Armies

How Nave’s arranged it

• Who of the Israelites were subject to service inNumbers 1:2Numbers 1:3Numbers 26:22 Chronicles 25:5
• Who were exempt from service inNumbers 1:47–50Numbers 2:33Deuteronomy 20:5–9Judges 7:3
• Enumeration of Israel's military forcesNumbers 1:2Numbers 1:3Numbers 26:21 Samuel 11:82 Samuel 18:12 Samuel 18:22 Samuel 24:1–91 Kings 20:152 Chronicles 25:5
• Levies forNumbers 31:4Judges 20:10
• Compulsory service in1 Samuel 14:52
• See Cowardice
• How officered
• Commander-in-chief1 Samuel 14:502 Samuel 2:82 Samuel 8:162 Samuel 17:252 Samuel 19:132 Samuel 20:23
• Generals of corps and divisionsNumbers 2:3Numbers 2:311 Chronicles 27:1–222 Chronicles 17:12–19
• Captains of thousandsNumbers 31:14Numbers 31:481 Samuel 17:181 Chronicles 28:12 Chronicles 25:5
• Captains of hundredsNumbers 31:14Numbers 31:482 Kings 11:151 Chronicles 28:12 Chronicles 25:5
• Captains of fifties2 Kings 1:9Isaiah 3:3

The passages, in Bible order (243)

The same references, sorted Genesis to Revelation. The first 16 are quoted in full; the rest are one click beneath them, book by book.

1. Genesis 14:14

   And when Abram heard that his relative had been captured, he mobilized the 318 trained men born in his household, and they set out in pursuit as far as Dan.

   ›Commentary on Genesis 14:142 voices

   “And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his trained servants--domestic slaves, such as are common in Eastern countries still and are considered and treated as members of the family.

   "When Abraham learned of this, he counted his servants born in the house" and with 318 men won a victory and liberated his nephew. This shows that the separation had taken place in friendship, since Abraham's love for his nephew was so great that he was willing to confront even the dangers of war on his behalf. What does it mean "he counted"? It means he "chose." So too what Jesus said in the Gospel refers not only to the knowledge of God but also to the grace of the just: "Even the hairs on your head are all counted."

   Everything gathered on Genesis 14:14→

   Verse page →Original language →

2. Genesis 14:15

   During the night, Abram divided his forces and routed Chedorlaomer’s army, pursuing them as far as Hobah, north of Damascus.

   ›Commentary on Genesis 14:152 voices

   “And he divided himself against them - It required both considerable courage and address in Abram to lead him to attack the victorious armies of these four kings with so small a number of troops, and on this occasion both his skill and his courage are exercised. His affection for Lot appears to have been his chief motive; he cheerfully risks his life for that nephew who had lately chosen the best part of the land, and left his uncle to live as he might, on what he did not think worthy his own acceptance.

   “Again, It is all one with the Lord to save by many or by few, 1 Sam. xiv. He rescued his kinsman; twice here he is called his brother Lot. The remembrance of the relation that was between them, both by nature and grace, made him forget the little quarrel that had been between them, in which Lot had by no means acted well towards Abram.

   Everything gathered on Genesis 14:15→

   Verse page →Original language →

3. Exodus 13:18

   So God led the people around by the way of the wilderness toward the Red Sea. And the Israelites left the land of Egypt arrayed for battle.

   ›Commentary on Exodus 13:182 voices

   “God had given it to Moses for a sign, chap. iii, 12, ye shall serve God in this mountain. They had again and again told Pharaoh that they must go three days journey into the wilderness to do sacrifice, and therefore it was requisite they should march that way, else they had justly been exclaimed against as dissemblers.

   “God led the people about, through the way of the wilderness of the Red Sea, &c.--This wondrous expanse of water is a gulf of the Indian ocean. It was called in Hebrew "the weedy sea," from the forest of marine plants with which it abounds. But the name of the Red Sea is not so easily traced.

   Everything gathered on Exodus 13:18→

   Verse page →Original language →

4. Exodus 17:11

   As long as Moses held up his hands, Israel prevailed; but when he lowered them, Amalek prevailed.

   ›Commentary on Exodus 17:112 voices

   “For my own warfare, however, I am at a loss what course to pursue, what alliance, what word of wisdom, what grace to devise, with what panoply to arm myself against the wiles of the wicked one. What Moses did is to conquer him by stretching out his hands upon the mount, in order that the cross, thus typified and prefigured, may prevail.

   “And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed,.... With his rod in it as a banner displayed, as some think, which inspired the Israelites with courage to fight, and they had the better of it; though Aben Ezra rejects that notion, observing, that if that had been the case, Aaron or Hur would have lifted it up, or fixed it in a high place on the mount, that it might have been seen standing; and therefore he thinks the sense of the ancients the most correct, that it was a prayer gesture.

   Everything gathered on Exodus 17:11→

   Verse page →Original language →

5. Exodus 17:12

   When Moses’ hands grew heavy, they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it. Then Aaron and Hur held his hands up, one on each side, so that his hands remained steady until the sun went down.

   ›Commentary on Exodus 17:122 voices

   “Until the going down of the sun - The length of this first great battle indicates the strength and obstinacy of the assailants. It was no mere raid of Bedouins, but a deliberate attack of the Amalekites, who had been probably thoroughly trained in warfare by their struggles with Egypt.

   “No doubt it was a great encouragement to the people to see Joshua before them in the field of battle and Moses above them upon the top of the hill: Christ is both to us--our Joshua, the captain of our salvation who fights our battles, and our Moses, who, in the upper world, ever lives making intercession, that our faith fail not.

   Everything gathered on Exodus 17:12→

   Verse page →Original language →

6. Numbers 1:2

   “Take a census of the whole congregation of Israel by their clans and families, listing every man by name, one by one.

   ›Commentary on Numbers 1:22 voices

   “It is true, the sums and numbers agree in this and that computation, which is not strange, because there was not much time between the two numberings, and no eminent sin among the people in that interval, whereby God was provoked to diminish their numbers.

   “Take ye the sum, etc. - God, having established the commonwealth of Israel by just and equitable laws, ordained every thing relative to the due performance of his own worship, erected his tabernacle, which was his throne, and the place of his residence among the people, and consecrated his priests who were to minister before him; he now orders his subjects to be mustered, 1. That they might see he had not forgotten his promise to Abraham, but was multiplying his posterity. 2. That they might observe due order in their march toward the promised land.

   Everything gathered on Numbers 1:2→

   Verse page →Original language →

7. Numbers 1:3

   You and Aaron are to number those who are twenty years of age or older by their divisions—everyone who can serve in Israel’s army.

   ›Commentary on Numbers 1:32 voices

   “Aaron shall number them by their armies--or companies. In their departure from Egypt they were divided into five grand companies (Ex 13:18), but from the sojourn in the wilderness to the passage of the Jordan, they were formed into four great divisions. The latter is here referred to.

   “From twenty years old and upward - In this census no women were reckoned, nor children, nor strangers, nor the Levites, nor old men, which, collectively, must have formed an immense multitude; the Levites alone amounted to 22,300. True-born Israelites only are reckoned; such as were able to carry arms, and were expert for war.

   Everything gathered on Numbers 1:3→

   Verse page →Original language →

8. Numbers 1:47–50

   The Levites, however, were not numbered along with them by the tribe of their fathers.

   ›Commentary on Numbers 1:47–501 voice

   “When a census of the tribe of Levi takes place. Num 3:15; Num 26:62, “all” the males are counted from a month old and upward, and not, as in the other tribes, those only who were of age for service in the field. Num 1:48 had spoken - Render spake. The formal appointment is only now made, in reward for their zeal Exo 32:26-29, though reference to their future office appears previously in Lev 25:32 ff, and they had already acted as assistants to the priests (compare Exo 38:21).

   Everything gathered on Numbers 1:47–50→

   Verse page →Original language →

9. Numbers 2:1

   Then the LORD said to Moses and Aaron:

   Verse page →Original language →

10. Numbers 2:2

    “The Israelites are to camp around the Tent of Meeting at a distance from it, each man under his standard, with the banners of his family.

    ›Commentary on Numbers 2:22 voices

    “It is supposed they Were at 2000 cubits distance from it, which was the space between the people and the ark; and it is not improbable, because the Levites encamped round about it, between them and the tabernacle.

    “The latter must have been absolutely necessary, as one ensign only for a tribe would not have been visible at the extremities of so large a body. We possess no authentic information as to their forms, material, colors, and devices. But it is probable that they might bear some resemblance to those of Egypt, only stripped of any idolatrous symbols.

    Everything gathered on Numbers 2:2→

    Verse page →Original language →

11. Numbers 2:3

    On the east side, toward the sunrise, the divisions of Judah are to camp under their standard:

    ›Commentary on Numbers 2:32 voices

    “And on the east side, towards the rising of the sun,.... Which rises in the east; or of all; for, as Jarchi observes, that which is "before" is called "Kedem", the east, as the west is called "behind": shall they of the standard of the camp of Judah pitch, throughout their armies; the tribes of Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun, formed one camp, which had its name from the principal tribe Judah; and this was divided into various regiments and companies, called armies, who severally pitched under one and the same standard.

    “Judah - This tribe was in the first post, and in their marches led the van, not only because it was the most numerous, but chiefly because Christ, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, was to descend from it: Yea, from the loins of Nahshon, who is here appointed the chief captain of it.

    Everything gathered on Numbers 2:3→

    Verse page →Original language →

12. Numbers 2:10

    On the south side, the divisions of Reuben are to camp under their standard:

    ›Commentary on Numbers 2:102 voices

    “On the south side shall be the standard of the camp of Reuben, according to their armies,.... This camp consisted of the tribes of Reuben, Simeon, and Gad, which was divided into lesser bodies, regiments, or companies, called armies; and this was placed to the south of the tabernacle, or to the right hand, as Aben Ezra interprets it; this was the right wing of the whole army. Reuben's stone, according to the Jewish writers (h), was the "sardius", and his flag was coloured red, and there were figured upon it mandrakes.

    “The tabernacle or sacred tent of their Divine King, with the camp of the Levites around it (see on Nu 3:38), formed the center, as does the chief's in the encampment of all nomad people. In marching, this order was adhered to, with some necessary variations. Judah led the way, followed, it is most probable, by Issachar and Zebulun [Nu 10:14-16].

    Everything gathered on Numbers 2:10→

    Verse page →Original language →

13. Numbers 2:17

    In the middle of the camps, the Tent of Meeting is to travel with the camp of the Levites. They are to set out in the order they encamped, each in his own place under his standard.

    ›Commentary on Numbers 2:172 voices

    “The tabernacle or sacred tent of their Divine King, with the camp of the Levites around it (see on Nu 3:38), formed the center, as does the chief's in the encampment of all nomad people. In marching, this order was adhered to, with some necessary variations. Judah led the way, followed, it is most probable, by Issachar and Zebulun [Nu 10:14-16].

    “In the midst - This is not to be understood strictly, but largely; for in their march they were divided, and part of that tribe marched next after Judah, chap. x, 17, and the other part exactly in the midst of the camp.

    Everything gathered on Numbers 2:17→

    Verse page →Original language →

14. Numbers 2:18

    On the west side, the divisions of Ephraim are to camp under their standard:

    ›Commentary on Numbers 2:181 voice

    “The tabernacle or sacred tent of their Divine King, with the camp of the Levites around it (see on Nu 3:38), formed the center, as does the chief's in the encampment of all nomad people. In marching, this order was adhered to, with some necessary variations. Judah led the way, followed, it is most probable, by Issachar and Zebulun [Nu 10:14-16].

    Everything gathered on Numbers 2:18→

    Verse page →Original language →

15. Numbers 2:25

    On the north side, the divisions of Dan are to camp under their standard:

    ›Commentary on Numbers 2:251 voice

    “The tabernacle or sacred tent of their Divine King, with the camp of the Levites around it (see on Nu 3:38), formed the center, as does the chief's in the encampment of all nomad people. In marching, this order was adhered to, with some necessary variations. Judah led the way, followed, it is most probable, by Issachar and Zebulun [Nu 10:14-16].

    Everything gathered on Numbers 2:25→

    Verse page →Original language →

16. Numbers 2:31

    The total number of men in the camp of Dan is 157,600; they shall set out last, under their standards.”

    ›Commentary on Numbers 2:312 voices

    “The tabernacle or sacred tent of their Divine King, with the camp of the Levites around it (see on Nu 3:38), formed the center, as does the chief's in the encampment of all nomad people. In marching, this order was adhered to, with some necessary variations. Judah led the way, followed, it is most probable, by Issachar and Zebulun [Nu 10:14-16].

    “The Camp of Daniel - The strongest camp next after Judah, and therefore he comes in the rear, as Judah marched in the front, that the tabernacle might be best guarded where there was most danger.

    Everything gathered on Numbers 2:31→

    Verse page →Original language →