Reference: Host of Heaven
Easton
The sun, moon, and stars are so designated (Ge 2:1). When the Jews fell into idolatry they worshipped these (De 4:19; 2Ki 17:16; 21:3,5; 23:5; Jer 19:13; Zep 1:5; Ac 7:42).
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The heavens and the earth were finished, and all their vast array.
and lest you lift up your eyes to the sky, and when you see the sun and the moon and the stars, even all the host of heaven, you are drawn away and worship them, and serve them, which the LORD your God has allotted to all the peoples under the whole sky.
and the houses of Jerusalem, and the houses of the kings of Judah, which are defiled, shall be as the place of Topheth, even all the houses on whose roofs they have burned incense to all the host of heaven, and have poured out drink offerings to other gods."'"
those who worship the host of heaven on the housetops, those who worship and swear by the LORD and also swear by Malcam,
But God turned, and abandoned them to serve the hosts of heaven, as it is written in the book of the prophets, 'Did you offer to me slain animals and sacrifices forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel?
Hastings
The phrase 'host (or army) of heaven' occurs in OT in two apparently different senses
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The heavens and the earth were finished, and all their vast array.
When he saw them, Jacob said, "This is God's army." He called the name of that place Mahanaim.
and lest you lift up your eyes to the sky, and when you see the sun and the moon and the stars, even all the host of heaven, you are drawn away and worship them, and serve them, which the LORD your God has allotted to all the peoples under the whole sky.
and has gone and served other gods, and worshiped them, or the sun, or the moon, or any of the host of heaven, which I have not commanded;
And he said to him, "Truly I am the commander of the LORD's army. Now I have come." And Joshua fell facedown to the ground and worshipped, and said to him, "What does my lord say to his servant?"
Micaiah said, "Therefore hear the word of the LORD. I saw the LORD sitting on his throne, and all the army of heaven standing by him on his right hand and on his left.
They forsook all the commandments of the LORD their God, and made them molten images, even two calves, and made an Asherah, and worshiped all the host of heaven, and served Baal.
He built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the LORD.
The king commanded Hilkiah the high priest, and the priests of the second order, and the keepers of the threshold, to bring forth out of the LORD's temple all the vessels that were made for Baal, and for the Asherah, and for all the host of heaven, and he burned them outside of Jerusalem in the fields of the Kidron, and carried their ashes to Bethel. He put down the idolatrous priests, whom the kings of Judah had ordained to burn incense in the high places in the cities of Judah, and in the places around Jerusalem; those also who burned incense to Baal, to the sun, and to the moon, and to the planets, and to all the host of heaven.
The king broke down the altars that were on the roof of the upper room of Ahaz, which the kings of Judah had made, and the altars which Manasseh had made in the two courts of the house of the LORD, and beat them down from there, and cast their dust into the brook Kidron.
The king broke down the altars that were on the roof of the upper room of Ahaz, which the kings of Judah had made, and the altars which Manasseh had made in the two courts of the house of the LORD, and beat them down from there, and cast their dust into the brook Kidron.
You are the LORD, even you alone. You have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their army, the earth and all things that are on it, the seas and all that is in them, and you preserve them all. The army of heaven worships you.
He devours the barren who do not bear. He shows no kindness to the widow.
Can his armies be counted? On whom does his light not arise?
when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?
By the LORD's word, the heavens were made; all their army by the breath of his mouth.
Praise the LORD, all you armies of his, you servants of his, who do his pleasure.
Praise him, all his angels. Praise him, all his army.
How you have fallen from heaven, morning star, son of the dawn. How you are cut down to the ground, who laid the nations low.
They will not look to the altars, the work of their hands; neither shall they respect that which their fingers have made, either the Asherim, or the incense altars.
All of the host of heaven will be dissolved. The sky will be rolled up like a scroll, and all its armies will fade away, as a leaf fades from off a vine or a fig tree.
Lift up your eyes on high, and see who has created these, who brings out their host by number. He calls them all by name; by the greatness of his might, and because he is strong in power, Not one is lacking.
I have made the earth, and created man on it. I, even my hands, have stretched out the heavens; and I have commanded all their army.
and the houses of Jerusalem, and the houses of the kings of Judah, which are defiled, shall be as the place of Topheth, even all the houses on whose roofs they have burned incense to all the host of heaven, and have poured out drink offerings to other gods."'"
As the host of heaven can't be numbered, neither the sand of the sea measured; so will I multiply the seed of David my servant, and the Levites who minister to me.'"
All the inhabitants of the earth are regarded as nothing; and he does according to his will in the host of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand, or tell him, "What have you done?"
It grew so great that it reached to the host of heaven, and some of the host and of the stars it cast down to the ground, and trampled on them.
It grew so great that it reached to the host of heaven, and some of the host and of the stars it cast down to the ground, and trampled on them.
You also carried along Sikkuth your king and Kiyyun, the star of your god, your images that you made for yourselves.
those who worship the host of heaven on the housetops, those who worship and swear by the LORD and also swear by Malcam,
Suddenly, there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
He said to them, "I saw Satan having fallen like lightning from heaven.
The fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star from the sky which had fallen to the earth. The key to the pit of the abyss was given to him.
They have over them as king the angel of the abyss. His name in Hebrew is "Abaddon," and in Greek, he has the name "Apollyon."
His tail drew one third of the stars of the sky, and threw them to the earth. The dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she gave birth he might devour her child.
He opened his mouth for blasphemies against God, to blaspheme his name, and his dwelling, those who dwell in heaven.