Topical Bible: Fighting-men

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Topical Encyclopedia

In the biblical context, "fighting-men" refers to those individuals who were trained and equipped for warfare, often serving as soldiers in the armies of Israel and other nations mentioned in the Scriptures. These men played a crucial role in the defense and expansion of territories, as well as in the execution of divine judgment as commanded by God.

Old Testament Context

The concept of fighting-men is prevalent throughout the Old Testament, where warfare was a common aspect of life for the Israelites. The first mention of organized fighting-men can be traced back to the time of Abraham, who led 318 trained men to rescue his nephew Lot (Genesis 14:14). This early example highlights the importance of having a prepared and capable force to respond to threats.

During the Exodus, the Israelites were organized into a military structure as they journeyed from Egypt to the Promised Land. In Numbers 1:3, God commands Moses to take a census of all the men in Israel who were twenty years old and older, able to serve in the army: "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." This census was crucial for organizing the tribes into a fighting force capable of conquering Canaan.

The period of the Judges and the monarchy saw the continued reliance on fighting-men. Notable figures such as Gideon, who led a reduced force of 300 men to victory over the Midianites (Judges 7), and King David, who was renowned for his military prowess and the loyalty of his mighty men (2 Samuel 23:8-39), exemplify the role of fighting-men in achieving God's purposes.

New Testament Context

While the New Testament does not focus on physical warfare in the same manner as the Old Testament, the concept of spiritual warfare is introduced. Believers are called to be spiritual warriors, equipped with the armor of God to stand against the forces of evil. Ephesians 6:11-13 instructs believers: "Put on the full armor of God, so that you can make your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this world’s darkness, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms."

Characteristics and Duties

Fighting-men in the Bible were characterized by their bravery, loyalty, and skill in battle. They were often selected based on their physical capabilities and willingness to serve. Their duties included defending their nation, executing divine commands, and maintaining peace and order. The role of fighting-men was not only a matter of national security but also a means through which God demonstrated His power and faithfulness to His people.

Spiritual Implications

The concept of fighting-men extends beyond physical combat to encompass spiritual readiness and vigilance. Believers are encouraged to be spiritually prepared, standing firm in faith and righteousness. The imagery of a soldier is used to convey the seriousness of the Christian's spiritual battle and the need for perseverance and reliance on God's strength.

In summary, fighting-men in the Bible were essential to the physical and spiritual battles faced by God's people. Their legacy serves as a reminder of the importance of preparedness, courage, and faithfulness in fulfilling God's purposes.

Library

How the Romans Took the Second Wall Twice, and Got all Ready for ...
... As to the people, he had them of a long time ready to comply with his proposals;
but as to the fighting men, this humanity of his seemed a mark of his weakness ...
/.../chapter 8 how the romans.htm

David the Shepherd Youth.
... Then King Saul sent out messengers to sound the war-horns up and down the valleys,
and gather his fighting-men to drive back their old enemies. ...
/.../anonymous/children of the old testament/david the shepherd youth.htm

The Faithful Servant
... twisted and bowed, had fought with such terrible savagery and had incontinently
laid in the dust in succession three of the camp's best fighting-men, that the ...
/.../miller/the city of delight/chapter xxi the faithful servant.htm

How Moses Conquered Sihon and Og Kings of the Amorites, and ...
... fear, and fed their cattle upon it; and they took the enemies prisoners, for they
could no way put a stop to them, since all the fighting men were destroyed. ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 5 how moses conquered.htm

Prayer and vigilance
... saints.". Prayer, and more prayer, adds to the fighting qualities and the
more certain victories of God's good fighting-men. The ...
/.../bounds/the necessity of prayer/xi prayer and vigilance.htm

The Kingdom Op Judah.
... The lesson of meekness seems to have been the one chiefly appointed for Rehoboam,
for when he assembled the fighting men of Judah and Benjamin to subdue the ...
//christianbookshelf.org/yonge/the chosen people/lesson vii the kingdom op.htm

Josephus Makes an Attempt Upon Sepphoris but is Repelled. Titus ...
... who, as they followed in vast numbers, so because they had been trained up in war
with the rest, ought not to be distinguished from the fighting men; for as ...
/.../chapter 4 josephus makes an.htm

Through the Book to God.
... bit of story told of one of David's mighty men.[35] One day there was a sudden attack
upon the camp by the Philistines when the fighting men were all away. ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/gordon/quiet talks on prayer/through the book to god.htm

The Siege and Taking of Gamala.
... The people that were in it were made more bold by the nature of the place than the
people of Jotapata had been, but it had much fewer fighting men in it; and ...
/.../chapter 1 the siege and.htm

The End of the War
... The disbanding of the contingent from the tribes across Jordan (xxii.1-8). Forty
thousand fighting men, of the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half of Manasseh ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture f/the end of the war.htm

Thesaurus

Fighting-men (30 Occurrences)
Fighting-men. Fighting-man, Fighting-men. Fightings . Multi-Version
Concordance Fighting-men (30 Occurrences). Genesis ...
/f/fighting-men.htm - 16k

Fighting (201 Occurrences)
... Matthew 8:9 Because I myself am a man under authority, having under me fighting
men; and I say to this one, Go, and he goes; and to another, Come, and he comes ...
/f/fighting.htm - 37k

Numbering (35 Occurrences)
... The census, so far as completed, showed that there were at least 1,300,000 fighting
men in the kingdom, indicating at that time a population of about six or ...
/n/numbering.htm - 19k

Body-covers (25 Occurrences)
... (BBE). Ezekiel 32:27 And they have been put to rest with the fightingmen who came
to their end in days long past, who went down to the underworld with their ...
/b/body-covers.htm - 14k

Fighting-man (5 Occurrences)
Fighting-man. Fighting, Fighting-man. Fighting-men . Multi-Version Concordance ...
(BBE). Fighting, Fighting-man. Fighting-men . Reference Bible.
/f/fighting-man.htm - 8k

Warriors (75 Occurrences)
... of Songs 4:4 Your neck is like the tower of David made for a store-house of arms,
in which a thousand breastplates are hanging, breastplates for fighting-men. ...
/w/warriors.htm - 27k

Saul's (79 Occurrences)
... 1 Samuel 31:12 All the fightingmen got up and, travelling all night, took Saul's
body and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Beth-shan; and they came to ...
/s/saul's.htm - 31k

Numbers (136 Occurrences)
... The Second Passover (Numbers 9:1-5) (2) The Thirty-seven Years' Chasm (3) Fortieth
Year 2. So-called Statistical Errors (1) Number of the FightingMen (2) Size ...
/n/numbers.htm - 71k

Uzzi'ah (26 Occurrences)
... 2 Chronicles 26:11 Moreover Uzziah had an army of fightingmen, that went out to
war by bands, according to the number of their reckoning made by Jeiel the ...
/u/uzzi'ah.htm - 13k

Oak-tree (11 Occurrences)
... 1 Chronicles 10:12 All the fighting-men came up and took away Saul's body and the
bodies of his sons, and took them to Jabesh, and put their bones to rest ...
/o/oak-tree.htm - 10k

Resources

What does the Bible say about fighting? | GotQuestions.org

Who were the mighty men of David? | GotQuestions.org

Why are there contradictory accounts regarding the death of Saul in 1 and 2 Samuel? | GotQuestions.org

Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus

Concordance

Fighting-men (30 Occurrences)

Genesis 14:24
Give me nothing but the food which the fighting-men who went with me have had; but let Aner and Eshcol and Mamre have their part of the goods.
(BBE)

Numbers 31:32
Now the beasts taken, in addition to what the fighting-men took for themselves, were six hundred and seventy-five thousand sheep,
(BBE)

Numbers 31:42
And from the half given to the children of Israel, which Moses had kept separate from that given to the fighting-men,
(BBE)

Numbers 31:49
And said to him, Your servants have taken note of the number of all the fighting-men under our orders, and every one is present;
(BBE)

Joshua 1:14
Your wives, your little ones, and your cattle will be kept here in the land which Moses gave you on this side of Jordan; but you, the fighting-men, are to go over before your brothers, armed, to give them help;
(BBE)

Joshua 5:4
And this is the reason why Joshua did so: all the males of the people who came out of Egypt, all the fighting-men, had been overtaken by death in the waste land on the way, after they came out of Egypt.
(BBE)

Joshua 5:6
For the children of Israel were wandering in the waste land for forty years, till all the nation, that is, all the fighting-men, who had come out of Egypt, were dead, because they did not give ear to the voice of the Lord: to whom the Lord said, with an oath, that he would not let them see the land which the Lord had given his word to their fathers to give us, a land flowing with milk and honey.
(BBE)

Joshua 6:3
Now let all your fighting-men make a circle round the town, going all round it once. Do this for six days.
(BBE)

Joshua 8:1
Then the Lord said to Joshua, Have no fear and do not be troubled: take with you all the fighting-men and go up against Ai: for I have given into your hands the king of Ai and his people and his town and his land:
(BBE)

Joshua 8:3
So Joshua and the fighting-men got ready to go up against Ai; and Joshua took thirty thousand men of war, and sent them out by night.
(BBE)

Joshua 8:11
And all the fighting-men who were with him went up and came near the town, and took up a position on the north side of Ai facing the town, with a valley between him and the town.
(BBE)

Judges 20:15
And the children of Benjamin who came that day from the towns were twenty-six thousand men armed with swords, in addition to the people of Gibeah, numbering seven hundred of the best fighting-men,
(BBE)

Judges 21:10
So they (the meeting) sent twelve thousand of the best fighting-men, and gave them orders, saying, Go and put the people of Jabesh-gilead to the sword without mercy, with their women and their little ones.
(BBE)

2 Samuel 2:21
And Abner said, Then go to the right or to the left and put your hands on one of the fighting-men and take his arms. But Asahel would not be turned away from going after Abner.
(BBE)

2 Samuel 6:1
And David got together all the fighting-men of Israel to the number of thirty thousand;
(BBE)

2 Samuel 10:7
And hearing of this, David sent Joab and all the army and the best fighting-men.
(BBE)

2 Samuel 20:7
So there went after Abishai, Joab and the Cherethites and the Pelethites and all the fighting-men; they went out of Jerusalem to overtake Sheba, the son of Bichri.
(BBE)

1 Kings 12:21
When Rehoboam came to Jerusalem, he got together all the men of Judah and the tribe of Benjamin, a hundred and eighty thousand of his best fighting-men, to make war against Israel and get the kingdom back for Rehoboam, the son of Solomon.
(BBE)

2 Kings 3:25
Pulling down the towns, covering every good field with stones, stopping up all the water-springs, and cutting down all the good trees; they went on driving Moab before them till only in Kir-hareseth were there any Moabites; and the fighting-men went round the town raining stones on it.
(BBE)

1 Chronicles 7:4
And with them, recorded in generations by their families, were bands of fighting-men, thirty-six thousand of them, for they had a great number of wives and sons.
(BBE)

1 Chronicles 10:12
All the fighting-men came up and took away Saul's body and the bodies of his sons, and took them to Jabesh, and put their bones to rest under the oak-tree in Jabesh, and took no food for seven days.
(BBE)

1 Chronicles 19:8
And David, hearing of it, sent Joab with all the army of fighting-men.
(BBE)

2 Chronicles 11:1
And Rehoboam came to Jerusalem, and got together the men of Judah and Benjamin, a hundred and eighty thousand of his best fighting-men, to make war against Israel and get the kingdom back for Rehoboam.
(BBE)

2 Chronicles 25:5
Then Amaziah got all Judah together and put them in order by their families, even all Judah and Benjamin, under captains of thousands and captains of hundreds: and he had those of twenty years old and over numbered, and they came to three hundred thousand of the best fighting-men, trained for war and in the use of the spear and the body-cover.
(BBE)

2 Chronicles 25:6
And for a hundred talents of silver, he got a hundred thousand fighting-men from Israel.
(BBE)

2 Chronicles 26:11
In addition, Uzziah had an army of fighting-men who went out to war in bands, as they had been listed by Jeiel the scribe and Maaseiah the ruler, under the authority of Hananiah, one of the king's captains.
(BBE)

2 Chronicles 28:6
For Pekah, the son of Remaliah, in one day put to death a hundred and twenty thousand men of Judah, all of them good fighting-men; because they had given up the Lord, the God of their fathers.
(BBE)

Song of Songs 4:4
Your neck is like the tower of David made for a store-house of arms, in which a thousand breastplates are hanging, breastplates for fighting-men.
(BBE)

Jeremiah 12:5
If running with the fighting-men has made you tired, how will you be able to keep up with horses? and if in a land of peace you go in flight, what will become of you in the thick growth of Jordan?
(BBE)

Ezekiel 17:21
All his best fighting-men will be put to the sword, and the rest will be sent away to every wind: and you will be certain that I the Lord have said it.
(BBE)

Subtopics

Fighting-men

Related Terms

Fights (9 Occurrences)

Fighting (201 Occurrences)

Fighting-men (30 Occurrences)

Quarrels (10 Occurrences)

Ours (63 Occurrences)

Lusts (28 Occurrences)

Wars (24 Occurrences)

Wage (39 Occurrences)

Fears (40 Occurrences)