Thematic Bible: Of war
Thematic Bible
Council » Of war
Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, “Give me your advice. What should we do?”
Moreover, Ahithophel said to Absalom, Let me choose 12,000 men and I will set out and pursue David this night. I will come upon him while he is exhausted and weak, and cause him to panic; all the people with him will flee. Then I will strike down the king alone. I will bring back all the people to you. [The removal of] the man whom you seek is the assurance that all will return; and all the people will be at peace. read more.
And what he said pleased Absalom well and all the elders of Israel. Absalom said, Now call Hushai the Archite also, and let us hear what he says. When Hushai came, Absalom said to him, Ahithophel has counseled thus. Shall we do what he says? If not, speak up. And Hushai said to Absalom, The counsel that Ahithophel has given is not good at this time. For, said Hushai, you know your father and his men, that they are mighty men, and they are embittered and enraged like a bear robbed of her whelps in the field. And your father is a man of war, and will not lodge with the people. Behold, he is hidden even now in some pit or other place; and when some of them are overthrown at the first, whoever hears it will say, There is a slaughter among the followers of Absalom. And even he who is brave, whose heart is as the heart of a lion, will utterly melt, for all Israel knows that your father is a mighty man and that those who are with him are brave men. Therefore I counsel that all [the men of] Israel be gathered to you, from Dan even to Beersheba, as the sand that is by the sea for multitude, and that you go to battle in your own person. So shall we come upon [David] some place where he shall be found, and we will light upon him as the dew settles [unseen and unheard] on the ground; and of him and of all the men with him there shall not be left so much as one. If he withdraws into a city, then shall all Israel bring ropes to that city, and we will drag it into the ravine until not one pebble is left there. Absalom and all the men of Israel said, The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than that of Ahithophel. For the Lord had ordained to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, so that the Lord might bring evil upon Absalom. Then said Hushai to Zadok and Abiathar the priests, Thus and thus did Ahithophel counsel Absalom and the elders of Israel, and thus and thus have I counseled.
And what he said pleased Absalom well and all the elders of Israel. Absalom said, Now call Hushai the Archite also, and let us hear what he says. When Hushai came, Absalom said to him, Ahithophel has counseled thus. Shall we do what he says? If not, speak up. And Hushai said to Absalom, The counsel that Ahithophel has given is not good at this time. For, said Hushai, you know your father and his men, that they are mighty men, and they are embittered and enraged like a bear robbed of her whelps in the field. And your father is a man of war, and will not lodge with the people. Behold, he is hidden even now in some pit or other place; and when some of them are overthrown at the first, whoever hears it will say, There is a slaughter among the followers of Absalom. And even he who is brave, whose heart is as the heart of a lion, will utterly melt, for all Israel knows that your father is a mighty man and that those who are with him are brave men. Therefore I counsel that all [the men of] Israel be gathered to you, from Dan even to Beersheba, as the sand that is by the sea for multitude, and that you go to battle in your own person. So shall we come upon [David] some place where he shall be found, and we will light upon him as the dew settles [unseen and unheard] on the ground; and of him and of all the men with him there shall not be left so much as one. If he withdraws into a city, then shall all Israel bring ropes to that city, and we will drag it into the ravine until not one pebble is left there. Absalom and all the men of Israel said, The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than that of Ahithophel. For the Lord had ordained to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, so that the Lord might bring evil upon Absalom. Then said Hushai to Zadok and Abiathar the priests, Thus and thus did Ahithophel counsel Absalom and the elders of Israel, and thus and thus have I counseled.
Engine » Of war
In Jerusalem he made machines of war invented by skillful men to be put on the towers and on the [corner] battlements for the purpose of shooting arrows and large stones. And his fame spread far, for he was marvelously helped until he was strong.
Verse Concepts
He will direct the [shocking] blow of his battering rams against your walls, and he will tear down your towers with his crowbars.
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Prisoners » Of war » Put to death
Samuel said, “As your sword has made women childless, so shall your mother be childless among women.” And Samuel cut Agag in pieces before the Lord in Gilgal.
Verse Concepts
He also brought out the people who were there, and put them to [work with] the saws and sharp iron instruments and iron axes, and made them work at the brickkiln. And he did this to all the Ammonite cities. Then David and all the men returned to Jerusalem.
Verse Concepts
Thus says the Lord,
“For three transgressions of the children of
I will not reverse its punishment or revoke My word concerning it,
Because the Ammonites have ripped open the pregnant women of Gilead,
That they might enlarge their border.
They slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, then put out the eyes of Zedekiah and bound him [hand and foot] with bronze fetters and brought him to Babylon.
He brought out the people who were in it, and put them [to work] with saws, iron picks, and axes. David dealt in this way with all the Ammonite cities. Then David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.
Verse Concepts
Those five kings fled and hid themselves in the cave of Makkedah. And it was told Joshua, The five kings are hidden in the cave at Makkedah. Joshua said, Roll great stones to the cave's mouth, and set men to guard them. read more.
But do not stay. Pursue your enemies and fall upon their rear; do not allow them to enter their cities, for the Lord your God has given them into your hand. When Joshua and the Israelites had ended slaying them until they were wiped out and the remnant remaining of them had entered into fortified cities, All the people returned to the camp to Joshua at Makkedah in peace; none moved his tongue against any of the Israelites. Then said Joshua, Open the mouth of the cave and bring out those five kings to me from the cave. They brought the five kings out of the cave to him -- "the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eglon. When they brought out those kings to Joshua, [he] called for all the Israelites and told the commanders of the men of war who went with him, Come, put your feet on the necks of these kings. And they came and put their feet on the [kings'] necks. Joshua said to them, Fear not nor be dismayed; be strong and of good courage. For thus shall the Lord do to all your enemies against whom you fight. Afterward Joshua smote and slew them and hanged their bodies on five trees, and they hung on the trees until evening. At sunset Joshua ordered and they took the bodies down from the trees and cast them into the cave where the kings had hidden and laid great stones on the cave's mouth, which remain to this very day.
But do not stay. Pursue your enemies and fall upon their rear; do not allow them to enter their cities, for the Lord your God has given them into your hand. When Joshua and the Israelites had ended slaying them until they were wiped out and the remnant remaining of them had entered into fortified cities, All the people returned to the camp to Joshua at Makkedah in peace; none moved his tongue against any of the Israelites. Then said Joshua, Open the mouth of the cave and bring out those five kings to me from the cave. They brought the five kings out of the cave to him -- "the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eglon. When they brought out those kings to Joshua, [he] called for all the Israelites and told the commanders of the men of war who went with him, Come, put your feet on the necks of these kings. And they came and put their feet on the [kings'] necks. Joshua said to them, Fear not nor be dismayed; be strong and of good courage. For thus shall the Lord do to all your enemies against whom you fight. Afterward Joshua smote and slew them and hanged their bodies on five trees, and they hung on the trees until evening. At sunset Joshua ordered and they took the bodies down from the trees and cast them into the cave where the kings had hidden and laid great stones on the cave's mouth, which remain to this very day.
Samaria will be found guilty [and become desolate],
Because she rebelled against her God;
They will fall by the sword,
Their infants will be dashed in pieces,
And their pregnant women will be ripped open.
David did not leave a man or a woman alive to bring news to Gath, saying [to himself], “Otherwise they will tell about us, saying, ‘This is what David has done, and this has been his practice all the time that he has lived in the country of the Philistines.’”
Verse Concepts
To trample and crush under His feet
All the prisoners of the land,
Prisoners » Of war » Consolations for
For the Lord hears the needy
And does not despise His who are prisoners.
Who executes justice for the oppressed,
Who gives food to the hungry.
The Lord sets free the prisoners.
Let the groaning and sighing of the prisoner come before You;
According to the greatness of Your power keep safe those who are doomed to die.
For He looked down from the height of His sanctuary, from heaven did the Lord behold the earth, To hear the sighing and groaning of the prisoner, to loose those who are appointed to death,
Prisoners » Of war » By divine command
The sons of Israel captured the women of Midian and their children; and all their cattle, all their livestock, and all their property they took as spoil [of war].
Verse Concepts
Now therefore, kill every male among the children, and kill every woman who is not a virgin.
Verse Concepts
Prisoners » Of war » Thumbs and toes cut off
Adoni-bezek fled, but they pursued him and caught him and cut off his thumbs and his big toes. Adoni-bezek said, Seventy kings with their thumbs and big toes cut off had to gather their food under my table. As I have done, so God has repaid me. And they brought him to Jerusalem, and there he died.
Prisoners » Of war » Blinded
They slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, then put out the eyes of Zedekiah and bound him [hand and foot] with bronze fetters and brought him to Babylon.
Spoils » Of war
[The victors] took all the wealth of Sodom and Gomorrah and all the supply of provisions and departed. And they also took Lot, Abram's brother's son, who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods away with them.
And the Israelites took captive the women of Midian and their little ones, and all their cattle, their flocks, and their goods as booty. They burned all the cities in which they dwelt, and all their encampments.
We took only the cattle as plunder for ourselves and the spoil of the cities which we had captured.
Verse Concepts
Swords » Figurative » Of war
But you shall live by your sword,
And serve your brother;
However it shall come to pass when you break loose [from your anger and hatred],
That you will tear his yoke off your neck [and you will be free of him].”
Weapons » Of war » Bows
and he told them to teach the sons of Judah, the song of the bow. Behold, it is written in the Book of Jashar:
Verse Concepts
The sons of Reuben, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh—valiant men able to bear shield and sword, and to shoot with the bow, and skillful in war—were 44,760 who went to war.
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So now, please take your [hunting] gear, your quiver [of arrows] and your bow, and go out into the open country and hunt game for me;
Verse Concepts
But one man drew a bow at random and struck the king of Israel in a joint of the armor. So he said to the driver of his chariot, “Turn around and take me out of the fight, because I have been seriously wounded.”
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And Elisha said to him, “Take a bow and arrows.” So he took a bow and arrows.
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But Jehu drew his bow with his full strength and shot Joram between his shoulders; and the arrow went out through his heart and he sank down in his chariot.
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I looked, and behold, a white horse [of victory] whose rider carried a bow; and a crown [of victory] was given to him, and he rode forth conquering and to conquer.
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They turn, but they do not turn upward to the Most High.
They are like a poorly crafted bow [that misses the mark];
Their princes shall fall by the sword
Because of the insolence of their tongue.
This will be cause for their mockery and disdain in the land of Egypt.
Weapons » Of war » Arrows
I will shoot three arrows to the side of it, as though I shot at a target.
Verse Concepts
And Elisha said to him, “Take a bow and arrows.” So he took a bow and arrows.
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