Topical Bible: Shields: Before War: Anointed

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In the ancient Near Eastern context, shields were not only essential defensive weapons in warfare but also held symbolic and ceremonial significance. The practice of anointing shields before battle is mentioned in the Bible, highlighting the spiritual and ritualistic dimensions of warfare in biblical times.

The anointing of shields is referenced in the book of Isaiah, where the prophet calls upon the people to prepare for battle: "Prepare the table, set a watchman in the tower, eat and drink. Arise, you princes, anoint the shield!" (Isaiah 21:5). This passage suggests that anointing the shield was part of the preparation for war, possibly serving as a ritual to invoke divine protection and favor.

Anointing, in biblical terms, often signifies consecration and the setting apart of people or objects for a holy purpose. In the context of warfare, anointing the shield could symbolize dedicating the battle to God, seeking His guidance and blessing for victory. This act may have been intended to sanctify the warriors and their equipment, ensuring that they were spiritually prepared for the conflict ahead.

The use of oil in anointing is significant, as oil is frequently associated with the Holy Spirit and divine presence in the Scriptures. By anointing their shields, warriors might have been expressing their reliance on God's strength and protection, acknowledging that victory ultimately comes from Him.

In addition to its spiritual implications, anointing shields could have had practical benefits. The application of oil might have helped to maintain the leather components of the shield, keeping them supple and preventing them from becoming brittle. This would ensure that the shield remained effective in deflecting blows during combat.

The anointing of shields before battle reflects the broader biblical theme of reliance on God in times of conflict. Throughout the Scriptures, God's people are encouraged to trust in His power and deliverance rather than solely relying on their own strength or military might. As the psalmist declares, "Some trust in chariots and others in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God" (Psalm 20:7).

In summary, the anointing of shields before war in the biblical narrative underscores the integration of faith and warfare, where physical preparation is accompanied by spiritual dedication. This practice serves as a reminder of the importance of seeking God's presence and blessing in all endeavors, particularly in the face of adversity and conflict.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

2 Samuel 1:21
You mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew, neither let there be rain, on you, nor fields of offerings: for there the shield of the mighty is vilely cast away, the shield of Saul, as though he had not been anointed with oil.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Isaiah 21:5
Prepare the table, watch in the watchtower, eat, drink: arise, you princes, and anoint the shield.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Saul's Expedition against the Nation of the Ammonites and victory ...
... their left eyes were covered by their shields, they might ... desirous to turn the people
to this war against the ... some of them that contemned him before, they now ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 5 sauls expedition against.htm

The Rise of the Assyrian Empire
... She opened the mysterious tree-trunk, anointed it with ... I. place their invasion fifty
years before the beginning ... was the scene of continual war, either between ...
/.../chapter iithe rise of the.htm

From the Latin.
... the Kingdom of His adversary; by whom the shields of faith ... the right hand of the
Hebrews had secured in war. ... But this soul which was in Jesus, before it knew ...
//christianbookshelf.org/origen/origen de principiis/from the latin.htm

Treatise on Christ and Antichrist.
... his ships, and the plain black with the shields of his ... wroth with the woman, and
went to make war with the ... In the text it is prokeimena (= things before us or ...
/.../treatise on christ and antichrist.htm

The Assyrian Revival and the Struggle for Syria
... as being in current use in Northern Syria at the beginning of the ninth century,
some forty years before the date of ... [Illustration: 054.jpg THE WAR-CHARIOT OF ...
/.../chapter ithe assyrian revival and.htm

And ii.
... the fact that the article is awanting before [Hebrew: tvrh ... were among the heroes,
helpers in the war." The expression ... Song of Solomon iv.4, "All shields of the ...
/.../hengstenberg/christology of the old testament/chap i and ii.htm

The Hebrews and the Philistines --Damascus
... His prophets, as well as of the anointed stones which ... Their war tactics were probably
similar to those of the ... in Syria, as well as in that before their capture ...
/.../chapter iiithe hebrews and the.htm

Period iv. The Age of the Consolidation of the Church: 200 to 324 ...
... Origen is writing just before the first general persecution under ... yet they would
not have made war even if ... of Vesta, the Palladium, the sacred shields, and all ...
/.../ayer/a source book for ancient church history/period iv the age of.htm

Seasonable Counsel: Or, Advice to Sufferers.
... Thus were the shields of the temple committed to the guard ... The devil told them before,
that a Christian was a ... must be a warrior, let him levy war against his ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/seasonable counsel or advice to.htm

Answer to Eunomius' Second Book .
... on Him "Who teacheth my hands to war, and my ... seem nevertheless, if only by their
serried shields, to conduce ... shield of faith, and ever holding before him that ...
/.../gregory of nyssa dogmatic treatises etc/answer to eunomius second book.htm