Reference: Arms, Armor
Smith
Arms, Armor.
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,
See Sword
1Sa 17:51; 2Sa 20:8; 1Ch 21:27
slung by a girdle,
and resting upon the thigh,
or upon the hips.
2. Next we have the SPEAR; and of this weapon we meet with at least three distinct kinds.
See Spear
a. The Chanith, a "spear," and that of the largest kind. It was the weapon of Goliath,
1Sa 17:7,45; 2Sa 21:19; 1Ch 20:5
and also of other giants,
and mighty warriors.
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,
Authorized Version "target." c. Another kind of spear was the Romach. In the historical books it occurs in
and 1Kin 18:28 and frequently in the later books, as in
("buckler");
(It varied much in length, weight and size.) d. The Shelach was probably a lighter missile or "dart." see
("darts");
(see margin);
e. Shebet, a rod or staff, is used once only to denote a weapon.
3. Of missile weapons of offence the chief was undoubtedly the BOW, Kesheth. The ARROWS were carried in a quiver.
See Bow
See Arrows
Ge 27:3; Isa 22:6; 49:2; Ps 127:5
From an allusion in Job 6:4 they would seem to have been some times poisoned; and
may point to a practice of using arrows with some burning material attached to them.
4. The SLING is first mentioned in
See Sling
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.
5. The BATTLE AXE,
a powerful weapon of whose exact form we have no knowledge. II. Armor.--
1. The BREASTPLATE, enumerated in the description of the arms of Goliath, a "coat of mail," literally a "breastplate of scales."
See Breastplate
This word has furnished one of the names of Mount Hermon. See
De 3:9
2. The HABERGEON is mentioned but twice--in reference to the gown of the high priest.
See Habergeon
It was probably a quilted shirt or doublet.
3. The HELMET is referred to in
See Helmet
1Sa 17:5; 2Ch 26:14; Eze 27:10
4. (GREAVES) or defences for the feet, made of brass, are named in
See Greaves
only.
5. Two kinds of SHIELD are distinguishable.
See Shield
a. The large shield; encompassing,
the whole person. When not in actual conflict it was carried before the warrior.
b. Of smaller dimensions was the buckler or target, probably for use in hand-to-hand fight.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And now, I pray thee, take thy weapons, thy quiver and thy bow, and go out to the field and hunt me venison,
And its opening for the head shall be in the midst thereof; there shall be a binding of woven work at its opening round about; as the opening of a coat of mail, it shall be in it it shall not rend.
and the turban of byssus; and the ornamental caps, of byssus; and the linen trousers, of twined byssus;
And Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, and rose up from among the assembly, and took a javelin in his hand,
And Ehud made for himself a sword with two edges, a cubit in length; and he girded it on his right thigh under his clothes.
Among all these were seven hundred picked men who were left-handed; every one could sling a stone at a hair, and not miss.
And he had a helmet of bronze upon his head, and he was clothed with a corselet of scales; and the weight of the corselet was five thousand shekels of bronze.
And he had a helmet of bronze upon his head, and he was clothed with a corselet of scales; and the weight of the corselet was five thousand shekels of bronze. And he had greaves of bronze upon his legs, and a javelin of bronze between his shoulders.
And he had greaves of bronze upon his legs, and a javelin of bronze between his shoulders. And the shaft of his spear was like a weaver's beam; and his spear's head weighed six hundred shekels of iron; and the shield-bearer went before him.
And the shaft of his spear was like a weaver's beam; and his spear's head weighed six hundred shekels of iron; and the shield-bearer went before him.
And the Philistine came on and approached David; and the man that bore the shield was before him.
And David said to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with sword, and with spear, and with javelin; but I come to thee in the name of Jehovah of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied.
And David ran, and stood upon the Philistine, and took his sword, and drew it out of its sheath, and killed him completely, and cut off his head with it. And when the Philistines saw that their hero was dead, they fled.
And David said to his men, Gird ye on every man his sword. And they girded on every man his sword; and David also girded on his sword; and there went up after David about four hundred men; and two hundred abode by the baggage.
But he refused to turn aside; therefore Abner with the hinder end of the spear smote him in the belly, so that the spear came out behind him; and he fell down there, and died in the same place. And it came to pass, that as many as came to the place where Asahel fell down and died stood still.
Then said Joab, I may not tarry thus with thee. And he took three spears in his hand, and thrust them into Absalom's body, while he was yet alive in the midst of the terebinth.
And Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was the chief of three; and he brandished his spear against three hundred and slew them; and he had a name among the three.
He also smote the Egyptian, an imposing man: and the Egyptian had a spear in his hand; and he went down to him with a staff, and plucked the spear out of the Egyptian's hand, and slew him with his own spear.
And king Solomon made two hundred targets of beaten gold, he applied six hundred shekels of gold to one target;
And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with swords and spears, till the blood gushed out upon them.
And they beat down the cities, and on every good piece of land cast every man his stone and filled it, and they stopped every well of water, and felled every good tree, until they left only the stones at Kirhareseth; and the slingers went about it, and smote it.
And of the Gadites, there separated themselves to David in the stronghold in the wilderness mighty men of valour, men fit for the service of war, armed with shield and spear; whose faces were like the faces of lions, and who were swift as the gazelles upon the mountains:
and in every several city, targets and spears, and made them exceedingly strong. And Judah and Benjamin were his.
And he set all the people, every man with his javelin in his hand, from the right side of the house to the left side of the house, toward the altar and the house, by the king round about.
And he strengthened himself, and built up all the wall that was broken down, and raised it up to the towers, and built another wall outside, and fortified the Millo of the city of David, and made darts and shields in abundance.
They that built on the wall, and they that bore burdens, with those that loaded, wrought in the work with one hand, and with the other they held a weapon.
And neither I, nor my brethren, nor my servants, nor the men of the guard that followed me, none of us put off our garments: every one had his weapon on his right side.
For the arrows of the Almighty are within me, their poison drinketh up my spirit: the terrors of +God are arrayed against me.
He keepeth back his soul from the pit, and his life from passing away by the sword.
But if they hearken not, they shall pass away by the sword, and expire without knowledge.
All mine enemies shall be ashamed and tremble exceedingly; they will turn, they will be ashamed suddenly.
Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O mighty one, in thy majesty and thy splendour;
Sharp arrows of a mighty one, with burning coals of broom-wood.
Happy is the man that hath filled his quiver with them. They shall not be ashamed when they speak with enemies in the gate.
Elam beareth the quiver with chariots of men and horsemen; and Kir uncovereth the shield.
And he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword, he hath concealed me under the shadow of his hand, and he hath made me a polished shaft: in his quiver hath he hidden me.
Thou art my maul, my weapons of war: and with thee I will break in pieces the nations, and I will with thee destroy kingdoms;
Persia and Lud and Phut were in thine army, thy men of war: they hanged shield and helmet in thee; they gave splendour to thee.
Neither doth one press upon another; they march every one in his path; and fall amid weapons, but are not wounded.