Topical Bible: Shields: Frequently Made of, or Covered With: Brass

◄ Shields: Frequently Made of, or Covered With: Brass ►

Jump to: Torrey's • Library • Subtopics • Terms

Topical Encyclopedia

In biblical times, shields were essential pieces of military equipment, providing protection in battle. Among the materials used for crafting these defensive tools, brass (or bronze) was a common choice due to its durability and ability to withstand the rigors of combat. The use of brass in the construction or covering of shields is mentioned in several passages of the Bible, highlighting its significance in ancient warfare.

Biblical References:

1. 1 Kings 14:27 : "So King Rehoboam made bronze shields to replace them and assigned them to the officers of the guard who protected the entrance to the king’s palace." This verse refers to the time when King Rehoboam, after losing the original gold shields to the Egyptian king Shishak, replaced them with bronze shields. This substitution underscores the value and practicality of bronze as a material for shields, even when gold was not available.

2. 2 Chronicles 12:10 : "Then King Rehoboam made bronze shields in their place and committed them to the care of the captains of the guard who protected the entrance to the royal palace." This parallel account to 1 Kings 14:27 reiterates the use of bronze shields during Rehoboam's reign, emphasizing their role in the defense of the royal household.

3. 1 Samuel 17:6 : "He had bronze greaves on his legs and a bronze javelin slung between his shoulders." While this verse primarily describes Goliath's armor, it illustrates the widespread use of bronze in military equipment, including shields, during the period of the Philistines and Israelites.

Historical and Cultural Context:

In the ancient Near East, bronze was a widely used alloy, typically composed of copper and tin. Its availability and the relative ease of working with it made bronze a preferred material for various implements, including weapons and armor. The choice of bronze for shields was not only practical but also symbolic, as it represented strength and resilience.

The use of bronze shields is indicative of the technological advancements of the time. These shields were often large and round, designed to cover the body of the warrior. The metal provided a hard surface that could deflect blows and projectiles, offering significant protection in battle.

Symbolism and Spiritual Significance:

In the biblical narrative, shields often symbolize God's protection and strength. While the physical shields made of bronze served as tangible defenses, they also metaphorically represented the divine shield of faith and protection that God provides to His people. This duality of meaning is evident in passages such as Psalm 18:2 : "The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer. My God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold."

The use of bronze, a strong and enduring material, in the construction of shields, further underscores the enduring nature of God's protection over His people. The biblical accounts of bronze shields serve as a reminder of the physical and spiritual defenses that are available to believers through faith and reliance on God.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

1 Kings 14:27
And king Rehoboam made in their stead brazen shields, and committed them to the hands of the chief of the guard, which kept the door of the king's house.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

And ii.
... increased by the glittering arms which covered it ... the Song of Solomon iv.4, "All
shields of the ... a circumstance to which allusion is frequently made in Scripture ...
/.../hengstenberg/christology of the old testament/chap i and ii.htm

The Eighteenth Theban Dynasty
... this was then entirely faced with shields, square below ... favour, associated him with
herself more frequently in the ... Thutmosis III., such as Brugsch made it out ...
/.../chapter iiithe eighteenth theban dynasty.htm

The Rise of the Assyrian Empire
... was not, indeed, seriously modified, but it was covered over, so ... a concave groove,
or with a frieze made up of ... ideas of them, no matter how frequently they may ...
/.../chapter iithe rise of the.htm

A Discourse
... that, like cannon-shot, have so frequently on all ... to one target, and he made three
hundred shields of beaten ... There is but little mention made of targets in the ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/a discourse.htm

The Mystery
... emperor used to be inscribed on the shields, spears, and ... For there is no mention
made of an angel before ... multitude, of which kind was that frequently heard in ...
//christianbookshelf.org/mede/a key to the apocalypse/the mystery 2.htm

A Holy Life the Beauty of Christianity: Or, an Exhortation to ...
... render the fact almost incredible, did we not too frequently witness it ... is not right;
they have for shields of gold, made themselves shields of brass ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/a holy life the beauty.htm

The Medes and the Second Chaldaean Empire
... years past the Medes had been frequently engaged against ... of soft leather, and large
wickerwork shields covered with ox ... a quiver full of arrows made from reeds ...
/.../chapter iiithe medes and the.htm

The Hebrews and the Philistines --Damascus
... of scale mail and the helmet of brass; their weapons ... hostilities; even when a truce
was made at one ... the Law were enclosed in the Ark is frequently expressed in ...
/.../chapter iiithe hebrews and the.htm

Seasonable Counsel: Or, Advice to Sufferers.
... of his soul, he can shoe him with brass, and make ... saw that the hands of the angels
were made muzzles for ... Thus were the shields of the temple committed to the ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/seasonable counsel or advice to.htm

The Holy War,
... and hospitals, as well as other houses, were made a prey ... and arduous battle, in which
there is no brass or steel ... No breastplates, or shields, or swords, or darts ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/the holy war.htm