48 Bible Verses about Soldiers

Divide the booty between the warriors who went out to battle and the entire congregation. Levy a tax for Jehovah from the men of war who went out to battle, one in five hundred of the persons and of the cattle and of the donkeys and of the sheep.

Joshua rose up early in the morning and mustered his men. He and the elders of Israel went in front of the people to Ai. And all the people, even the people of war that were with him went to the city. They set up camp on the north side of Ai. There was a valley between them and Ai. He took about five thousand men, and set them to lie in ambush between Bethel and Ai, on the west side of the city.read more.
They had the solders take up their positions those in camp to the north and the ambush to the west. Joshua went that night into the midst of the valley. When the king of Ai saw it, that they hasted and rose up early, and the men of the city went out against Israel to battle, he and all his people, at a time appointed headed for the plain. He did not know that there was an ambush against him behind the city. Joshua and all Israel made as if they were beaten in front of them and ran away to the wilderness. All the people in Ai were called together to chase after them. They chased after Joshua, and were drawn away from the city. There was no man left in Ai or Bethel. They all went after Israel: and they left the city open. Jehovah said to Joshua: Stretch out the spear (javelin) that is in your hand toward Ai. I will give it to your hand. Joshua stretched out the spear that he had in his hand toward the city. The ambush began quickly. They ran as soon as he had stretched out his hand. They entered into the city, captured it and quickly set the city on fire.

Abimelech and all his troops, in four companies, took up concealed positions at night against Shechem. Abimelech and his men saw Gaal come out and stand at the city gate. So they got up from their hiding places.

People from all the cities of Benjamin came to Gibeah to fight the other people of Israel. They mobilized twenty-six thousand soldiers from their cities that day. Besides these, the citizens of Gibeah gathered seven hundred specially chosen men who were left-handed. Every one of them could sling a stone at a strand of hair and never miss.

The Philistines assembled to fight Israel. They had thirty thousand chariots, six thousand horsemen, and as many soldiers as the sand on the seashore. They camped at Michmash, east of Beth Aven.

So in the day of battle there was neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people with Saul and Jonathan. But with Saul and with his son Jonathan there was found sword and spear.

Saul called his forces together and inspected them at Telem. There were two hundred thousand soldiers from Israel and ten thousand from Judah.

David and Abishai entered Saul's camp at night. They found Saul sleeping in the center of the camp. His spear was stuck in the ground near his head. Abner and the troops were sleeping around him.

David captured seventeen hundred of his cavalry and twenty thousand of his foot soldiers. He kept enough horses for a hundred chariots and crippled (hamstrung) all the rest.

The Ammonites realized they had made themselves repulsive to David. They hired the Arameans from Beth Rehob and Zobah, with twenty thousand foot soldiers. From the army of the king of Maacah they hired one thousand men, and twelve thousand men of Tob.

Out of all his army, Jehoahaz had only fifty horsemen and ten carriages and ten thousand footmen. The king of Aram had given them up to destruction, crushing them like dust.

Joab came back with the whole army. He was told: Ner's son Abner came to the king. However David dismissed him and Abner left peacefully.

These are the names of David's warriors: Ishbosheth son of Hachmon was the leader of the Three Warriors. In one battle, he killed eight hundred men with his spear. The next one of the Three Warriors was Eleazar the son of Dodo the Ahohite. One time when the Philistines were at war with Israel, he and David dared the Philistines to fight them. Every one of the Israelite soldiers turned and ran. Eleazar was the exception. He killed Philistines until his hand was cramped. He could not let go of his sword. When Eleazar finished, all the Israelite troops had to do was come back and take the enemies' weapons and armor. Jehovah gave Israel a great victory that day.read more.
Next in rank to him was Shammah, the son of Agee from Harar. The Philistines had gathered at Lehi, where there was a field of ripe lentils. When the troops fled from the Philistines, he stood in the middle of the field and defended it by killing Philistines. So Jehovah won an impressive victory. At harvest time three of the thirty leading men came to David at the cave of Adullam when a troop from the Philistine army was camping in the valley of Rephaim. David was on a fortified hill. A group of Philistines occupied Bethlehem. David grew homesick. He said: I wish someone would bring me a drink of water from the well by the gate at Bethlehem! The three famous soldiers forced their way through the Philistine camp. They then drew some water from the well, and brought it back to David. But he would not drink it. He poured it out as an offering to Jehovah. David said: Jehovah, I could never drink this! It would be like drinking the blood of these men who risked their lives! So he refused to drink it. Those were the brave deeds of the three famous soldiers. Joab's brother Abishai led the Thirty Warriors. In one battle he killed three hundred men with his spear. He was as famous as the Three Warriors. In fact he was just as famous as the rest of the Thirty Warriors. He was the commander of the Thirty Warriors. Yet he still did not become one of the Three Warriors. Benaiah son of Jehoiada was a brave man from Kabzeel who did some amazing things. He killed two of Moab's best fighters. On a snowy day he went down into a pit and killed a lion. He killed an Egyptian as big as a giant. The Egyptian was armed with a spear. Benaiah only had a club. Benaiah grabbed the spear from the Egyptian and killed him with it. Benaiah never became one of the Three Warriors. He was just as famous as they were and certainly just as famous as the rest of the Thirty Warriors. David made him the leader of his bodyguard. He was honored over the rest of the Thirty Warriors. But he was not equal to the first three. David made him in charge over the fighting men who kept him safe. One of the thirty was Joab's brother Asahel. The thirty leading men were Elhanan son of Dodo from Bethlehem, Shammah from Harod, Elika from Harod, Helez the Paltite, Ira son of Ikkesh from Tekoa, Abiezer from Anathoth, Mebunnai son of Hushai, Zalmon descendant of Ahohi, Maharai from Netophah, Heleb son of Baanah from Netophah, Ittai son of Ribai from Gibeah in Benjamin, Benaiah from Pirathon, Hiddai from the Gaash ravines, Abi Albon from Beth Arabah, Azmaveth from Bahurim, Elihba from Shaalbon, Bene Jashen, Jonathan son of Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam son of Sharar the Hararite, Eliphelet son of Ahasbai and grandson of a man from Maacah, Eliam son of Ahithophel from Gilo, Hezrai from Carmel, Paarai from Arabah, Igal son of Nathan from Zobah, Bani from the tribe of Gad, Zelek from Ammon, Naharai from Beeroth, armorbearer for Zeruiah's son Joab, Ira descendant of Ithra, Gareb descendant of Ithra, and Uriah the Hittite, thirty-seven in all.

These were the men in charge of David's mighty men. They strengthened themselves with him in his kingdom, with all Israel, to make him king, according to the word of Jehovah concerning Israel. This is the number of the mighty men whom David had: Jashobeam the son of a Hachmonite, chief of the captains; he had lifted up his spear against three hundred, killed by him at one time. After him were Eleazar the son of Dodo, the Ahohite, who was one of the three mighty men.read more.
He was with David at Pasdammim. The Philistines were gathered for battle. There was a piece of ground full of barley. And the people fled from the Philistines. They stationed themselves in the middle of that field, defended it, and killed the Philistines. So Jehovah brought about a great victory. Now three of the thirty chief men went down to the rock to David, into the cave of Adullam. The army of the Philistines encamped in the Valley of Rephaim. David was then in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem. David said with longing: Oh, that someone would give me a drink of water from the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate! So the three broke through the camp of the Philistines, drew water from the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate. They took it to David. Nevertheless David would not drink it, but poured it out to Jehovah. He said: Far be it from me, O my God, that I should do this! Shall I drink the blood of these men who have placed their lives in jeopardy? For at the risk of their lives they brought it. Therefore he would not drink it. The three mighty men did these things. Abishai the brother of Joab was chief of another three. He had lifted up his spear against three hundred men. He killed them and won a name among these three. Of the three he was more honored than the other two men. Therefore he became their captain. However he did not attain to the first three. Benaiah was the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man from Kabzeel, who had done many deeds. He killed two lion-like heroes of Moab. He also had gone down and killed a lion in the midst of a pit on a snowy day. And he killed an Egyptian, a man of great height, seven and a half feet tall. Egyptian had a spear like a weaver's beam in his hand. He went down to him with a staff, wrested the spear out of the Egyptian's hand, and killed him with his own spear. These things Benaiah the son of Jehoiada did, and won a name among three mighty men. Indeed he was more honored than the thirty, but he did not attain to the first three. David appointed him over his guard. Also the mighty warriors were Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem, Shammoth the Harorite, Helez the Pelonite, Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, Abiezer the Anathothite, Sibbechai the Hushathite, Ilai the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite, Heled the son of Baanah the Netophathite, Ithai the son of Ribai of Gibeah, of the sons of Benjamin, Benaiah the Pirathonite, Hurai of the brooks of Gaash, Abiel the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Baharumite, Eliahba the Shaalbonite, the sons of Hashem the Gizonite, Jonathan the son of Shageh the Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sacar the Hararite, Eliphal the son of Ur, Hepher the Mecherathite, Ahijah the Pelonite, Hezro the Carmelite, Naarai the son of Ezbai, Joel the brother of Nathan, Mibhar the son of Hagri, Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Berothite the armor bearer of Joab the son of Zeruiah, Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite, Uriah the Hittite, Zabad the son of Ahlai, Adina the son of Shiza the Reubenite a chief of the Reubenites and thirty with him, Hanan the son of Maachah, Joshaphat the Mithnite, Uzzia the Ashterathite, Shama and Jeiel the sons of Hotham the Aroerite, Jediael the son of Shimri, and Joha his brother, the Tizite, Eliel the Mahavite, Jeribai and Joshaviah the sons of Elnaam, Ithmah the Moabite, Eliel, Obed, and Jaasiel the Mezobaite.

Jehovah became angry at Israel again. He provoked David to turn against Israel. He said: Go count the people of Israel and Judah. King David said to Joab the commander of the army: Go throughout the tribes of Israel from Dan to Beersheba and count the people. That way I will know how many there are. Joab answered reluctantly: Your Majesty, may Jehovah your God make the people of Israel a hundred times more numerous than they are now. May you live to see him do it. But why does Your Majesty want to do this?read more.
The king made Joab and his officers obey his order. They left his presence and went out to count the people of Israel. They crossed the Jordan and camped south of Aroer, the city in the middle of the valley, in the territory of Gad. Then they went north to Jazer. They went to Gilead and to Kadesh in Syria. Then they went to Dan (Dan-jaan), Ijon, and on toward Sidon. They came to the fortress of Tyre. They went through every town of the Hivites and the Canaanites. Finally, they went to Beersheba in the Southern Desert of Judah. After they went through the whole land, they went back to Jerusalem. It took them nine months and twenty days. Joab told David: In Israel there is eight hundred thousand who can serve in the army. In Judah there are five hundred thousand.

Satan wanted to bring trouble on the people of Israel. He made David decide to take a census. David gave orders to Joab and the other officers. He said: Go through Israel, from one end of the country to the other, and count the people. I want to know how many there are. Joab answered: May Jehovah make the people of Israel a hundred times more numerous than they are now! They are all your servants, Your Majesty. Why do you want to do this and make the whole nation guilty?read more.
But the king made Joab obey the order. Joab traveled through the whole country of Israel, and then returned to Jerusalem. He reported to King David the total number of men capable of military service. There were one million one hundred thousand in Israel and four hundred seventy thousand in Judah. Because Joab disapproved of the king's command, he did not take any census of the tribes of Levi and Benjamin. God was displeased with what had been done, so he punished Israel. David said to God: I have committed a terrible sin in doing this! Please forgive me. I have acted foolishly. Jehovah said to Gad, David's prophet: Tell David that I am giving him three choices. I will do whichever he chooses. Gad went to David and told him what Jehovah said. He asked: Which is it to be? Three years of famine? Three months of running away from the armies of your enemies? Or: three days in which Jehovah attacks you with his sword and sends an epidemic on your land. He will use his angel to bring death throughout Israel? What answer shall I give Jehovah? David replied to Gad: I am in a desperate situation! But I do not want to be punished by the people. Let Jehovah be the one to punish me, because he is merciful. Therefore Jehovah sent an epidemic on the people of Israel, and seventy thousand of them died. Then God sent an angel to destroy Jerusalem. Then he changed his mind. He said to the angel: Stop! That is enough! The angel was standing at the threshing place of Araunah, a Jebusite. David saw the angel standing in midair, holding his sword in his hand, ready to destroy Jerusalem. Then David and the leaders of the people, all of whom were wearing sackcloth bowed low, with their faces touching the ground.

These are the numbers of armed warriors who joined David at Hebron. They were all eager to see David become king instead of Saul, just as Jehovah had promised. From the tribe of Judah, there were six thousand eight hundred warriors armed with shields and spears. From the tribe of Simeon, there were seven thousand one hundred warriors.read more.
From the tribe of Levi, there were four thousand six hundred troops. This included Jehoiada, leader of the family of Aaron, who had three thousand seven hundred under his command. This also included Zadok, a young warrior, with twenty-two members of his family who were all officers. From the tribe of Benjamin, Saul's relatives, there were three thousand warriors. Most of the men from Benjamin had remained loyal to Saul until this time. From the tribe of Ephraim, there were twenty thousand eight hundred warriors, each famous in his own clan. From the half-tribe of Manasseh west of the Jordan, eighteen thousand men were sent for the express purpose of helping David become king. From the tribe of Issachar, there were two hundred leaders of the tribe with their relatives. All these men understood the temper of the times and knew the best course for Israel to take. From the tribe of Zebulun, there were fifty thousand skilled warriors. They were fully armed and prepared for battle and completely loyal to David. From the tribe of Naphtali, there were one thousand officers and thirty-seven thousand warriors armed with shields and spears. From the tribe of Dan, there were twenty-eight thousand six hundred warriors, all prepared for battle. From the tribe of Asher, there were forty thousand trained warriors, all prepared for battle. From the east side of the Jordan River where the tribes of Reuben and Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh lived there were one hundred twenty thousand troops armed with every kind of weapon. All these men came in battle array to Hebron with the single purpose of making David the king of Israel. In fact, all Israel agreed that David should be their king.

This is a list of Israelite family heads, regiment and battalion commanders, and officers who were serving the king in all the army's units. Throughout each year they came for a month at a time and then left. Each unit consisted of twenty-four thousand men. Jashobeam, son of Zabdiel, was in charge of the first unit, the one during the first month. In his unit there were twenty-four thousand. He was a descendant of Perez, and he was head of all of the army's officers for the first month.read more.
Dodai, Ahoh's descendant, was in charge of the unit during the second month. It was his unit. Mikloth was one of its leaders. In Dodai's unit there were twenty-four thousand. The third commander of the army during the third month was Benaiah, son of the priest Jehoiada. He was the head, and in his unit there were twenty-four thousand. This Benaiah was one of the thirty fighting men and commander of the thirty as well as his own unit. His son was Ammizabad. Asahel, Joab's brother, was in charge of the fourth unit during the fourth month, and after him was his son Zebadiah. In his unit there were twenty-four thousand. Shamhuth, Izrah's descendant, was commander of the fifth unit during the fifth month. In his unit there were twenty-four thousand. Ira, the son of Ikkesh from Tekoa, was in charge of the sixth unit during the sixth month. In his unit there were twenty-four thousand. Helez, a Pelonite from the descendants of Ephraim, was in charge of the seventh unit during the seventh month. In his unit there were twenty-four thousand. Sibbecai, a descendant of Zerah from Hushah, was in charge of the eighth unit during the eighth month. In his unit there were twenty-four thousand. Abiezer, a member of the tribe of Benjamin from Anathoth, was in charge of the ninth unit during the ninth month. In his unit there were twenty-four thousand. Mahrai, a descendant of Zerah from Netophah, was in charge of the tenth unit during the tenth month. In his unit there were twenty-four thousand. Benaiah, a member of the tribe of Ephraim from Pirathon, was in charge of the eleventh unit during the eleventh month. In his unit there were twenty-four thousand. During the twelfth month, the twelfth unit was commanded by Heldai from Netophah. He was Othniel's descendant. In his unit there were twenty-four thousand. The following officers were in charge of the tribes of Israel: for the tribe of Reuben-Eliezer, son of Zichri for the tribe of Simeo, Shephatiah, son of Maacah for the tribe of Levi, Hashabiah, son of Kemuel for the family of Aaron, Zadok for the tribe of Judah, Elihu, one of David's brothers for the tribe of Issachar, Omri, son of Michael for the tribe of Zebulun, Ishmaiah, son of Obadiah for the tribe of Naphtali, Jerimoth, son of Azriel for the tribe of Ephraim, Hoshea, son of Azaziah for half of the tribe of Manasseh, Joel, son of Pedaiah for the half of Manasseh in Gilead, Iddo, son of Zechariah for the tribe of Benjamin-Jaasiel, son of Abner for the tribe of Dan, Azarel, son of Jeroham These were the commanders of Israel's tribes.

But the Chaldaean army went after the king. They overtook him in the lowlands of Jericho. All his army went in flight from him in every direction.

Ishmael also killed all the Jews who were with Gedaliah at Mizpah as well as the Babylonian soldiers that he found there.

Naaman was a great soldier. He was commander of the Syrian army and highly respected and esteemed by the king of Syria (Aram). Jehovah gave victory to the Syrian forces through Naaman. He suffered from a dreaded skin disease.

Then one of the people told him: Your father forced the people to take a solemn oath, saying: 'Cursed is anyone who eats food today.' That is why the people were exhausted.

From Benjamin there was the fighting man Eliada with two hundred thousand armed men with bows and shields.

He commanded the mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to throw them into the blazing furnace. Then these men were bound in their coats, caps and their other garments. They were thrown into the midst of the blazing furnace. Because of the urgency of the king's commandment and the exceeding hot furnace, the flame of the fire killed the men who delivered Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.

Soldiers also asked him: What must we do? And he said: Do not take money from any one by force. Never falsely accuse any one wrongfully and be content with your wages.

And Herod with his soldiers despised him with contempt, and mocked him. They arrayed him in magnificent apparel. Then they sent him back to Pilate.

Judas brought a band of armed men and police from the chief priests and Pharisees there with lights and with weapons.

The soldiers braided a crown of thorns and put it on his head. They dressed him in a purple garment.

Then the palace guard took Jesus into the open square and gathered their squad together.

Then he delivered him to them to be impaled.

Pilate said to them: You have a guard; make it as secure as you can. So they made the tomb secure. They sealed the stone and placed a guard there.

Suddenly there was a great earthquake, as an angel of God descended from heaven and rolled away the stone and sat on it. His appearance was as lightning, and his clothing white as snow. The guards shook with fear and became as dead men.

When he apprehended him, he put him in prison. He turned him over to four squads of four soldiers each to guard him. After Passover he would be presented to the people.

At once he took soldiers and centurions and ran down to the crowd. When they saw the military commander and the soldiers they quit beating Paul.

Your wealth, your wares, your merchandise, your sailors and your pilots, your repairers of seams, your dealers in merchandise and all your men of war who are in you, with all your company that is in your midst, will fall into the heart of the seas on the day of your overthrow.

You will be glutted at my table with horses and charioteers, with mighty men and all the men of war,' declares the Lord Jehovah.

They run like mighty men. They climb the wall like men of war. They march every one on his way and do not break their ranks.

The archer will not stand. The swift of foot will not save himself. The horseman will not deliver himself. The courageous among the mighty will run away naked in that day, said Jehovah.

Does a soldier serve at his own expense? Does the one who plants a vineyard not eat of the fruit it produces? Who shepherds a flock and does not eat some of the milk from the flock?

I find it necessary to send Epaphroditus to you. He is my brother and fellow-worker and fellow-soldier, and your messenger and minister to my need.

You must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No soldier entangles himself in the affairs of this life. That way, he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier.

O Jehovah God of hosts, who is like You, O mighty Jehovah? Your faithfulness also surrounds you.

He said: I have been zealous for Jehovah, the God of hosts. The children of Israel have not kept your agreement (covenant). They have destroyed your altars. They killed your prophets with the sword. I, even I, am the only one living. Now they seek to take my life too.

Jehovah, the God of hosts says: Because you have spoken this word and I am making my words fire in your mouth. This people are wood and will be consumed.

Jehovah is the God of Hosts. Jehovah is the name by which he is remembered.

Behold he who formed the mountains and created the wind and declared to man his thoughts, also made the morning darkness and treads upon the high places of the Earth: Jehovah, the God of Hosts, is his name.