HORSE (hors), (Heb. CID, sus; Gr. tirros, hififios), Gen. xlvii:t7; xlix:17; Exod. xiv :9, 23, and in many other places; James iii:3; Rev. vi:2, etc.
The horse is one of the noblest animals of the brute kind, celebrated for comeliness, swift ness, pride, wantonness, natural fierceness, tame ableness, strength and fitness for burden, draught, or war (Job xxxix :19-25).
It appears to be substantiated that the horse was derived from High Asia, and was not indig enous in Arabia, Syria, or Egypt. They are not mentioned among the presents which Pharaoh bestowed upon Abraham, and occur in Scripture for the first time when the patriarch Joseph re ceives them from the Egyptians in exchange for bread (Gen. xlvii :17)—evidently as valuable ani mals, disposed of singly, and not in droves or flocks, like cattle and asses. They were still suffi ciently important to be expressly mentioned in the funeral procession which accompanied the body of Jacob to his sepulcher in Canaan (Gen. 1:9) ; and, for centuries after, it does not appear that, under the domestic management of the Egyptians, unless the murrain had greatly reduced them, horses had multiplied as they would have done in a land more congenial to their habits, since only six hundred chariots appear to have pursued Israel (Exod. xiv :7)—even admitting that there were other chariots and horsemen not included in that number. In the sculptured bat tle scenes, which are believed to represent victo ries of Sesostris, or of Thothmes II and III, over nations of Central Asia, it is evident that the ene my's armies, as well as the foreign allies of Egypt, are abundantly supplied with horses, both for chariots and for riders ; and in triumphal proces sions they are shown as presents or tribute—prov ing that they were portions of the national wealth of conquered states sufficiently valuable to be prized in Egypt.
Bay or red horses occur most frequently on Egyptian painted monuments, this being the primitive color of the Arabian stock ; but white horses are also common, and, in a few instances, black—the last probably only to relieve the paler color of the one beside it in the picture.
C. H. S.
The horses of Egypt were reckoned stronger and finer than those of Syria (Is. xxxi :3).
Mountainous Palestine was not well adapted for the use of the horse, and in early times it was principally employed in the maritime plain and in the valley of Jezreel. There were many horses in Egypt (Gen. xlvii:17; Exod. ix:3). When the ex odus took place Pharaoh's pursuing army was equipped with chariots and horses (xiv :9 ; xv : 19). They existed also in the force of the north ern Canaanites led by Sisera, Jabin's command er-in-chief (Judg. iv :T5 v :22).
God prohibited the Hebrews from multiply ing horses (Deut. xvii :i6 ; Josh. xi :6). However, Solomon having married the daughter of Pha raoh, procured a fine breed of horses from Egypt, some of them at the rate of 600 shekels of silver, which, according to Prideaux, is i90 sterling, $45o.00, and according to Arbuthnot, i68 9s, $3.4o.00 ( Kings x :26). He, first of the He brews, began to multiply horses, and had 4,000 stables, 4o,000 stalls, and 12,000 horsemen (1 Kings iv :26 ; 2 Chron. ix :25). As the eastern heathens, who worshiped the sun, imagined that he rode along the sky in a chariot drawn with -fleet horses, to communicate his light and warmth to mankind, they consecrated to him the finest steeds or chariots ; with these they either rode to the eastern gates of their cities as the sun rose, or they held them so sacred that none might ride on them. Josiah removed from the Jewish tem ple the horses, or images of horses, which his father or grandfather had consecrated to the sun (2 Kings xxiii:ti). Among the ancient orientals, horses were reckoned a grand present, and rid ing on them an honor (Eccles. x:7).
FiguratiVe. (1) Horses are sometimes put for warriors on horseback (Ezek. xxxix:2o). (2) God's instruments of accomplishing his purpose, and displaying his greatness and might, are rep resented as his horses or chariots (Zech. x :5 ; xii :4; Jer. :21). (3) White. horses, anciently symbols of victory, denote the gospel, whereby Christ shows his glory, conquers. and comes to his people, and whereby they. are supported, borne forward in their heavenly journey, and enabled to conquer their foes ; or they may be an em blem of warriors' victory, and of great joy and gladness. (4) Red horses represent persecution and bloody wars. (5) Pale horses denote fam ines in the church or state, which are followed with death, spiritual or temporal, and with hell.
(6) Black lzorses may represent fearful judg ments, that fill men with horror and perplexity.
(7) And "grisled, speckled and bay horses" may denote mingled scenes of mercy and judgment (Rev. vi :2-8; xix :it, 14 ; Zech. i :8 ; vi :2, 3). (8) Angels appeared under the form of "horses and chariots" of fire, to hint, that God by them pow erfully executes his purposes, subdues his ene mies, protects his people, and conveys them to heaven (2 Kings it:11 ; vi :17). (9) Saints are likened to a "company of horses" in Pharaoh's chariots. How precious and costly to Christ How carefully nourished. cleansed. stationed, and cared for by him ! How delightfully yoked un der His law ! and what a glorious means of dis playing His power ! (Cant. I:9.) Brown.