In biblical times, the concept of a body-guard was not uncommon, especially among kings and high-ranking officials who required protection due to their positions of power and influence. The role of a body-guard was to ensure the safety and security of their charge, often at the risk of their own lives. This entry explores the presence and function of body-guards in the Bible, highlighting key examples and their significance.

Old Testament References

1. David's Mighty Men: One of the most notable examples of body-guards in the Old Testament is found in the account of King David's "mighty men." These were elite warriors who served as both protectors and military leaders under David. Among them were the "Three" and the "Thirty," who performed extraordinary feats of bravery and loyalty. In 2 Samuel 23:23, Benaiah, one of these mighty men, is described as being "more honored than the Thirty, but he did not attain to the Three. And David appointed him over his guard."

2. Saul's Body-guard: King Saul, the first king of Israel, also had a body-guard. In 1 Samuel 22:14, Ahimelech the priest refers to David as "the king's son-in-law, captain of your body-guard, and highly respected in your household." This indicates that David, before becoming king, held a position of trust and responsibility within Saul's protective detail.

3. Pharaoh's Officers: In Genesis 37:36, Joseph is sold into slavery and eventually becomes a servant in the house of Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh and captain of the guard. This position suggests a role akin to a body-guard, responsible for the security of the Pharaoh and his interests.

New Testament References

While the New Testament does not explicitly mention body-guards in the same manner as the Old Testament, the concept of protection and security is still present. The Roman soldiers who guarded Jesus' tomb (Matthew 27:65-66) can be seen as fulfilling a similar protective role, ensuring that the body of Jesus was not tampered with.

Cultural and Historical Context

In the ancient Near East, the presence of a body-guard was a symbol of authority and power. Kings and rulers often surrounded themselves with trusted warriors who were skilled in combat and loyal to their leader. These guards were not only protectors but also confidants and advisors, playing a crucial role in the administration and stability of a kingdom.

Spiritual Implications

From a spiritual perspective, the concept of a body-guard can be seen as a metaphor for divine protection. Just as earthly kings required physical protection, believers are assured of God's protection and guidance. Psalm 121:7-8 states, "The LORD will guard you from all evil; He will preserve your soul. The LORD will watch over your coming and going, both now and forevermore." This assurance of divine guardianship provides comfort and security to the faithful.

In summary, the role of a body-guard in biblical times was multifaceted, encompassing protection, loyalty, and service. Whether through the mighty men of David or the officers of Pharaoh, these individuals played a vital role in the safety and success of their leaders, reflecting a broader theme of protection and faithfulness found throughout Scripture.BODY-GUARD

bod'-i-gard: The expression occurs in Apocrypha (1 Esdras 3:4), "the body-guard that kept the king's person."

4759 -- captain of the guard.
... Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine Phonetic Spelling: (strat-op-ed-ar'-khace) Short
Definition: commander of the Roman emperor's body-guard Definition: commander ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4759.htm - 5k3746. Kari -- bodyguard of Jehoash
... 3745, 3746. Kari. 3747 . bodyguard of Jehoash. Transliteration: Kari Phonetic
Spelling: (kaw-ree') Short Definition: Carites. Word ...
/hebrew/3746.htm - 6k

3774. Kerethi -- the foreign bodyguard of King David
... 3773, 3774. Kerethi. 3775 . the foreign bodyguard of King David. Transliteration:
Kerethi Phonetic Spelling: (ker-ay-thee') Short Definition: Cherethites. ...
/hebrew/3774.htm - 6k

2876. tabbach -- cook, guardsman
... 2875, 2876. tabbach. 2877 . cook, guardsman. Transliteration: tabbach
Phonetic Spelling: (tab-bawkh') Short Definition: bodyguard. ...
/hebrew/2876.htm - 6k

2877. tabbach -- guardsman
... 2876, 2877. tabbach. 2878 . guardsman. Transliteration: tabbach Phonetic
Spelling: (tab-bawkh') Short Definition: bodyguard. Word ...
/hebrew/2877.htm - 6k

7218. rosh -- head
... root Definition head NASB Word Usage bands (1), beginning (11), beheaded* (1), best
(1), best things (1), bodyguard* (1), captains (3), census (7), chief (35 ...
/hebrew/7218.htm - 6k

8104. shamar -- to keep, watch, preserve
... root Definition to keep, watch, preserve NASB Word Usage attend (4), being careful
(1), beware (8), bodyguard* (1), careful (32), careful to keep (1), cares (1 ...
/hebrew/8104.htm - 7k

The Sad Fate of a Guilty Nation
... In the nineteenth year of the reign of Nebuchadrezzar, king of Babylon, Nebuzaradan,
the commander of the body-guard, an officer of the king of Babylon, came ...
//christianbookshelf.org/sherman/the childrens bible/the sad fate of a.htm

Chapter xl
... at his two eunuchs, at the chief of the butlers and at the chief of the bakers,
and put them under guard in the house of the chief of the bodyguard, the prison ...
//christianbookshelf.org/leupold/exposition of genesis volume 1/chapter xl.htm

New Uses for Old Trophies
... It was arranged that he should be proclaimed in the temple court, yet the men that
were to be the body-guard were not armed with weapons, for fear an alarm ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 17 1871/new uses for old trophies.htm

Assurance.
... He threw it away, stepped out of the ranks of the soldiers, and went up to
where the body-guard stood. The captain of the body-guard ...
//christianbookshelf.org/moody/moodys anecdotes and illustrations/assurance.htm

Epistle Lxv. To Mauricius Augustus .
... To this, behold, Christ through me the last of His servants and of yours will answer,
saying; From a notary I made thee a Count of the bodyguard; from Count of ...
/.../the epistles of saint gregory the great/epistle lxv to mauricius augustus.htm

The End of Self-Will
... we have to conceive of a short, hopeless struggle on the plain, and then a rush
to the hills for safety, in which Saul and his sons and bodyguard were borne ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture f/the end of self-will.htm

The Continuation of the Story
... The Chaocheng mandarin, surrounded by his bodyguard, went outside the city gates
to the place where the Boxers were practising their rites with the intention ...
/.../the fulfilment of a dream of pastor hsis/chapter iv the continuation of.htm

Chapter xxxix
... 1-4. And as for Joseph he was brought down to Egypt, and Potiphar, a eunuch of
Pharaoh's, captain of the bodyguard, an Egyptian man, bought him from the ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/leupold/exposition of genesis volume 1/chapter xxxix.htm

Chapter xli
... Pharaoh was angry at bis servants and put me under guard in the house of the chief
of the bodyguard, both me and the chief of the bakers, And we dreamed a ...
//christianbookshelf.org/leupold/exposition of genesis volume 1/chapter xli.htm

David Appointing Solomon
... They were David's bodyguard, and were probably as heartily hated by Joab and
the other Israelite soldiers as they were trusted by David. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture f/david appointing solomon.htm

Bodyguard (23 Occurrences)
... i-gard: The expression occurs in Apocrypha (1 Esdras 3:4), "the body-guard that
kept the king's person.". Multi-Version Concordance Bodyguard (23 Occurrences). ...
/b/bodyguard.htm - 14k

Body-guard (23 Occurrences)
Body-guard. Bodyguard, Body-guard. Body's . Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia
BODY-GUARD. ... (DBY). Bodyguard, Body-guard. Body's . Reference Bible.
/b/body-guard.htm - 14k

Nebuzar-adan (14 Occurrences)
... on the seventh of the month, which was in the nineteenth year of king Nebuchadnezzar,
king of Babylon, Nebuzar-adan, captain of the body-guard, servant of the ...
/n/nebuzar-adan.htm - 11k

Guard (185 Occurrences)
... word properly means a "pikeman" or "halberdier," of whom the bodyguard of kings ... 1.
Royal Body-Guard: An oriental monarch's body-guard consisted of picked men ...
/g/guard.htm - 55k

Pelethites (7 Occurrences)
... and may denote that while forming part of David's bodyguard, they were ... are the names
simply of two Philistine tribes from which David selected his body-guard. ...
/p/pelethites.htm - 10k

Captain (167 Occurrences)
... same Hebrew word denotes a military captain (Exodus 18:21; 2 Kings 1:9; Deuteronomy
1:15; 1 Samuel 18:13, etc.), the "captain of the body-guard" (Genesis 37:36 ...
/c/captain.htm - 53k

Jehoiada (51 Occurrences)
... je-hoi'-a-da (yehoyadha`, "Yahweh knows"; Iodae): (1) Father of Benaiah, the captain
of David's body-guard (2 Samuel 8:18; 2 Samuel 20:23; 2 Samuel 23:20, 22 1 ...
/j/jehoiada.htm - 36k

Deserters (3 Occurrences)
... 2 Kings 25:11 And Nebuzar-adan the captain of the body-guard carried away captive
the rest of the people that were left in the city, and the deserters that had ...
/d/deserters.htm - 7k

Censers (11 Occurrences)
... 2 Kings 25:15 And the censers and the bowls, that which was of gold in gold, and
that which was of silver in silver, the captain of the body-guard took away. ...
/c/censers.htm - 10k

Couriers (16 Occurrences)
... 2 Kings 11:4 And in the seventh year Jehoiada sent and fetched the captains of the
hundreds, of the bodyguard and the couriers, and brought them to him into ...
/c/couriers.htm - 12k

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