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
Now, therefore, take I pray thee, thy weapons, thy quiver and thy bow, and go out to the field, and catch for me game;
and the opening for his head shall be in the midst thereof, - a border, shall there be to the opening thereof round about the work of a weaver, like the opening of a coat of mail, shall there be to it, it must not be rent.
and the turban of fine linen, and the ornamental caps of fine linen, - and the linen drawers, of fine twined linen:
And Phinehas son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest saw it, so he rose up out of the midst of the assembly, and took a spear in his hand;
So Ehud made himself a sword which had two edges, a cubit in length, - and girded it under his raiment, upon his right thigh.
Out of all this people, were seven hundred chosen men, left-handed, - any one of whom could sling with a stone to a hair's-breadth, and not miss.
with a helmet of bronze on his head, and, with a scaly coat of mail, was he clad, - the weight of the coat, being five thousand shekels of bronze;
with a helmet of bronze on his head, and, with a scaly coat of mail, was he clad, - the weight of the coat, being five thousand shekels of bronze; and, greaves of bronze, on his feet, - and, a javelin of bronze, between his shoulders;
and, greaves of bronze, on his feet, - and, a javelin of bronze, between his shoulders; and, the shaft of his spear, was like a weaver's beam, and, the flashing head of his spear, was six hundred shekels of iron, - and, his shield-bearer, was coming on before him.
and, the shaft of his spear, was like a weaver's beam, and, the flashing head of his spear, was six hundred shekels of iron, - and, his shield-bearer, was coming on before him.
And the Philistine came on and on, and drew near unto David, - and the man carrying the shield was before him.
Then said David unto the Philistine - Thou, art coming unto me with sword, and with spear, and with javelin, - but, I, am coming unto thee in the name of Yahweh of hosts, God of the ranks of Israel which thou hast reproached.
So David ran, and stood by the Philistine, and took his sword and drew it out of the sheath thereof, and slew him, and cut off, therewith, his head, - and, when the Philistines saw that their hero was slain, they fled.
Then said David unto his men - Gird on you every man his sword. And they girded on them, 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 stores.
Howbeit he refused to turn aside, wherefore Abner smote him with the hinder end of the spear, in the belly, that the spear came out behind him, and he fell there, and died on the spot, - and so it was, that, as many as came up to the place where Asahel fell and died, stood still.
And Joab said, Not thus, may I tarry before thee. And he took three darts in his hand, and thrust them into the heart of Absolom, while he was yet alive in the midst of the oak.
And. Abishai brother of Joab son of Zeruiah, he, was chief of three, in that he brandished his spear against three hundred whom he slew; and, he, had a name among three.
he, also smote an Egyptian, who was of valiant bearing, and, in the hand of the Egyptian, was a spear, but he went down unto him with a staff, - and wrested the spear out of the hand of the Egyptian, and slew him with his own spear.
And King Solomon made two hundred shields, of beaten gold, six hundred shekels of gold, laid he upon one shield;
And they cried, with a loud voice, and cut themselves, after their custom, with swords, and with lances, - until the blood gushed out upon them.
And, the cities, they pulled down, and, on every goodly heritage, they cast every man his stone, and filled it, and, all fountains of waters, they closed up, and, every goodly tree, they felled, and, though they left the stones thereof in Kir-haraseth, yet the slingers surrounded and smote it.
And, of the Gadites, there separated themselves unto David, to the stronghold towards the desert, heroes of valour, men of war, for battle, men that could handle shield and spear, - and, faces of lions, were their faces, and, like gazelles upon the mountains, were they, for swiftness:
and, in every several city, shields and spears, and made them exceedingly strong, - thus Judah and Benjamin remained his.
And be caused all the people to stand, even every man with his weapon in his hand, from the right corner of the house as far as the left corner of the house, by the altar and the house, - near the king round about.
And he took courage, and built all the wall that was broken down and carried up thereon towers, and, on the outside, another wall, and strengthened Millo, the city of David,-and made weapons in abundance, and bucklers,
They who were building at the wall and they who were carrying burdens, they who were lifting, each man , with his one hand, was working at the work, and, with the other, was grasping the weapon.
So neither I, nor my brethren, nor my young men, nor the men of the watch that followed me, none of us, put off our clothes, - every one went with his weapon to the water.
For, the arrows of the Almighty, are in me, The heat whereof, my spirit is drinking up, The, terrors of GOD, array themselves against me.
He keepeth back his said from the pit, and his life from passing away by a weapon.
But, if they would not hearken, by a weapon, should they pass away, and breathe their last, no one knowing.
Let all my foes, turn pale and be greatly dismayed, Again let them turn pale in a moment.
Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O mighty one, -- Tis thine honour and thy majesty;
The arrows of the hero sharpened, with burning coals of broom.
How happy the man who hath filled his quiver with them! They will not be ashamed, but will speak with enemies in the gate.
Yea, Elam, beareth the quiver, With trams of men, and horsemen, - And, Kir, hath uncovered the shield.
And he made my mouth, like a sharp sword, In the shadow of his hand, he concealed me, - And made of me a polished arrow, In his quiver, he hid me;
A war-club, art thou for me, Weapons of war; Therefore will I Beat down with thee - nations, and Destroy with thee - kingdoms;
They of Persia and Lud and Phut were in thine army, Thy men of war, - Shield and helmet, hung they up within thee, They set forth thy splendour:
Nor, against each other, shall they strike, Each - on his own highway, shall they march, - though, in among the weapons, they fall, they shall not stop.