'Army' in the Bible

Not long afterward, all the men of Israel started coming to the king, complaining to him, "Why did our relatives in Judah's army sneak you away, taking the king and his household over the Jordan River, along with David's army?"

So all of the other Israeli soldiers abandoned David to follow Bichri's son Sheba, while the army of Judah remained with the king all the way from the Jordan River to Jerusalem.

Meanwhile, David ordered Amasa, "Muster the army of Judah here within three days, and be here yourself!"

But when Amasa went out to muster the army of Judah, he delayed to act within the time allotted to him.

While Amasa lay wallowing in his blood in the middle of the highway, everybody who passed by was stopping to stare at him, so when the soldier saw that all of the army was stopping, he carried Amasa off the highway into a nearby field and covered him with a garment.

After Amasa had been removed from the highway, the rest of the army followed Joab in pursuit of Bichri's son Sheba.

Joab commanded the entire army of Israel, Jehoiada's son Benaiah commanded the special forces and mercenaries,

But Zeruiah's son Abishai came to David's aid, attacked the Philistine, and killed him. After this, David's army told him, "You're not going out anymore with us to battle, so Israel's beacon won't be extinguished!"

Next was Dodai the Ahohite's son Eleazar. Eleazar, who also was one of the Three, was with David when they challenged the Philistines. When the Philistines had assembled in battle array, the Israeli army retreated,

Next was Shammah, Agee the Hararite's son. One time the Philistines assembled to fight in a field where lentils had been growing. Israel's army retreated from the Philistines,

One day while the Philistine army was camping in the valley of giants, three of the 30 leaders joined David at the cave of Adullam.

Later, David's conscience bothered him after he had numbered the army, so David told the LORD, "I have sinned greatly by what I did. But now I am asking you, please remove the guilt of your servant, since I have acted very foolishly."

Adonijah has sacrificed myriads of oxen, fattened cattle, and sheep, and he has invited all of the king's sons, Abiathar the priest, and Joab the commander of the army, but he has not invited your servant Solomon.

Well now, he went down today and sacrificed lots of oxen, fattened cattle, and sheep, and has invited all the king's sons, the army commanders, and Abiathar the priest. They're having a party together and saying, "Long live King Adonijah!'

The LORD will repay him for his bloodshed because, without my father David's consent he attacked and murdered two men more righteous and better than he, Ner's son Abner, the commander of Israel's army and Jether's son Amasa, commander of Judah's army.

The king appointed Jehoiada's son Benaiah in charge of the army to replace Joab and also appointed Zadok the priest to replace Abiathar.

Jehoiada's son Benaiah commanded the army, Zadok and Abiathar served as priests,

During David's military campaign against Edom, when his army commander Joab had gone out to bury the dead, he killed every male in Edom.

Joab had his entire army of Israel stay there for six months until he had eliminated every male in Edom.

Later on, Hadad learned in Egypt that David had been buried with his ancestors and that Joab the army commander was dead. So Hadad asked Pharaoh, "Please send me out so I can go back to my own land."

He raised an army and commanded a gang of raiders after David had eliminated those who lived in Zobah. Rezon and his army moved to Damascus, remained there, and Rezon ruled from Damascus.

Zimri reigned for seven days at Tirzah during the twenty-seventh year of the reign of King Asa of Judah. At that time, the army was encamped in a siege against Gibbethon of Philistia.

The army at the encampment heard this report: "Zimri has conspired against the king and killed him." So the entire army of Israel made Omri, their commander, king over Israel.

Then Omri and the entire army of Israel left from Gibbethon and attacked Tirzah.

The army of Israel was divided into two parties: half of the army were loyal to Ginath's son Tibni and wanted to make him king, and half were loyal to Omri.

But the army that was loyal to Omri was victorious over Ginath's son Tibni. Tibni later died and Omri became king.

A little while later, King Ben-hadad of Aram mustered an army of cavalry and chariots in a military confederacy with 32 kings, invaded Samaria, and set up siege encampments there.

Ben-hadad received Ahab's response while he was celebrating with his kings in the battle pavilions. "Sound "Battle Stations!'" he ordered, and the army began to prepare their attack.

Right about then, a prophet approached King Ahab of Israel and told him, "This is what the LORD says: "You see all of this great big army, do you? Well now, I'm going to deliver them all right into your hand, and you will learn that I am the LORD!'"

Meanwhile, as the young men who served as officials within the provinces left the city, their army followed after them.

Sure enough, the advisors to the king of Aram told him, "Their gods are mountain gods. That's why they were stronger than we were. But when we fight them on the plains, we're certain to be the stronger army!

Then replace the army that you lost, horse-for-horse and chariot-for-chariot. We'll fight them on the plains, and we're certain to be the stronger army." Ben-hadad listened to what they had to say and carried out their advice.

Right about then, a man of God approached and told the king of Israel, "This is what the LORD says: "Because the Arameans keep saying "The LORD is a mountain god, but isn't a valley god," I'm going to deliver this entire vast army right into your control, so you'll learn that I really am the LORD.'"

The rest of the Aramean army retreated into Aphek, but the city wall collapsed on 27,000 soldiers who had taken shelter there. Ben-hadad himself ran away and hid inside a closet somewhere in the city.

His behavior in pursuing idolatry was detestable, just like the Amorites had done whom the LORD had expelled in front of the army of Israel.

"I'm with you," Jehoshaphat answered the king of Israel. "My army will join yours, and my cavalry will be your cavalry." But Jehoshaphat also asked the king of Israel, "Please ask for a message from the LORD, first."

But Micaiah responded, "Therefore, listen to what the LORD has to say. I saw the LORD, sitting on his throne, and the entire Heavenly Army was standing around him on his right hand and on his left hand.

As the day drew to a close, this order was circulated throughout the army telling the soldiers, "Everybody go back to his city and to his own land."

So King Jehoram left Samaria at that time and mustered the entire army of Israel.

"I'm coming," Jehoshaphat replied. "I'm like you! My army will act like your army and my cavalry like your cavalry," Then Jehoshaphat added: "What road do we take?" Jehoram answered, "We'll go along the Edom desert road."

So the king of Israel, the king of Judah, and the king of Edom made a complete circuit on the road for seven days, but there was no water for the army or for the livestock that accompanied them.

Elisha told him, "Ask her, "Look how you've gone to all this trouble to care for us! What can I do for you? Do you wish to be mentioned to the king or to the head of the army?'" She replied, "I'm at home living among my own people."

Naaman, the commander of the army of the king of Aram, was a great man in the opinion of his master. He was highly favored, because by him the LORD had given victory to Aram. Though he was a mighty and valiant man, he was suffering from leprosy.

When the army approached him, Elisha spoke to the LORD, asking him, "LORD, I'm asking you please to afflict this group of people with blindness!" So he afflicted them with blindness, just as Elisha had asked.

Then Elisha told the army, "This isn't the way, and this isn't the city! Follow me, and I'll bring you to the man you're seeking." Then he led them to Samaria.

Some time later, King Ben-hadad from Aram mustered his army, invaded the land, and attacked Samaria

The LORD had made the Aramean army hear the sounds of chariots, horses, and a large army, so they told one another, "Look! The king of Israel has hired the kings of the Hittites and the Egyptians to come attack us!"

So they took two chariots and horses, and the king sent them out after the Aramean army with the orders, "Go and look!"

Then Joram crossed over to Zair, along with all of his chariots. At night he attacked the Edomites who had surrounded him and the commanders of his chariots, but the army ran away to their tents.

When he arrived, the army commanders were seated, so he said, "I have a message for you, captain!" Jehu asked, "For which one of us?" "For you, captain!" he answered.

Meanwhile, Jehoshaphat's son Jehu, the grandson of Nimshi, had been conspiring against Joram while Joram and all the army of Israel had been defending Ramoth-gilead against King Hazael from Aram.

Jehoiada the priest commanded the captains in charge of the army, "Take her out the back way and execute anybody who follows her," since the priest had also issued this order: "Let's not put her to death in the LORD's Temple."

For the Aramean king had left only 50 cavalry, ten chariots, and 10,000 soldiers out of the army belonging to Jehoahaz, because the king of Aram had destroyed the others, making them like chaff left over after threshing.

Sometime later, the king of Assyria sent Tartan, Rab-saris, and Rab-shakeh from Lachish to King Hezekiah in Jerusalem, accompanied with a large army.

That very night, the angel of the LORD went out to the camp of the Assyrian army and killed 185,000 men. Early the next morning, when the army of Israel arose, all 185,000 soldiers were dead.

Zedekiah then rebelled against the king of Babylon, so on the tenth day of the tenth month of the ninth year of Zedekiah's reign, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon and his entire army approached Jerusalem, attacked it, encamped against it, and built a siege wall that surrounded the city.

The city was breached, and the entire army left during the night through the gate that stood between the two walls beside the royal garden, even though the Chaldeans had surrounded the city. They escaped through the Arabah,

but the Chaldean army pursued the king and overtook him in the Jericho plains, where his entire army was scattered.

The Chaldean army that accompanied the captain of the guard demolished the walls that surrounded Jerusalem.

one overseer from the city who supervised the soldiers, five of the king's advisors who had been discovered in the city, the scribe who served the army captain who mustered the army of the land, and 60 men of the land who were discovered in the city.

In addition to them, according to their ancestral records were 36,000 members of their trained army by their generations, because they had many wives and children.

When that part of the army of Israel that was in the valley saw that the rest of the army of Israel had fled and that Saul and his sons were dead, they abandoned their cities and fled, and the Philistines came and occupied them.

Even back when Saul was ruling as king, you kept on leading the army of Israel out to battle and bringing them in again. The LORD your God told you, "You yourself will shepherd my people Israel and will be Commander-in-Chief over my people Israel.'"

He was with David at Pas-dammim when the Philistines were there to engage them in battle. There was a field planted with barley, and the army had run away from the Philistines,

Later, the Three Warriors went down to David's hideout at the cave of Adullam when the Philistine army was camping in the valley of giants.

These descendants of Gad were army leaders. The least of them was equal to a hundred other soldiers and the greatest to a thousand.

They helped David against raiders, since they were all warriors and commanders in the army.

Indeed people kept coming to David every day to help him, until his army became a great, vast army.

The army of Judah, equipped with both shields and spears, numbered 6,800 warriors,

When you hear the sound of marching coming from the tops of the balsam trees, then go out to battle, because God will have gone out ahead of you to destroy the Philistine army."

So David did just as God had ordered, and they struck down the Philistine army from Gibeon to Gezer.

When King Tou of Hamath learned that David had conquered King Hadadezer of Zobah's entire army,

Zeruiah's son Joab served in charge of the army, Ahilud's son Jehoshaphat was his personal archivist,

They hired 32,000 chariots, along with the king of Maacah and his army, who arrived and encamped at Medeba. The Ammonites also were mustered and came out to battle from their home cities.

In response, David sent out Joab and his entire army of elite soldiers.

After the Arameans realized that they had been defeated by Israel, they sent for the Arameans who lived beyond the Euphrates River. Shophach was leading them as commander of Hadadezer's army.

The Arameans retreated from Israel, and David's forces killed 7,000 Aramean charioteers, 40,000 soldiers, and Shophach, the commander of their army.

Later the next spring, at the time that kings go out to fight, Joab led out the army, ravaged the territory of the Ammonites, and then went out and attacked Rabbah, while David remained behind in Jerusalem. Joab besieged Rabbah and conquered it.

brought back the people who had lived in it, and put them to conscripted labor with saws, iron picks, and axes. David did this to every Ammonite city, and then David and his entire army returned to Jerusalem.

David ordered Joab and the commanders of the army, "Go take a census of Israel from Beer-sheba to Dan, and bring me a report so I can be aware of the total number."

Along with officers in his army, David consecrated to assist in service to the descendants of Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun those who prophesy with lyres, harps, and cymbals.

Shelomoth and his brothers were responsible for all of the treasuries of dedicated gifts given by King David, by the heads of families, by the officers of groups of thousands and groups of hundreds, and by the leading army officers.

The Israelis, according to the number of the leaders of their families, the officers of groups of thousands and groups of hundreds, and their leaders who served the king on behalf of the army divisions of 24,000 soldiers on duty month by month throughout the year, consisted of the following.

A descendant of Perez, he was chief of all the commanders of the army for the first month.

and under Ahithophel there was Benaiah's son Jehoiada and Abiathar. Joab served as commander of the king's army.

However, Solomon never made conscripted laborers from among the Israelis, but they did serve as his army, as his chief captains, and as commanders in charge of his chariots and cavalry.

King Solomon appointed 250 chief officers to command his army.

A war started between Abijah and Jeroboam. Abijah started the battle with an army of 400,000 specially chosen valiant soldiers, but Jeroboam opposed him with 800,000 specially chosen valiant soldiers.

When the army of Judah turned around to look, they were being attacked from both front and rear, so they cried out to the LORD while the priests sounded their trumpets.

Then the army of Judah sounded a war cry, and God routed Jeroboam and the entire army of Israel in front of Abijah and Judah.

When the descendants of Israel ran away from the army of Judah, God handed them over to the army of Judah.

Abijah and his army defeated them in a tremendous slaughter that resulted in 500,000 special forces from Israel being slain.

Asa kept a standing army of 300,000 soldiers from Judah equipped with large shields and spears, as well as 280,000 soldiers from Benjamin, also bearing shields and wielding bows. All of them were valiant soldiers.

Sometime later, Zerah the Ethiopian went to war against him at Mareshah with an army of one million troops and 300 chariots.

Asa and his army pursued the Ethiopians as far as Gerar. So many Ethiopians died that their army could not recover, because it had been shattered in the LORD's presence and in the presence of his army. The Israelis carried off a lot of plunder, too.

Then King Asa brought his entire army of Judah to carry away the building stones and the timber that Baasha had been using to surround Ramah, and he used those materials to fortify Geba and Mizpah.

Right about then, Hanani the seer came to King Asa of Judah and rebuked him. "Because you have put your trust in the king of Aram and have not relied on the LORD your God, the army of the king of Aram has escaped from your control.

Weren't the Ethiopians and the Libyans a vast army with many chariots and cavalry? Yet because you relied on the LORD, he gave them into your control!

"I'm with you," Jehoshaphat replied. "and my army is with you. We'll join you in the battle." But then Jehoshaphat asked the king of Israel, "Please ask for a message from the LORD, first."

But Micaiah responded, "Therefore, listen to what the LORD has to say. I saw the LORD, sitting on his throne, and the entire Heavenly Army was surrounding him on his right hand and on his left hand.