Thematic Bible: Of war
Thematic Bible
Council » Of war
Absalom turned to Ahithophel and said: Give us your advice! What should we do?
Later Ahithophel said to Absalom: Let me choose twelve thousand men. Tonight I will set out after David. I will attack him while he is tired and discouraged. He will be frightened! All his men will run away. I will kill only the king. Then I will bring back all his men to you. It will be like a bride returning to her husband. Kill one man and the rest of the people return safely. read more.
This seemed like good advice to Absalom and all the Israelite leaders. Absalom said: Bring in Hushai. Let us hear what he has to say about this. Hushai came to Absalom. He told him what Ahithophel planned. Then Absalom said: Should we do what he says? If we should not, can you come up with something better? Hushai said: This time Ahithophel's advice is not very good. You know your father and his followers are mighty warriors. They are as fierce as a mother bear whose cubs have just been killed. Your father has a lot of experience in fighting wars. He will not spend the night with the others. He has no doubt already found a hiding place in a cave or somewhere else. When people hear that some of your soldiers have been killed, everyone will think your entire army has been destroyed. Even the bravest man with a heart like a lion would lose his courage. All Israel knows that your father is a mighty man and the men with him are brave. My advice is to gather all Israel's troops from Dan to Beersheba. They are as numerous as the sand on the seashore. Lead them into battle yourself. Find him and attack him! We will fall on him as dew falls on the ground. Neither he nor any of his men will be left alive. If he retreats into a city, all Israel will bring ropes to that city and drag it into a valley. Not even a pebble will be found there. Absalom and all the people of Israel said: The advice of Hushai from Archi's family is better than Ahithophel's advice. Jehovah commanded Ahithophel's good advice to be defeated in order to ruin Absalom. Hushai told the priests Zadok and Abiathar: Ahithophel advised Absalom and the leaders of Israel to do one thing. But I advised them to do something else.
This seemed like good advice to Absalom and all the Israelite leaders. Absalom said: Bring in Hushai. Let us hear what he has to say about this. Hushai came to Absalom. He told him what Ahithophel planned. Then Absalom said: Should we do what he says? If we should not, can you come up with something better? Hushai said: This time Ahithophel's advice is not very good. You know your father and his followers are mighty warriors. They are as fierce as a mother bear whose cubs have just been killed. Your father has a lot of experience in fighting wars. He will not spend the night with the others. He has no doubt already found a hiding place in a cave or somewhere else. When people hear that some of your soldiers have been killed, everyone will think your entire army has been destroyed. Even the bravest man with a heart like a lion would lose his courage. All Israel knows that your father is a mighty man and the men with him are brave. My advice is to gather all Israel's troops from Dan to Beersheba. They are as numerous as the sand on the seashore. Lead them into battle yourself. Find him and attack him! We will fall on him as dew falls on the ground. Neither he nor any of his men will be left alive. If he retreats into a city, all Israel will bring ropes to that city and drag it into a valley. Not even a pebble will be found there. Absalom and all the people of Israel said: The advice of Hushai from Archi's family is better than Ahithophel's advice. Jehovah commanded Ahithophel's good advice to be defeated in order to ruin Absalom. Hushai told the priests Zadok and Abiathar: Ahithophel advised Absalom and the leaders of Israel to do one thing. But I advised them to do something else.
Engine » Of war
In Jerusalem he manufactured machines designed by inventive people. The machines were placed on the towers and corners to shoot arrows and hurl large stones. Uzziah's fame spread far and wide because he had strong support until he became powerful.
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He will direct the blow of his battering rams against your walls. He will break down your towers with his axes.
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Prisoners » Of war » Put to death
But Samuel said: As your sword made women childless, so your mother will be made childless among women. Samuel cut Agag in pieces in the presence of Jehovah at Gilgal.
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David made the people of Rabbah tear down the city walls with iron picks and axes. He also put them to work making bricks. He did the same thing with all the other Ammonite cities. David went back to Jerusalem. The people of Israel returned to their homes.
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Jehovah also said: For the many transgressions of the children of Ammon I will not withdraw the punishment. They have ripped open the pregnant women of Gilead, that they may enlarge their border.
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They put the sons of Zedekiah to death before his eyes. Then they put out his eyes, chained him with iron bands and took him to Babylon.
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He took the troops who were there and put them to work with saws, hoes, and axes. He did the same to all the Ammonite cities. After that David and all the troops returned to Jerusalem.
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These five kings ran away and hid themselves in a cave at Makkedah. Joshua was told: The five kings are found hidden in a cave at Makkedah. Joshua said: Roll large stones in front of the mouth of the cave, and set men by it to guard them. read more.
Do not stay there but pursue after your enemies and strike the rear guard. Do not enter their cities for Jehovah your God has delivered them into your hand. When Joshua and the children of Israel finished slaying them those who escaped entered the fortified cities. All the people returned in peace to Joshua's at Makkedah. No one spoke against any of the children of Israel. Then Joshua said: Open the mouth of the cave, and bring out those five kings to me. They did so, and brought the five kings to him: the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon. When they brought out the kings to Joshua, Joshua called for all the men of Israel, and said to the captains of the men of war who went with him: Come near, put your feet on the back of the necks of (humiliate) (abase) these kings. They came near, and put their feet upon their necks. Joshua said: Do not be afraid. Do not be terrified! Be strong and have courage: for this is what Jehovah will do to all your enemies against whom you fight. Afterward Joshua struck and killed them. He hanged them on five trees: and they hung on the trees until evening. At sunset Joshua commanded that they remove them. They took them down from the trees, and cast them into the cave where they had been hidden. They laid large stones in the mouth of the cave. Even today the stones are there.
Do not stay there but pursue after your enemies and strike the rear guard. Do not enter their cities for Jehovah your God has delivered them into your hand. When Joshua and the children of Israel finished slaying them those who escaped entered the fortified cities. All the people returned in peace to Joshua's at Makkedah. No one spoke against any of the children of Israel. Then Joshua said: Open the mouth of the cave, and bring out those five kings to me. They did so, and brought the five kings to him: the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon. When they brought out the kings to Joshua, Joshua called for all the men of Israel, and said to the captains of the men of war who went with him: Come near, put your feet on the back of the necks of (humiliate) (abase) these kings. They came near, and put their feet upon their necks. Joshua said: Do not be afraid. Do not be terrified! Be strong and have courage: for this is what Jehovah will do to all your enemies against whom you fight. Afterward Joshua struck and killed them. He hanged them on five trees: and they hung on the trees until evening. At sunset Joshua commanded that they remove them. They took them down from the trees, and cast them into the cave where they had been hidden. They laid large stones in the mouth of the cave. Even today the stones are there.
The people of Samaria are guilty as charged because they rebelled against their God. They will be killed in war, their children will be smashed to death, and their pregnant women will be ripped open.
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He did not bring a single man or woman back to Gath alive. He thought, they could tell Achish what I really did. This was his practice as long as he lived in Philistine territory.
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A man crushes under his feet all the prisoners of the earth.
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Prisoners » Of war » Consolations for
For Jehovah hears the needy and does not despise his captive people.
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He executes justice for the oppressed. He gives food to the hungry. Jehovah sets the prisoners free.
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Let the groans of prisoners come into your presence. With your powerful arm (according to the greatness of your power) rescue those who are condemned to death.
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He looked down from his holy height. Jehovah gazed upon the earth from heaven. He heard the groaning of the prisoner, to set free those who were doomed to death.
Prisoners » Of war » By divine command
The Israelites took the Midianite women and children as prisoners of war. They also took all their animals, their livestock, and their valuables as loot.
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So kill all the Midianite boys and every Midianite woman who has gone to bed with a man.
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Prisoners » Of war » Thumbs and toes cut off
Adoni-bezek fled and they chased him, caught him, and cut off his thumbs and his big toes. And Adoni-bezek said: Seventy kings with their big toes cut off have gathered food scrapes under my table. God has repaid me for what I have done. So they brought him to Jerusalem where he died.
Prisoners » Of war » Blinded
They put the sons of Zedekiah to death before his eyes. Then they put out his eyes, chained him with iron bands and took him to Babylon.
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Spoils » Of war
The enemy took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their food provisions, and went their way. They also captured Lot, son of Abram's brother, who lived in Sodom, and his goods, and departed.
The Israelites took the Midianite women and children as prisoners of war. They also took all their animals, their livestock, and their valuables as loot. They burned the cities where the Midianites lived and all their settlements.
We took the livestock and everything else of value.
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Swords » Figurative » Of war
You will live by your sword. You will serve your brother. Soon you will become restless and break his yoke from your neck.
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Weapons » Of war » Bows
He told them to teach the sons of Judah the song of the bow. It is written in the book of Jashar:
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The Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh had forty-four thousand seven hundred and sixty men ready for military service, able-bodied men who could handle shield and sword, who could use a bow, and who were trained for battle.
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Please take your hunting equipment, your quiver and bow, and go out into the open country and hunt some wild game for me.
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A stray arrow wounded the king of Israel a wound where his breastplate was joined to his clothing. He said to the chariot driver: Go to the side. Take me away from the fight for I am badly wounded.
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Elisha said to him: Take bow and arrows So he took bow and arrows.
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Jehu drew his bow with his full strength and sent an arrow, wounding Joram between the arms. The arrow came out at his heart, and he went down on his face in his chariot.
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I saw a white horse. He who sat on it had a bow. A crown was given to him and he conquered.
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They do not turn upward [to God]. They are like a loose bow. Their princes will fall by the sword because of the insolence of their tongue. This will be their derision in the land of Egypt.
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Weapons » Of war » Arrows
I will shoot three arrows at a target off to the side of the rock.
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Elisha said to him: Take bow and arrows So he took bow and arrows.
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