ARMY, HEBBEW. The Hebrews, although mainly an agricultural people, were involved in frequent wars in the course of their national his tory. The beginning of their history as a nation was signalized by an offensive war, from which they were obliged soon to pass to a defensive, which lasted during the whole period of the Judges. Afterwards, they had combats with their neigh bours, the Syrians and Philistines ; and at a still later period their country, owing to its central situation, became a battle-field of the great mon archies of the earth. Hence, the Bible contains many references to the subject of this article.
According to the law of Moses (Num. i. 3 ; xxvi. 2: comp. 2 Chron. xxv. 5), every male Israelite from twenty years old and upward (ac cording to Josephus, Antiq. iii. 12. 4, from twenty to fifty years of age') was liable to be. called on to serve in war. The Levites were exempt (Num. ii. 33), and immunity was granted in cer tain other cases mentioned (Deut. xx. comp. Macc. iii. 56). The army thus constituted, was divided into companies of moo, too, and 5o, each of which had its own captain, 'L., (Num. xxxi. 14; I Sam. viii. 12; 2 Kings i. 9; 2 Chron. xxv. 5), in accordance with the patriarchal constitution (2 Chron. xxvi. 12). In i Macc. iii. 55, we have captains over tens' also.
The people were summoned to the field by means of messengers, or sound of trumpet, or other signals (Judg. iii. 27; vi. 34, 35 ; I Sam. xi. 7; Jer. iv. 5, 6, 21 ; vi. I ; li. 27; Is. v. 26; xiii. 2 ; Ezek. vii. 14; Joel ii. I ; Amos iii. 6). But only such a number was selected as was deemed suffi etent for the occasion (Num. xxxi. 1-S; Josh.
vii. 3). The number, however, was sometimes very great (I Sam. xi. 8; xv. 4; 2 Sam. xvii. I 1). The Hebrew national militia is designated ' the people of the land,' riNn tt) (2 Kings. xxv. 19), and, whilst Palestine was densely peopled, would of course supply a very numerous army (comp. Num. i. 46; xxvi. 51; 2 Sam. xxiv. 9; i Chron. xxi. 5; 2 Chron. xiii. 3; xiv. 8; xvii. 14-19). In some of these passages the text may have suffered corruption, as there are some discrepancies. Jose
phus tells us (Bell. 7ud. ii. 20. 6) that he got an army out of Galilee of more than a hundred thou sand young men.
According to the fundamental principle of the theocracy, Jehovah was himself ' Captain of the Lord's host' (Josh. v. 14; comp. Num. x. 35, 36 ; I Sam. iv. 3, 4), and the judges, kings, or other leaders of the army, were regarded as acting under him, and in obedience to his commands.
In early times, the heads of the state led forth in person their armies to battle, but in the time of Saul and David the office of ' captain of the host,' ii', was distinct from that of king, and second only to it in dignity and power (I Sam. xiv. 5o; 2 Sam. ii. 8; xxiv. 2). An armour-bearer attended the captain of the host, as well as the king (I Sam. xxxi. 4, 5; 2 Sam. xxiii. 37). The king, or captain of the host, with his principal officers, formed a sort of military council (I Chron. xiii. I). The whole army appears to be designated as `princes,' or captains `and servants,' Wt.," (I Sam. xix. 6).
The population capable of bearing arms was numbered by an officer, called itlp, sorter; scribe; comp. 2 Kings xxv. 19, tcvn the scribe of the captain of the host* which mustered the people of the land.' With the in) was associated a subordinate officer, -aye, shoter, translated officer, ruler, whose duty appears to have been to enrol the names in the register. Both these officers are named in 2 Chron. xxvi. I I ; and the latter in a passage already referred to (Deut. xx. 5).
In the earliest period, the Hebrew army con sisted exclusively of infantry, (Num. xi. 21; it Sam. iv. 1o; xv. 4). That this was not owing entirely to the mountainous character of the country, rendering it unsuitable for cavalry, appears from the fact, that the Canaanites, whom the Israelites dispossessed, had ' chariots of iron' which they used in war (Josh. xi. 4; Judg. i. 19). The Syrians also, with whom David fought, had a great number of chariots and horsemen (2 Sam.