Arm

Used to denote power (Ps. 10:15; Ezek. 30:21; Jer. 48:25). It is also used of the omnipotence of God (Ex. 15:16; Ps. 89:13; 98:1; 77:15; Isa. 53:1; John 12:38; Acts 13:17)

"Occurs only in Rev. 16:16 (R.V., "Har-Magedon"), as symbolically" "designating the place where the "battle of that great day of God" "Almighty" (ver. 14) shall be fought. The word properly means the" mount of Megiddo. It is the scene of the final conflict between Christ and Antichrist. The idea of such a scene was "suggested by the Old Testament great battle-field, the plain of" Esdraelon (q.v.).

"High land, occurs only in Authorized Version, 2 Kings 19:37; in" "Revised Version, "Ararat," which is the Hebrew word. A country" in western Asia lying between the Caspian and the Black Sea. Here the ark of Noah rested after the Deluge (Gen. 8:4). It is "for the most part high table-land, and is watered by the Aras," "the Kur, the Euphrates, and the Tigris. Ararat was properly the" name of a part of ancient Armenia. Three provinces of Armenia "are mentioned in Jer. 51:27, Ararat, Minni, and Ashchenaz. Some," "however, think Minni a contraction for Armenia. (See" [30]ARARAT.)

"Inhabitant of a fortress, the first-named of the two sons of" "Saul and Rizpah. He was delivered up to the Gibeonites by David," "and hanged by them (2 Sam. 21:8, 9)."

"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.

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).

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)."

The Israelites marched out of Egypt in military order (Ex. "13:18, "harnessed;" marg., "five in a rank"). Each tribe formed" "a battalion, with its own banner and leader (Num. 2:2; 10:14)." In war the army was divided into thousands and hundreds under "their several captains (Num. 31:14), and also into families" (Num. 2:34; 2 Chr. 25:5; 26:12). From the time of their entering "the land of Canaan to the time of the kings, the Israelites made" "little progress in military affairs, although often engaged in" warfare. The kings introduced the custom of maintaining a "bodyguard (the Gibborim; i.e., "heroes"), and thus the nucleus" "of a standing army was formed. Saul had an army of 3,000 select" warriors (1 Sam. 13:2; 14:52; 24:2). David also had a band of soldiers around him (1 Sam. 23:13; 25:13). To this band he afterwards added the Cherethites and the Pelethites (2 Sam. 15:18; 20:7). At first the army consisted only of infantry (1 "Sam. 4:10; 15:4), as the use of horses was prohibited (Deut." 17:16); but chariots and horses were afterwards added (2 Sam. "8:4; 1 Kings 10:26, 28, 29; 1 Kings 9:19). In 1 Kings 9:22 there" is given a list of the various gradations of rank held by those who composed the army. The equipment and maintenance of the army "were at the public expense (2 Sam. 17:28, 29; 1 Kings 4:27;" "10:16, 17; Judg. 20:10). At the Exodus the number of males above" "twenty years capable of bearing arms was 600,000 (Ex. 12:37). In" "David's time it mounted to the number of 1,300,000 (2 Sam." 24:9).