48 Bible Verses about Soldiers

divide the war-booty between those who engaged in the war, who went out to the battle, and all the community. Exact a tribute for Yahweh from the men of the war, those who went out to the battle, one from five hundred persons, and from the cattle and from the male donkeys and from the flock;

Joshua rose early in the morning and mustered the people, and he went up [with] the elders of Israel before the people of Ai. {All the fighting men} who [were] with him {went up and drew near before the city} and camped north of Ai; [there was] a valley between him and Ai. And he took about five thousand men and set them in ambush between Bethel and Ai, to the west of the city.read more.
So they stationed the forces; all the army [was] north of the city while {the rear guard was west}. But Joshua went that night to the middle of the valley. When the king of Ai saw [this], the men of the city hurried and rose early and went out to meet Israel for battle--he and all his army--to the meeting place before the Arabah. He did not know that [there was] an ambush for him behind the city. Then Joshua and all Israel acted like they were beaten before them, and they fled {in the direction of the wilderness}. All of the people who [were] in the city were called to pursue after them. As they pursued after Joshua, they were drawn away from the city. Not a man remained in Ai or Bethel who had not gone out after Israel; they left the city open and pursued after Israel. And Yahweh said to Joshua, "Stretch out the sword that is in your hand to Ai, because I will give it into your hand." And Joshua stretched out the sword that was in his hand to the city. The moment he stretched out his hand, those in the ambush stood up quickly from their place and ran. And they went [into] the city and captured it, quickly setting the city ablaze with fire.

So Abimelech and all the army that [was] with him got up [by] night, and they lay in ambush against Shechem [in] four divisions. Gaal son of Ebed went out and stood [at] the entrance of the city gate, and Abimelech and the army that [was] with him got up from the ambush.

And the descendants of Benjamin were gathered from the cities to Gibeah to go out for battle against the {Israelites}. From the cities the descendants of Benjamin were counted on that day twenty-six thousand {sword-wielding men}, besides the inhabitants of Gibeah, who were counted seven hundred well-trained men. From all these troops [were] seven hundred well-trained men {who were left-handed}; each one could sling with a stone at a hair and not miss.

And the Philistines assembled to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots and six thousand horsemen and an army as numerous as sand which [is] on the seashore. And they came up and encamped at Micmash, east of Beth Aven.

{So} on [the] day of battle, there was not a sword or a spear found in the hands of all the army that was with Saul and Jonathan, but {Saul and his son Jonathan had them}.

Saul summoned the army and mustered them at Telaim; two hundred thousand foot soldiers and ten thousand men of Judah.

So David and Abishai came to the army [by] night, and {there was} Saul lying asleep in the encampment with his spear thrust into the ground near his head, and Abner and the army [were] lying all around him.

David captured from him one thousand and seven hundred horsemen and twenty thousand {foot soldiers}. David hamstrung all the chariot horses, but {from them} he spared a hundred chariot horses.

When the {Ammonites} saw that they had become odious to David, the {Ammonites} sent [word] and hired Aram Beth-Rehob and Aram-Zobah, twenty thousand infantry; and [they also hired] the king of Maacah, a thousand men, and the men of Tob, twelve thousand men.

For there was no army left over for Jehoahaz except for fifty horsemen, ten chariots, and ten thousand infantry, for the king of Aram had destroyed them and made them as the dust at threshing.

When Joab and all the army that [was] with him came, they told Joab, "Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he sent him away, and he left in peace."

These [are] the names of the mighty warriors who [were] David's: Josheb-Basshebeth a Tahkemonite [was] chief of three officers; first Adino, whose spear [was] against eight hundred slain on one occurrence. Next to him Eleazar, the son of Dodo the son of an Ahohite, [was] among the three mighty warriors with David when they defied the Philistines and they gathered there for the battle and the men of Israel withdrew. He stood up and struck down the Philistines until his hand grew tired and his hand clung to the sword, and Yahweh brought about a great victory on that day. Then the army returned back to him only for stripping [the dead].read more.
Next to him [was] Shamma, the son of Agee the Hararite. When [the] Philistines assembled at Lehi, a plot of the field was there filled with lentils, and the army fled there from the presence of [the] Philistines. But he took a stand in the middle of the plot of land and defended it. He killed [the] Philistines, and Yahweh brought about a great victory. Then three of the thirty leaders went down and came to David {at the time of the harvest} to the cave of Adullam, while a group of [the] Philistines [were] camping in the valley of [the] Rephaim. Now at that time, David [was] in the stronghold, and a garrison of [the] Philistines [was] in Bethlehem at that [same] time David {said longingly}, "{Oh that someone would bring me a drink} of water from the well of Bethlehem that [is] at the gate." So three of the mighty warriors broke into the camp of [the] Philistines, and they drew water from the well of Bethlehem that [was] at the gate, and they carried [it] and brought [it] to David. But he [was] not willing to drink it, but poured it out to Yahweh. He said, "Far be it from me before Yahweh that I should do this. [Is this not] the blood of the men who went at the risk of their lives?" So he [was] not willing to drink it. These things the three mighty warriors did. Now Abishai the brother of Joab the son of Zeruiah [was] himself the leader of the thirty. He [was] wielding his spear against three hundred slain and {gained a name} among the thirty. Among the thirty, is it not that he [was] honored and became a commander for them? But he did not come up to the three Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of Ish-Hai, [was] a great [man] of deeds from Kabzeel. He struck down two sons of Ariel of Moab, and he went down and killed a lion in the middle of a pit on a snowy day. He also killed a good-looking Egyptian man, in whose hand [was] a spear. He went down against him with the staff and snatched the spear from the hand of the Egyptian and killed him with his spear These things Benaiah the son of Jehoiada did and gained a name for himself among the three mighty warriors. He [was] honored more than the thirty, but he did not come up to the three. David appointed him in charge of his bodyguard. Among the thirty [were] Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem, Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite, Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, Abiezer the Anathothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite, Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite, Heleb the son of Baanah the Netophathite, Ittai the son of Ribai from Gibeah of the sons of Benjamin, Benaiah [the] Pirathonite, Hiddai from the wadis of Gaash, Abi-Albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite, Eliahba the Shaalbonite, the sons of Jashen, Jonathan [the son] of Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sharar the Ararite, Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai the son of the Maacathite, Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite, Hezro the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite, Igal the son of Nathan from Zobah, Bani the Gadite Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, the carriers of the weapons of Joab the son of Zeruiah, Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite Uriah the Hittite; in all, thirty-seven.

Now these [are] the chiefs of the mighty men who [were] for David, who gave him strong support in his kingdom, together with all Israel to make him king according to the word of Yahweh concerning Israel. And this [is] the numbering of the mighty warriors who [were] for David: Jashobeam son of Hachmoni [was] chief of the three. He himself raised his spear against three hundred [whom he] killed on one occasion. And after him [was] Eleazar son of Dodo the Ahohite. He [was] among the three mighty warriors.read more.
He himself [was] with David at Pas-Dammim when the Philistines were gathered there for the battle. And there was a plot of the field filled with barley, and the people fled before the Philistines. But they took their stand in the middle of the plot and defended it. And they killed the Philistines. And Yahweh saved [them] [with] a great victory. And three of the thirty chiefs went down toward the rock to David at the cave of Adullam when the army of the Philistines was encamped in the valley of Rephaim. And David [was] then in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines [was] then in Bethlehem. And David had a craving, and he said, "Who could give me a drink of water from the well of Bethlehem that [is] by the gate!" Then the three broke through into the camp of the Philistines and drew water from the well of Bethlehem that [was] by the gate and brought [it] and came to David. But David would not drink it and poured it out before Yahweh. And he said, "Far be it from me [that] I would do this before my God. Shall I drink the lifeblood of these men? For {at the risk of their lives} they brought it." And he was not willing to drink it. These things the three mighty men did. Now Abishai the brother of Joab was himself the head of the three. And he roused himself with his spear against three hundred [whom he] killed and [made] a name for himself among the three. {He was twice as renowned} among the three and was their commander. But he did not attain to the three. [And] Benaiah the son of Jehoiada [was] {a strong man} from Kabzeel, [one who did] great deeds. He himself struck down two [sons of] Ariel of Moab. And he himself went down and struck down a lion within a pit on a snowy day. And he himself struck down an Egyptian man, a large man five cubits [tall]. And in the hand of the Egyptian [was] a spear like a weaver's beam. But he went down to him with a club and seized the spear from the hand of the Egyptian and killed him with his own spear. These things Benaiah son of Jehoiada did and had a name among the three mighty warriors. He himself was certainly distinguished among the thirty, but he did not attain to the three. And David appointed him over his bodyguard. Now the mighty warriors of the troops [were] Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan the son of Dodo from Bethlehem, Shammoth the Harorite, Helez the Pelonite, Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, Abiezer the Anathothite, Sibbecai the Hushathite, Ilai the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite, Heled the son of Baanah the Netophathite, Ittai the son of Ribai from Gibeah of the people of Benjamin, Benaiah the Pirathonite, Hurai of the valleys of Gaash, Abiel the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Baharumite, Eliahba the Shaalbonite, the sons of Hashem the Gizonite, Jehonathan the son of Shagee the Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sacar the Hararite, Eliphal the son of Ur, Hepher the Mekerathite, Ahijah the Pelonite, Hezro the Carmelite, Naari the son of Ezbai, Joel the brother of Nathan, Mibhar the son of Hagri, Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, the bearer of the weapons of Joab the son of Zeruiah, Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite, Uriah the Hittite, Zabad the son of Ahlai, Adina the son of Shiza the Reubenite, a leader of the Reubenites, and thirty with him, Hanan the son of Maacah, Jehoshaphat the Mithnite, Uzzia the Ashterathite, Shama and Jeiel the sons of Hotham the Aroerite, Jediael the son of Shimri and Joha his brother the Tizite, Eliel the Mahavite, Jeribai and Joshaviah the sons of Elnaam, Ithmah the Moabite, Eliel, Obed, and Jaasiel the Mezobaite.

Again Yahweh [was] angry with Israel, and he incited David against them, saying, "Go count Israel and Judah." The king said to Joab, the commander of the army who [was] with him: "Please go about through all the tribes of Israel from Dan to Beersheba, and count the people that I may know the number of the people." Then Joab said to the king, "May Yahweh your God increase the people a hundred times {what they are} as the eyes of my lord the king are seeing. But my lord the king, why does he desire this thing?"read more.
But the word of the king prevailed over Joab and over the commanders of the army, so Joab and the commanders of the army went out from before the king to count the people of Israel. They crossed over the Jordan and camped at Aroer to the south of the city, which [was] in the middle of the wadi of Gad, and up to Jazer. Then they went to Gilead and to the land of Tahtim Hodshi. They came to Dan Jaan and around to Sidon and came to the fortress of Tyre and all the cities of the Hivites and the Canaanites. Then they went out to the Negev of Judah at Beersheba. They went about through all the land, and they came to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and twenty days. Then Joab gave the number of the counting of the people to the king. Israel [was] eight hundred thousand {valiant warriors} wielding the sword, and the men of Judah [were] five hundred thousand.

Then Satan stood against Israel and urged David to count Israel. So David said to Joab and to the commanders of the nation, "Go, count Israel from Beersheba to Dan and bring a report to me that I might know their number." But Joab said, "May Yahweh add to the people a hundred times what they are! Are they not, O my lord the king, all of them the king's servants? Why does my lord seek this? Why would he bring guilt to Israel?"read more.
But the word of the king prevailed over Joab. Then he went about through all Israel and came to Jerusalem. And Joab gave the number of the enrollment of the people to David. And it happened [that] all Israel [was] one million one hundred thousand men drawing a sword, and in Judah [were] four hundred and seventy thousand men drawing a sword. But he did not count Levi and Benjamin among them, for the word of the king was repulsive to Joab. But this word was displeasing in the eyes of God, and he struck Israel. Then David said to God, "I have sinned severely [in] that I have done this thing. But now, please forgive the sin of your servant, for I have been very foolish." Then Yahweh spoke to Gad the seer of David, saying, "Go, you must speak to David, saying, 'Thus says Yahweh: "Three [choices] I offer to you. Choose one of them for yourself that I will do to you." '" So Gad came to David and said to him, "Thus says Yahweh: 'Choose for yourself: whether three years of famine or three months of devastation by your enemies while the sword of your enemies overtakes you, or three days of the sword of Yahweh, with disease in the land and the angel of Yahweh destroying throughout all the territory in Israel.' So now, see what word I should return to my sender." Then David said to Gad, "{I am very troubled}. Let me into the hand of Yahweh, for his compassion is very great, but do not let me fall into the hand of a man." So Yahweh sent a pestilence through Israel, and seventy thousand men from Israel fell. And God sent an angel to Jerusalem to destroy it, and as [he was about] to destroy [it], Yahweh saw and was grieved on account of the calamity. Then he said to the angel, the destroyer, "[It is] enough; slacken your hand." And the angel of Yahweh was standing by the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite. And David lifted his eyes and saw the angel of Yahweh standing between earth and heaven, with his sword drawn in his hand, stretched out over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders, clothed in sackcloth, fell upon their faces.

And these are the numbers of the chiefs of those prepared for the army who came to David at Hebron to turn the kingdom of Saul over to him according to the word of Yahweh. The sons of Judah bearing shield and spear: six thousand eight hundred armed troops. From the men of Simeon, mighty warriors of strength for war: seven thousand one hundred.read more.
From the Levites: four thousand six hundred. Jehoiada the chief officer of [the house of] Aaron, and with him, three thousand seven hundred. And Zadok, a young man, a mighty warrior of strength, and the house of his father: twenty-two commanders. From the men of Benjamin, kinsmen of Saul, three thousand, and {even still} the majority of them {remained loyal} to the house of Saul. And from the men of Ephraim: twenty thousand eight hundred mighty warriors of strength, famous men in the house of their fathers. And from the half-tribe of Manasseh: eighteen thousand who were designated by name to come to make David king. And from the men of Issachar: {men who were skilled in understanding the times} to know what Israel should do. Their chiefs [were] two hundred, and all their kinsmen [were] under their command. From Zebulun, those who went out armed, equipped for battle with all the weapons of war: fifty thousand to help David {with singleness of purpose}. From Naphtali: one thousand commanders; and [those] with them with shield and spear: thirty-seven thousand. From the Danites, [those] equipped for battle: twenty-eight thousand six hundred. And from Asher, those who went out armed [and] prepared for battle: forty thousand. And from beyond the Jordan, from the Reubenites and the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh, with all [their] weapons of war for battle: one hundred and twenty thousand. All these [were] men of war arrayed in battle line {with a whole heart}. They came to Hebron to make David king over all Israel. Likewise, all the rest of Israel [had] one heart to make David king.

And as for the number of the {Israelites}, the heads of {families}, the commanders of thousands and hundreds, and their officials who serve the king in all matters of the working groups that came and went, month by month, throughout all the months of the year, each working group: twenty-four thousand. Over the first working group for the first month: Jashobeam the son of Zabdiel. And [he was] over his working group [of] twenty-four thousand. From the sons of Perez [who was] the chief of the commanders of the armies for the first month.read more.
And over the working groups of the second month: Dodai the Ahohite and his working group, and Mikloth the commander. And [he was] over his working group [of] twenty-four thousand. The third commander of the army for the third month [was] Benaiah son of Jehoiada the chief priest. And [he was] over his working group [of] twenty-four thousand. This [was] Benaiah [who was] a mighty warrior of thirty, and over the thirty and his working group [was] Ammizabad his son. The fourth, for the fourth month, [was] Asahel the brother of Joab and his son Zebadiah after him. And [he was] over his working group [of] twenty-four thousand. The fifth, for the fifth month, the commander [was] Shamhuth the Izrahite. And [he was] over his working group [of] twenty-four thousand. The sixth, for the sixth month, [was] Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite. And [he was] over his working group [of] twenty-four thousand. The seventh, for the seventh month, [was] Helez the Pelonite, from the sons of Ephraim. And [he was] over his working group [of] twenty-four thousand. The eighth, for the eighth month, [was] Sibbecai the Hushathite of the Zerahites. And [he was] over his working group [of] twenty-four thousand. The ninth, for the ninth month, [was] Abiezer the Anathothite of the Benjamites. And [he was] over his working group [of] twenty-four thousand. The tenth, for the tenth month, [was] Maharai the Netophathite of the Zerahites. And [he was] over his working group [of] twenty-four thousand. The eleventh, for the eleventh month, [was] Benaiah the Pirathonite from the sons of Ephraim. And [he was] over his working group [of] twenty-four thousand. The twelfth, for the twelfth month, [was] Heldai the Netophathite, of Othniel. And [he was] over his working group [of] twenty-four thousand. And over the tribes of Israel, for the Reubenites: the commander [was] Eliezer the son of Zikri. For the Simeonites: Shephatiah the son of Maacah. For Levi: Hashabiah the son of Kemuel. For Aaron, Zadok. For Judah: Elihu, from the brothers of David. For Issachar: Omri the son of Michael. For Zebulun: Ishmaiah the son of Obadiah. For Naphtali: Jerimoth the son of Azriel. For the Ephraimites: Hoshea the son of Azaziah. For the half-tribe of Manasseh: Joel the son of Pedaiah. For the half-tribe of Manasseh in Gilead: Iddo the son of Zechariah. For Benjamin: Jaasiel son of Abner. For Dan: Azarel the son of Jeroham. These [were] the commanders of the tribes of Israel.

But the army of the Chaldeans pursued the king, and they overtook him in the Arabah of Jericho, and all of his army scattered from him.

Then Ishmael killed all the Judeans who were with Gedaliah at Mizpah, {along with} the Chaldeans who were found there, {the soldiers}.

Now Naaman was the commander of the army of the king of Aram. He was a great man before his master and {highly regarded}, for by him Yahweh had given victory to Aram. Now the man was a mighty warrior, [but he was] afflicted with a skin disease.

Then a man from the army informed [him] and said, "Your father made the army swear a solemn [oath], saying, 'Cursed be the man who eats food today,'" so the army [is] exhausted.

And from Benjamin: Eliada, a powerful mighty warrior, and with him [were] two hundred thousand armed with bow and shield;

And he commanded {the strongest men of the guards} who [were] in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and to throw [them] into the furnace of blazing fire. Then these men were bound with their garments, their trousers and their turbans and their [other] clothing, and they were thrown into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire. {Therefore} {because} the word of the king was severe and the furnace was exceedingly hot, the flame of the fire killed these men who lifted up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego.

And those who served in the army were also asking him, saying, "What should we also do?" And he said to them, "Extort from no one, and do not blackmail [anyone], and be content with your pay."

And Herod with his soldiers also treated him with contempt, and [after] mocking [him] [and] dressing [him] [in] glistening clothing, he sent him back to Pilate.

So Judas, taking the cohort and officers from the chief priests and from the Pharisees, came there with lanterns and torches and weapons.

And the soldiers wove a crown of thorns and placed [it] on his head, and put a purple robe on him,

Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the governor's residence [and] gathered the whole cohort to him.

So then he handed him over to them in order that he could be crucified.

Pilate said to them, "You have a guard of soldiers. Go, make [it] as secure as you know how." So they went with the guard of soldiers [and] made the tomb secure [by] sealing the stone.

And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came up [and] rolled away the stone and sat down on it. Now his appearance was like lightning and his clothing white as snow. And the guards trembled from the fear of him and became like dead men.

[After he] had arrested {him}, he also put [him] in prison, handing [him] over to four squads of soldiers to guard him, intending to bring him {out for public trial} after the Passover.

{He} immediately took along soldiers and centurions [and] ran down to them. And [when] they saw the military tribune and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul.

Your wealth and your merchandise, your wares, your mariners, and your seamen, your shipwrights and the barterers of your wares and all of {your soldiers} who [are] in you, along with all of your crew who are in the midst of you, they will fall in [the] heart of [the] seas on the day of your downfall.

and you will be satisfied at my table [with] horse and horsemen and warriors and every man of war," ' {declares} the Lord Yahweh.

They run like mighty warriors, they scale the wall like men of war; each goes on its own way, and they do not swerve [from] their paths.

And [the] one who takes hold of the bow will not stand and [the one who is] swift on his feet will not save himself, nor will [the] one who rides the horse save his life. Even those who are strong of heart among the mighty will flee away naked from the city on that day. [This is] the declaration of Yahweh!"

Who ever serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat the fruit of it? Who shepherds a flock and does not drink from the milk of the flock?

But I considered [it] necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, but your messenger and servant of my need,

Suffer together with [me] as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one who serves as a soldier is entangled in the activities of [everyday] life, so that he may please the one who enlisted [him].

O Yahweh God [of] hosts, who [is] mighty like you, O Yah, with your faithfulness surrounding you?

Then he said, "I have been very zealous for Yahweh the God of hosts, for the {Israelites} have forsaken your covenant. They have demolished your altars, and they have killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left over, and they seek to take my life.

{Therefore} thus says Yahweh, the God of hosts, "Because you have spoken this word, look, I [am] making my words in your mouth like a fire, and this people wood, and it will devour them.

Yahweh the God of hosts, Yahweh [is] his renowned name!

Yes, here is the one who forms [the] mountains, and the one who creates the wind, and the one who reveals to humans what his thoughts [are], and the one who treads on the heights of the earth; Yahweh, the God of hosts, [is] his name!"