back of the warrior, 1Sa_17:6, Authorized Version "target."
c. Another kind of spear was the Romach. In the historical books, it occurs in Num_25:7 and 1Ki_18:28. And frequently in the later books, as in 1Ch_12:8. ("buckler"); 2Ch_11:12. (It varied much in length, weight and size).
d. The Shelach was probably a lighter missile or "dart." See 2Ch_23:10; 2Ch_32:5. ("darts"); Neh_4:17; Neh_4:23. (see margin); Job_33:18; Job_36:12; Joe_2:8.
e. Shebet, a rod or staff, is used once only to denote a weapon. 2Sa_18:14.
3. Of missile weapons of offence, the chief was undoubtedly the Bow, Kesheth. The Arrows were carried in a quiver. Gen_27:3; Isa_22:6; Isa_49:2; Psa_127:5. From an allusion in Job_6:4, they would seem to have been some times poisoned; and Psa_120:4 may point to a practice of using arrows with some burning material attached to them.
4. The Sling is first mentioned in Jdg_20:16. This simple weapon, with which David killed the giant Philistine, was the natural attendant of a shepherd. Later in the monarchy, slingers formed part of the regular army. 2Ki_3:25.
5. The Battle Axe, Jer_51:20, a powerful weapon of whose exact form we have no knowledge.
II. Armor. —
6. The Breastplate, enumerated in the description of the arms of Goliath, a "coat of mail," literally a "breastplate of scales." 1Sa_17:5. This word has furnished one of the names of Mount Hermon. See Due_3:9.
7. The Habergeon is mentioned but twice — in reference to the gown of the high priest. Exo_28:32; Exo_39:28. It was probably a quilted shirt or doublet.
8. The Helmet is referred to in 1Sa_17:5; 2Ch_26:14; Eze_27:10.
9. (Greaves) or defences for the feet, made of brass, are named in 1Sa_17:6 only.
10. Two kinds of Shield's are distinguishable.
a. The large shield; encompassing, Psa_6:12, the whole person. When not in actual conflict, it was carried before the warrior. 1Sa_17:7; 1Sa_17:41.
b. Of smaller dimensions was the buckler or target, probably for use in hand-to-hand fight. 1Ki_10:16; 2Ch_9:15-16.
Smith's Bible Dictionary
By Dr. William Smith.Published in 1863

The Hebrews do not appear to have had any peculiar military habit. As the flowing dress which they ordinarily wore would have impeded their movements, they girt it closely around them when preparing for battle, and loosened it on their return, 2Sa_20:8; 1Ki_20:11. They used the same arms as the neighbouring nations, both defensive and offensive; and these were made either of iron or of brass, principally of the latter metal. Of the defensive arms of the Hebrews, the following were the most remarkable; namely,
1. The helmet, כובע , for covering and defending the head. This was a part of the military provision made by Uzziah for his vast army, 2Ch_26:14; and long before the time of that king, the helmets of Saul and of the Philistine champion were of the same metal, 1Sa_17:38.
This military cap was also worn by the Persians, Ethiopians, and Libyans, Eze_38:5, and by the troops which Antiochus sent against Judas Maccabaeus, 1Ma_6:35.
2. The breastplate or corslet, שריון , was another piece of defensive armour. Goliath, and the soldiers of Antiochus, 1Sa_17:5; 1Ma_6:35, were accoutred with this defence; which, in our authorized translation, is variously rendered habergeon, coat of mail, and brigandine, 1Sa_17:38; 2Ch_26:14; Isa_59:17; Jer_46:4. Between the joints of this harness, as it is termed in 1Ki_22:4, the profligate Ahab was mortally wounded by an arrow, shot at a venture. From these various renderings of the original word, it should seem that this piece of armour covered both the back and breast, but principally the latter. The corslets were made of various materials: sometimes they were made of flax or cotton, woven very thick, or of a kind of woollen felt: others again were made of iron or brazen scales, or laminae, laid one over another, like the scales of a fish; others were properly what we call coats of mail; and others were composed of two pieces of iron or brass, which protected the back and breast. All these kinds of corslets are mentioned in the Scriptures. Goliath's coat of mail, 1Sa_17:5, was literally a corslet of scales, that is, composed of numerous laminae of brass, crossing each other. It was called by Virgil, and other Latin writers, squama lorica. Similar corslets were worn by the Persians and other nations. The breastplate worn by the unhappy Saul, when he perished in battle, is supposed to have been of flax, or cotton, woven very close and thick, 2Sa_1:9, marginal rendering.
3. The shield defended the whole body during the battle. It was of various forms, and made of wood covered with tough hides, or of brass, and sometimes was overlaid with gold, 1Ki_10:16-17; 1Ki_14:26-27. Two sorts are mentioned in the Scriptures; namely, the נה , great shield or buckler, and the מגן , or smaller shield. It was much used by the Jews, Babylonians, Chaldeans, Assyrians, and Egyptians. David, who was a great warrior, often mentions a shield and buckler in his divine poems, to signify that defence and protection of Heaven which he expected and experienced, and in which he reposed all his trust, Psa_5:12; and when he says, “God will with favour compass the righteous as with a shield,” he seem, to allude to the use of the great shield tsinnah, (which is the word he uses,) with which they covered and defended their whole bodies. King Solomon caused two different sorts of shields to be made; namely, the tsinnah, (which answers to clypeus among the Latins,) such a large shield as the infantry wore, and the maginnim, or scuta, which were used by the horsemen, and were of a much less size, 2Ch_9:15-16. The former of these are translated targets, and are double in weight to the other. The Philistines came into the field with this weapon: so we find their formidable champion was appointed, 1Sa_17:7. One bearing a shield went before him, whose proper duty it was to carry this and some other weapons, with which to furnish his master upon occasion.
The loss of the shield in fight was excessively resented by the Jewish warriors, as well as lamented by them; for it was a signal aggravation of the public mourning, that “the shield of the mighty was vilely cast away,” 2Sa_1:21. David, a man of arms, who composed this beautiful elegy on the death of Saul, felt how disgraceful a thing it was for soldiers to quit their shields in the field.
These honourable sentiments were not confined to the Jews. We find them prevailing among most other ancient nations, who considered it infamous to cast away or lose their shield. With the Greeks it was a capital crime, and punished with death. The Lacedemonian women, it is well known, in order to excite the courage of their sons, used to deliver to them their fathers' shields, with this short address: “This shield thy father always preserved: do thou preserve it also, or perish.” Alluding perhaps to these sentiments, St. Paul, when exhorting the Hebrew Christians to steadfastness in the faith of the Gospel, urges them not to cast away their confidence, which “hath great recompense of reward,” Heb_10:35.
4. Another defensive provision in war was the military girdle, which was for a double purpose: first, in order to hold the sword, which hung, as it does this day, at the soldier's girdle or belt, 1Sa_17:39 : secondly, it was necessary to gird the clothes and the armour together. To gird and to arm are synonymous words in Scripture; for those who are said to be able to put on armour are, according to the Hebrew and the Septuagint, girt with a girdle; and hence comes the expression of “girding to the battle,” 1Ki_20:11; Isa_8:9; 2Sa_22:40; 1Sa_18:4. There is express mention of this military girdle, where it is recorded that Jonathan, to assure David of his entire love and friendship by some visible pledges, stripped himself not only of his usual garments, but of his military habiliments, his sword, bow, and girdle, and gave them to David.
5. Boots or greaves were part of the ancient defensive harness, because it was the custom to cast certain εμποδια, impediments, (so called, because they entangled the feet,) in the way before the enemy. The military boot or shoe was therefore necessary to guard the legs and feet from the iron stakes placed in the way to gall and wound them; and thus we are enabled to account for Goliath's greaves of brass which were upon his legs.
The offensive weapons were of two sorts; namely, such as were employed when they came to a close engagement, and those with which they annoyed the enemy at a distance. Of the former description were the sword and the battle-axe.
1. The sword is the most ancient weapon of offence mentioned in the Bible. With it Jacob's sons treacherously assassinated the Shechemites, Gen_34:2. It was worn on the thigh, Psa_45:4; Exo_32:27; and, it should seem, on the left thigh; for it is particularly mentioned that Ehud put a dagger or short sword under his garments on his right thigh, Jdg_3:16. There appear to have been two kinds of swords in use, a larger one with one edge, which is called in Hebrew the mouth of the sword, Jos_6:21; and a shorter one with two edges, like that of Ehud. The modern Arabs, it is well known, wear a sabre on one side, and a cangiar or dagger in their girdles.
2. Of the battle-axe we have no description in the sacred volume: it seems to have been a most powerful weapon in the hands of cavalry, from the allusion made to it by Jeremiah: “Thou art my battle-axe and weapons of war; for with thee will I break in pieces the nations, and with thee will I destroy kingdoms: and with thee will I break in pieces the horse and his rider, and with thee will I break in pieces the chariot and his rider,”
Jer_51:20-21.
3. The spear and javelin (as the words רמח and הנית are variously rendered in Num_25:7; 1Sa_13:19, and Jer_46:4) were of different kinds, according to their length or make. Some of them might be thrown or darted, 1Sa_18:11; others were a kind of long swords, Num_25:8; and it appears from 2Sa_2:23, that some of them were pointed at both ends. When armies were encamped, the spear of the general or commander-in-chief was stuck into the ground at his head.
4. Slings are enumerated among the military stores collected by Uzziah, 2Ch_26:14. In the use of the sling David eminently excelled, and he slew Goliath with a stone from one. The Benjaminites were celebrated in battle because they had attained to great skill and accuracy in handling this weapon; “they could sling stones to a hair's breadth, and not miss,” Jdg_20:16; and where it is said that they were left-handed, it should rather be rendered ambidexters; for we are told they could use “both the right hand and the left,” 1Ch_12:2; that is, they did not constantly use the right hand as others did, when they shot arrows or slung stones; but they were so expert in their military exercises, that they could perform them with their left hand as well as with their right.
5. Bows and arrows are of great antiquity; indeed, no weapon is mentioned so early. Thus Isaac said to Esau, “Take thy weapons, thy quiver and thy bow,” Gen_27:3; though, it is true, these are not spoken of as used in war, but in hunting; and so they are supposed and implied before this, where it is said of Ishmael that he became an archer, he used bows and arrows in shooting of wild beasts, Gen_21:20. This afterward became so useful a weapon, that care was taken to train up the Hebrew youth to it betimes. When David had, in a solemn manner, lamented the death of King Saul, he gave orders for teaching the young men the use of the bow, 1Sa_1:18, that they might be as expert as the Philistines, by whose bows and arrows Saul and his army were slain. These were part of the military ammunition; for in those times bows were used instead of guns, and arrows supplied the place of powder and ball. From the book of Job_20:24, it may be collected, that the military bow was made of steel, and consequently was very stiff and hard to bend, on which account they used their foot in bending their bows; and therefore when the prophets speak of treading the bow and of bows trodden, they are to be understood of bows bent, as our translators rightly render it, Jer_50:14; Isa_5:28; Isa_21:15; but the Hebrew word which is used in these places, signifies to tread upon. This weapon was thought so necessary in war, that it is there called, “the bow of war,” or the “battle-bow,” Zec_9:10; Zechariah 10:14.
Biblical and Theological Dictionary by Richard Watson
PRINTER 1849.

FACEBOOK

Participe de nossa rede facebook.com/osreformadoresdasaude

Novidades, e respostas das perguntas de nossos colaboradores