(ver. 17.) Asa king of Judah had an army of nearly six hundred thousand men, when he was attacked by Zerah the Ethiopian with an host of a million of men. (2 Chron. xiv. 8, 9.) Jehoshaphat king of Judah had eleven hundred and sixty thousand men, without reckoning the garrisons in his fortified places. (2 Chron. xvii. 14—19.)

Various regulations were made by Moses concerning the Israelitish soldiers, which are characterised by equal wisdom and humanity. Not to repeat what has already been noticed in p. 220. we may remark that the following classes of persons were wholly exempted from military service. (Deut. xx. 5-8., xxiv. 5.); viz.

1. He, who had built a new house, and had not dedicated it, was to return home, lest he should die in battle, and another man dedicate it. From the title of Psal. xxx. A Psalm or Song at the dedication of the house of David,—it was evidently a custom in Israel to dedicate a new house to Jehovah, with prayer, praise, and thanksgiving, in order to obtain the divine blessing.

2. Those who had planted a vine or olive yard, and who had not yet eaten of its produce.

3. Every man who had betrothed a wife, and had not taken her home. It is well known, that among the Jews a considerable time sometimes elapsed between the espousal or betrothing of the parties and the celebration of a marriage. When the bridegroom had made proper preparations, the bride was conducted to his house, and the nuptials were consummated.

4. Every newly married man, during the first year after his marriage.

The humanity of these exemptions will be the more evident, when it is recollected that, anciently, it was deemed an excessive hardship for a person to be obliged to go to battle (in which there was a probability of his being slain) who had left a new house unfinished, a newly purchased heritage half tilled, or a wife with whom he had just contracted marriage. Homer represents the case of Protesilaus as singularly afflicting, who was obliged to go to the Trojan war, leaving his wife in the deepest distress, and his house unfinished.'

5. The last exemption was in favour of the fearful and faint-hearted; an exemption of such a disgraceful nature, that one would think it never would have been claimed. Such, however, was the case in Gideon's expedition against the Midianites. Ten thousand only remained out of thirty-two thousand, of which number his army originally consisted; twenty-two thousand having complied with his proclamation, that whosoever was fearful and afraid might return and depart early from Mount Gilead. (Judg. vii. 3.)2

Before the regal government was established, the Israelitish army was entirely disbanded at the conclusion of a war. The earliest instance recorded of any military force being kept in time of peace, is in the reign of Saul, who retained two thousand for his body guard, and one thousand for his son Jonathan's guard. (1 Sam. xiii. 1, 2.) David had a distinct guard, called Cherethites and Pelethites, concerning

! Iliad, lib. ii. 700–702.

2 Michaelis's Commentaries, vol. iii. pp. 34—37.

the origin of whose name various contradictory opinions have been offered. Josephus, however, expressly says, that they were his guards, and the Chaldee paraphrast terms them archers and slingers.1 Besides these he had twelve bodies of twenty-four thousand men each, who were on duty for one month, forming an aggregate of two hundred and eighty-eight thousand men. (1 Chron. xxvii. 1-15.) Subsequently, when the art of war was improved, a regular force seems to have been kept up both in peace and war; for, exclusive of the vast army which Jehoshaphat had in the field, we read that he had troops throughout all the fenced cities, which, doubtless, were garrisoned in time of peace as well as during war.

III. The OFFICERS who were placed at the head of the Hebrew forces appear not to have differed materially from those whom we find in ancient and modern armies.

The Division of the army into three bands or companies, mentioned in Gen. xiv. 14, 15.; Job i. 17.; Judg. vii. 16. 20.; 1 Sam. xi. 11. and 2 Sam. xviii. 2., was probably no other than the division into the centre, left, and right wing, which obtains in the modern art of war. When the Hebrews departed from Egypt, they marched in military order, by their armies or hosts" (Exod. xii. 51.), harnessed (Exod. xiii. 18.), or, as we read in the margin of our larger English Bibles, by five in a rank: from which expressions it has been conjectured that they followed each other in ranks fifty deep, and that at the head of each rank or file of fifty was the captain of fifty. (1 Sam. viii. 12.; 2 Kings i. 9-14.) 3

3

The other divisions of the Hebrew forces consisted of tens, hundreds, thousands, &c.; and the officers that commanded them are styled captains of thousands, captains of hundreds, captains of fifties, and captains of tens; of these mention is made in 1 Chron. xii. 14. 20., xiii. 1., xxviii. 1., and 2 Kings i. 9. 11. 13. These, probably, were of the same rank with those whom Moses constituted in the wilderness, rulers of thousands, &c. (Exod xviii. 25.), and who at first acted in a double capacity, being at the same time civil magistrates and military officers. The captains of thousands seem to have been much the

On this subject the reader may consult the Dissertations de Crethi et Plethi, of Ikenius (in the first volume of his Dissertationes Philologico-Theologica, pp. 111. et seq.), and of Lakemacher (Observationes Philologica, part ii. pp. 11-44.), and also Michaelis's Commentaries on the Law of Moses, § 232.

It is from this circumstance" that the Divine Being calls himself the LORD OF HOSTS, or armies; because the Israelites were brought out of Egypt under his direction, marshalled and ordered by himself, guided by his wisdom, supported by his providence, and protected by his might. This is the true and simple reason, why God is so frequently styled in Scripture the Lord of Hosts: for the LORD did bring the children of Israel out of Egypt by their armies." Dr. A. Clarke's Commentary on Exod. xii. 51.

3"But all the meaning seems to be, that they moved out-not armed-but in soldierlike order; as regularly organised and slowly as disciplined troops, and not like a rude rabble, or a huddled, jostling multitude. It shows that they did not go out by 'haste or by flight' and this is very remarkable, considering their numbers and the quality of the people, and how natural it was for those behind to dread lest their taskmasters should overtake them, and therefore to press forward and incommode those who were before. But there was nothing of all this; they moved with such steadiness and stillness, that 'against none of them did a dog move his tongue.' (Exod. xi. 7.) We are also informed, that there was not one feeble person among their tribes.' (Psal. cv. 37.) ...... It was the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes." (Rev. W. Jay's Works, vol. ii. p. 259.)

same as colonels of regiments with us; and the captains of hundreds might probably answer to those who in our army have the command of troops and companies; the captains of fifties and tens to our subalterns, sergeants, and corporals. During the Mosaic commonwealth, in conformity to the law in Deut. xx. 9., all these officers were appointed by the Shoterim, genealogists or officers (as they are termed in our version), who probably chose the heads of families; but after the monarchy took place, they received their commissions either from the king in the same manner as at present, as appears from 2 Sam. xviii. 1., and 2 Chron. xxv. 5.; or from the commander in chief (2 Sam. xviii. 11.): and it should seem that a captain's commission was denoted by giving him a military girdle or sash. (2 Sam. xviii. 11.)

The first and principal Head of the armies of Israel was the Almighty himself, who is so frequently termed in Scripture the Lord of Hosts. The whole nation marched forth under the superintending guidance of their God. Subordinate to Him, and as his lieutenantgeneral, was the principal officer, or leader of the whole army, who, in the Scriptures, is termed the CAPTAIN OF THE LORD'S HOST, and who appears to have been of the same rank with him, who is now called the commander-in-chief of an army. Such were Joshua and the Judges under the primitive constitution of their government as settled by God himself: such was Abner under Saul (2 Sam. ii. 8.), Joab under David (2 Sam. xx. 23.), and Amasa under Absalom, when he was raising a rebellion against his father. (2 Sam. xvii. 25.) The command and authority of this captain of the host appear to have been very great, sometimes, indeed, nearly equal to that of the sovereign. David seems to have been afraid of Joab his commander-inchief; otherwise he would never have suffered him to live after the sanguinary assassinations which he had perpetrated. It is evident that the captain of the host enjoyed great influence in the time of Elisha for we read, that the prophet having been hospitably entertained by an opulent woman at Shunem, and being desirous of making her some acknowledgment for her kindness, ordered his servant Gehazi to inquire what she would wish to have done for her. Wouldest thou be spoken for to the king, or to the CAPTAIN OF the HOST? (2 Kings iv. 13.)

After the establishment of the monarchy, the kings went to war in person, and at first fought on foot, like the meanest of their soldiers. Thus David fought, until the danger to which he exposed himself became so great, that his people would no longer allow him to lead them on to battle. (2 Sam. xxi. 17.) It does not appear that there were any horse in the Israelitish army before the time of Solomon. In the time of David there were none; for the rebel Absalom was mounted on a mule in the battle in which he lost his life. (2 Sam. xviii. 9.) Solomon, who had married the daughter of the king of Egypt, procured horses from that country at a great expense (1 Kings x. 28, 29.); and afterwards had four thousand stalls for horses and chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen. (2 Chron. ix. 25.) From Zech. xiv. 20. it should seem that bells formed a part of the caparison of war-horses. Subsequent kings of Judah and Israel went into the

battle in chariots, arrayed in their royal vestments, or sometimes in disguise. They generally had a spare chariot to attend them: thus we read that king Josiah, after he was mortally wounded, was taken out of his war-chariot and put into another, in which he was carried to Jerusalem. (2 Chron. xxxv. 23, 24.; 1 Kings xxii. 34.) Both kings and generals had armour-bearers, who were chosen from the bravest of the soldiery, and not only bore the arms of their masters, but were also employed to give his commands to the subordinate captains, and were present at his side in the hour of peril. (1 Sam. xiv. 6., xvii. 7.)

Military chariots were much in use among the Egyptians 1, Canaanites, and other oriental nations.2 Two sorts are mentioned in the Scriptures; one in which princes and generals rode, the other to break the enemy's battalions by rushing in among them, armed with iron scythes, which caused terrible havoc. The most ancient war-chariots, of which we read, are those of Pharaoh, which were destroyed in the Red Sea (Exod. xiv. 7.): his infantry, cavalry, and war-chariots were so arranged as to form separate divisions of his army. (Exod. xiv. 6, 7.) The Canaanites, whom Joshua engaged at the waters of Merom, had cavalry and a multitude of chariots. (Josh. xi. 4.) Sisera, the general of Jabin, king of Hazor, had nine hundred chariots of iron in his army. (Judg. iv. 3.) The tribe of Judah could not obtain possession of part of the lands allotted to them, because the inhabitants of the country were strong in chariots of iron. (Judg. i. 19.) The Philistines, in their war with Saul, had thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen. (1 Sam. xiii. 5.) David, having taken a thousand war-chariots from Hadadezer, king of Damascus, ham-strung the horses, and burnt nine hundred chariots, reserving only one hundred. (2 Sam. viii. 4.) It does not appear that the Hebrews ever used chariots in war, though Solomon had a considerable number; but we know of no military expedition in which he employed them. In the second book of Maccabees, mention is made of chariots armed with scythes, which the king of Syria led against the Jews. (2 Macc. xiii. 2.) These chariots were generally placed on the whole front of the infantry, ranged in a straight line, parallel sometimes to the cavalry. Some of them were with four, others with two wheels only: these were driven against the enemy, whom they never failed to put into disorder, when they were followed closely by the line. There were two ways of rendering them useless; first, by opening a passage for them through the battalions; secondly, by killing the horses before they were too far advanced: in which case they were of the greatest disservice to those who employed them, because they not only embarrassed them, but, further, broke the closeness of the line, and checked all the force of the onset. infantry were divided into light-armed troops, and into spear-men. (Gen. xlix. 19.; 1 Sam. xxx. 8. 15. 23.; 2 Sam. iii. 22., iv. 2., xxii.

1 Hengstenberg's Egypt and the Books of Moses, pp. 132-136. setts), 1843. 8vo.

? They were also used among the ancient Britons.

VOL. III.

The

Andover (Massachu

;

30.; Psal. xviii. 30. in the Hebrew, 29. of our English version 2 Kings v. 2.; Hos. vii. 1.) The light-armed troops of infantry were furnished with a sling and javelin, with a bow, arrows, and quiver, and also, at least in later times, with a buckler: they fought the enemy at a distance. The spear-men, on the contrary, who were armed with spears, swords, and shields, fought hand to hand. (1 Chron. xii. 24. 34.; 2 Chron. xiv. 8., xvii. 17.) The light-armed troops were commonly taken from the tribes of Ephraim and Benjamin. (2 Chron. xiv. 8., xvii. 17.)

IV. No information is given us in the Scriptures, concerning the order of ENCAMPMENT adopted by the Israelites after their settlement in Canaan. During their sojourning in the wilderness, the form of their camp, according to the account given in Numb. ii., appears to have been quadrangular, having three tribes placed on each side, under one general standard, so as to inclose the tabernacle, which stood in the centre. Between these four great camps and the tabernacle were pitched four smaller camps of the priests and Levites, who were immediately in attendance upon it; the camp of Moses and of Aaron and his sons (who were the ministering priests, and had the charge of the sanctuary) was on the east side of the tabernacle, where the entrance was. From Isa. liv. 2., it appears that the tents, under which they lived, were nearly the same as those which are now in use in the East. Every family and household had their particular ensign; under which they encamped or pursued their march. Rabbinical writers assert that the standard of Judah was a lion; that of Reuben, the figure of a man; that of Ephraim, an ox; that of Dan, an eagle, with a serpent in his talons': but for these assertions there is no foundation. They are probably derived from the patriarch's prophetic blessing of his children, related in Gen. xlix. It is far more likely, that the names of the several tribes were embroidered in large letters on their respective standards, or that they were distinguished by appropriate colours. The following diagram, after Ainsworth, Roberts, and Dr. A. Clarke', will, perhaps, give the reader a tolerable idea of the beautiful order of the Israelitish encampment; the sight of which, from the mountains of Moab, extorted from Balaam (when he saw Israel abiding in his tents according to their tribes) the following exclamation: How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, and thy tabernacles, O Israel! As the valleys are they spread forth, as gardens by the river's side, as the trees of lign aloes which the Lord hath planted, and as cedar trees beside the waters. (Numb. xxiv. 2. 5, 6.)

1 Lamy de Tabernaculo, lib. iii. c. 2. Carpzov has given at length the rabbinical descriptions of the Israelitish standard. Antiq. Hebr. Gentis, pp. 667, 668. 2 In their Commentaries on Numb. ii. Roberts's Clavis Bibliorum, p. 24. folio edit.