Meaning of “armour”

1. Armour — is employed in the English Bible to denote military equipment, both offensive and defensive. (1.) The offensive weapons were different at different periods of history. The "rod of iron" (Ps. 2:9) is supposed to mean a mace or crowbar, an instrument of great power when used by a strong arm. The "maul" (Prov. 25:18; cognate Hebrew word rendered "battle-axe" in Jer. 51:20, and "slaughter weapon" in Ezek. 9:2) was a war-hammer or martel. The "sword" is the usual translation of _hereb_, which properly means "poniard." The real sword, as well as the dirk-sword (which was always double-edged), was also used (1 Sam. 17:39; 2 Sam. 20:8; 1 Kings 20:11). The spear was another offensive weapon (Josh. 8:18; 1 Sam. 17:7). The javelin was used by light troops (Num. 25:7, 8; 1 Sam. 13:22). Saul threw a javelin at David (1 Sam. 19:9, 10), and so virtually absolved him from his allegiance. The bow was, however, the chief weapon of offence. The arrows were carried in a quiver, the bow being always unbent till the moment of action (Gen. 27:3; 48:22; Ps. 18:34). The sling was a favourite weapon of the Benjamites (1 Sam. 17:40; 1 Chr. 12:2. Comp. 1 Sam. 25:29). (2.) Of the defensive armour a chief place is assigned to the shield or buckler. There were the great shield or target (the _tzinnah_), for the protection of the whole person (Gen. 15:1; Ps. 47:9; 1 Sam. 17:7; Prov. 30:5), and the buckler (Heb. _mageen_) or small shield (1 Kings 10:17; Ezek. 26:8). In Ps. 91:4 "buckler" is properly a roundel appropriated to archers or slingers. The helmet (Ezek. 27:10; 1 Sam. 17:38), a covering for the head; the coat of mail or corselet (1 Sam. 17:5), or habergeon (Neh. 4;16), harness or breat-plate (Rev. 9:9), for the covering of the back and breast and both upper arms (Isa. 59:17; Eph. 6:14). The cuirass and corselet, composed of leather or quilted cloth, were also for the covering of the body. Greaves, for the covering of the legs, were worn in the time of David (1 Sam. 17:6). Reference is made by Paul (Eph. 6:14-17) to the panoply of a Roman soldier. The shield here is the thureon, a door-like oblong shield above all, i.e., covering the whole person, not the small round shield. There is no armour for the back, but only for the front.

2. Armour-bearer — an officer selected by kings and generals because of his bravery, not only to bear their armour, but also to stand by them in the time of danger. They were the adjutants of our modern armies (Judg. 9:54; 1 Sam. 14:7; 16:21; 31:6).

3. Armoury — the place in which armour was deposited when not used (Neh. 3:19; Jer. 50:25). At first each man of the Hebrews had his own arms, because all went to war. There were no arsenals or magazines for arms till the time of David, who had a large collection of arms, which he consecrated to the Lord in his tabernacle (1 Sa,. 21:9; 2 Sam. 8:7-12; 1 Chr. 26:26, 27).

3 results from Easton's Bible Dictionary

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Armour Armour-bearer Armoury

Bible Search for “armour”

1. Judges Chapter 9 Verse 54 — Then he called hastily unto the young man his armourbearer, and said unto him, Draw thy sword, and slay me, that men say not of me, A women slew him. And his young man thrust him through, and he died.

2. 1 Samuel Chapter 14 Verse 7 — And his armourbearer said unto him, Do all that is in thine heart: turn thee; behold, I am with thee according to thy heart.

3. 1 Samuel Chapter 14 Verse 12 — And the men of the garrison answered Jonathan and his armourbearer, and said, Come up to us, and we will show you a thing. And Jonathan said unto his armourbearer, Come up after me: for the LORD hath delivered them into the hand of Israel.

4. 1 Samuel Chapter 14 Verse 13 — And Jonathan climbed up upon his hands and upon his feet, and his armourbearer after him: and they fell before Jonathan; and his armourbearer slew after him.

5. 1 Samuel Chapter 14 Verse 14 — And that first slaughter, which Jonathan and his armourbearer made, was about twenty men, within as it were an half acre of land, which a yoke of oxen might plow.

6. 1 Samuel Chapter 14 Verse 17 — Then said Saul unto the people that were with him, Number now, and see who is gone from us. And when they had numbered, behold, Jonathan and his armourbearer were not there.

7. 1 Samuel Chapter 16 Verse 21 — And David came to Saul, and stood before him: and he loved him greatly; and he became his armourbearer.

8. 1 Samuel Chapter 31 Verse 4 — Then said Saul unto his armourbearer, Draw thy sword, and thrust me through therewith; lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and abuse me. But his armourbearer would not; for he was sore afraid. Therefore Saul took a sword, and fell upon it.

9. 1 Samuel Chapter 31 Verse 5 — And when his armourbearer saw that Saul was dead, he fell likewise upon his sword, and died with him.

10. 1 Samuel Chapter 31 Verse 6 — So Saul died, and his three sons, and his armourbearer, and all his men, that same day together.

11. 2 Samuel Chapter 23 Verse 37 — Zelek the Ammonite, Nahari the Beerothite, armourbearer to Joab the son of Zeruiah,

12. 1 Chronicles Chapter 10 Verse 4 — Then said Saul to his armourbearer, Draw thy sword, and thrust me through therewith; lest these uncircumcised come and abuse me. But his armourbearer would not; for he was sore afraid. So Saul took a sword, and fell upon it.

13. 1 Chronicles Chapter 10 Verse 5 — And when his armourbearer saw that Saul was dead, he fell likewise on the sword, and died.

14. 1 Chronicles Chapter 11 Verse 39 — Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Berothite, the armourbearer of Joab the son of Zeruiah,

15. Nehemiah Chapter 3 Verse 19 — And next to him repaired Ezer the son of Jeshua, the ruler of Mizpah, another piece over against the going up to the armoury at the turning of the wall.

16. Song of Solomon Chapter 4 Verse 4 — Thy neck is like the tower of David builded for an armoury, whereon there hang a thousand bucklers, all shields of mighty men.

17. Isaiah Chapter 22 Verse 8 — And he discovered the covering of Judah, and thou didst look in that day to the armour of the house of the forest.

18. Isaiah Chapter 39 Verse 2 — And Hezekiah was glad of them, and shewed them the house of his precious things, the silver, and the gold, and the spices, and the precious ointment, and all the house of his armour, and all that was found in his treasures: there was nothing in his house, nor in all his dominion, that Hezekiah shewed them not.

19. Jeremiah Chapter 50 Verse 25 — The LORD hath opened his armoury, and hath brought forth the weapons of his indignation: for this is the work of the Lord GOD of hosts in the land of the Chaldeans.

20. Ezekiel Chapter 38 Verse 4 — And I will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armour, even a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords:

21. Luke Chapter 11 Verse 22 — But when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils.

22. Romans Chapter 13 Verse 12 — The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.

23. 2 Corinthians Chapter 6 Verse 7 — By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,

24. Ephesians Chapter 6 Verse 11 — Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

25. Ephesians Chapter 6 Verse 13 — Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

25 results from Bible Search