Topical Bible: Horse used for Cavalry

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In biblical times, horses were primarily associated with warfare and military strength. The use of horses for cavalry is a recurring theme in the Scriptures, symbolizing power, speed, and the might of armies. The Bible provides numerous references to horses in the context of battle, reflecting their importance in ancient military strategies.

Old Testament References

The earliest mention of horses in a military context is found in the account of the Egyptians pursuing the Israelites during the Exodus. In Exodus 14:9 , it is recorded, "The Egyptians—all Pharaoh’s horses and chariots, horsemen, and troops—pursued the Israelites and overtook them as they camped by the sea." This passage highlights the use of horses in conjunction with chariots, a common military practice in ancient Egypt.

In Deuteronomy 17:16 , God commands the future kings of Israel not to accumulate many horses, particularly from Egypt, as a means of ensuring that their reliance remains on Him rather than on military might: "But the king must not acquire great numbers of horses for himself or make the people return to Egypt to acquire more of them, for the LORD has said, ‘You are never to go back that way again.’"

The use of horses in battle is further illustrated in the accounts of King Solomon, who amassed a significant number of horses and chariots. 1 Kings 10:26 states, "Solomon accumulated chariots and horses; he had fourteen hundred chariots and twelve thousand horses, which he stationed in the chariot cities and also with him in Jerusalem." This accumulation was a demonstration of Solomon's wealth and military prowess, although it was contrary to the earlier divine command.

Prophetic Literature

The prophets often used the imagery of horses to convey messages of impending judgment or deliverance. In the book of Isaiah, the prophet warns of the Assyrian invasion, describing their cavalry: "Their arrows are sharp, all their bows are strung; their horses’ hooves are like flint, their chariot wheels like a whirlwind" (Isaiah 5:28). This vivid imagery underscores the speed and destructive power of the invading forces.

Similarly, in the book of Jeremiah, the Babylonian army is depicted with horses as a symbol of their strength and the inevitability of their conquest: "They are armed with bow and spear; they are cruel and merciless. Their voice roars like the sea, and they ride upon horses, lined up like men in formation against you, O Daughter of Zion" (Jeremiah 6:23).

New Testament and Symbolic Use

In the New Testament, horses are prominently featured in the apocalyptic visions of Revelation. The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, described in Revelation 6, each ride a horse of a different color, symbolizing conquest, war, famine, and death. Revelation 6:2 states, "So I looked and saw a white horse, and its rider held a bow. And he was given a crown, and he rode out to overcome and conquer." These horses serve as powerful symbols of divine judgment and the unfolding of end-time events.

Cultural and Theological Significance

Throughout the Bible, horses used for cavalry are emblematic of human reliance on military strength and the temptation to trust in earthly power rather than divine providence. The biblical narrative consistently points to the futility of such reliance, urging the faithful to place their trust in God. As Psalm 20:7 declares, "Some trust in chariots and others in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God."

The use of horses in biblical warfare serves as a reminder of the transient nature of human power and the ultimate sovereignty of God over the affairs of nations.

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2 Kings 18:23
Now therefore, I pray you, give pledges to my lord the king of Assyria, and I will deliver you two thousand horses, if you be able on your part to set riders on them.
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Jeremiah 47:3
At the noise of the stamping of the hoofs of his strong horses, at the rushing of his chariots, and at the rumbling of his wheels, the fathers shall not look back to their children for feebleness of hands;
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Jeremiah 51:21
And with you will I break in pieces the horse and his rider; and with you will I break in pieces the chariot and his rider;
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Library

Of the Three Woe Trumpets.
... upon the great river Euphrates." The angels are used for the ... it because, in the Turkish
army, the cavalry so far ... thee forth and all thy army, horse and horsemen ...
/.../mede/a key to the apocalypse/of the three woe trumpets.htm

The Outbreak at Benares.
... the North-Western Provinces, and had been used for this ... accompanied by men of the
Irregular Cavalry regiment. ... as driver, urging the poor overladen horse to his ...
/.../life and work in benares and kumaon 1839-1877/chapter xvii the outbreak at.htm

The Review of the Troops at Doriscus.
... There was, for example, a cavalry force of eighty ... which noose the rude warrior who
used the implement ... at the enemy, and entangling rider and horse together by ...
//christianbookshelf.org/abbott/xerxes/chapter vi the review of.htm

Treatise on the Priesthood. Book vi.
... In such a tempest I used to pass the time ... there be an armament composed of infantry,
cavalry, and marines ... the sea, and phalanxes of foot and horse cover most of ...
/.../chrysostom/on the priesthood/treatise on the priesthood book 6.htm

The Eighteenth Theban Dynasty
... soldier; the chariotry, in fact, like the cavalry of the ... trusted himself to the back
of a horse, and it ... as couriers or aides-de-camp; they used neither saddle ...
/.../chapter iiithe eighteenth theban dynasty.htm

The Last Days of the Old Eastern World
... while galleys built on a special model were used as transports ... to the enemy, but
it had no cavalry of any ... be crushed by the Thessalian and Persian horse if he ...
/.../chapter iithe last days of 2.htm

Chaldaean Civilization
... Below the plan can be seen the ruler marked with the divisions used by the architect
for drawing his designs to the desired scale; the scribe's stylus is ...
/.../chapter iiichaldaean civilization.htm

Consolation Proportionate to Spiritual Sufferings
... shut it up as closely as Apsley House used to be ... You have counted the infantry and
cavalry; but how many ... once asked a friend, concerning a beautiful horse of his ...
/.../consolation proportionate to spiritual sufferings.htm

Pagan Cemeteries.
... terebinth" was the tomb of the favorite horse of Lucius ... caligarius, or maker of caligae,
which were used chiefly by ... who had the command of the cavalry and the ...
/.../lanciani/pagan and christian rome/chapter vi pagan cemeteries.htm

Vespasian, when He had Taken the City Gadaea Marches to Jotapata. ...
... them round the whole, which consisted of cavalry, in order to ... but for the rest of
the horse, he ordered ... upon them, before those that should have used them were ...
/.../chapter 7 vespasian when he.htm