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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadMcClintock Biblical Encyclopedia: Captain
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is the rendering, in the Auth. Vers., of numerous Hebrews and several Greek words, of which the following only require special elucidation. For the ëָּøַé , kari´, rendered "captains," 2Ki_11:4; 2Ki_11:19, SEE CHERETHITES.
(1.) As a purely military title, captain answers to ùִׂø , sar, in the Hebrew army, and ÷éëßáñ÷ïò (tribunus) in the Roman. SEE ARMY. The "captain of the guard" ( óôñáôïðåäÜñ÷çò ) spoken of in Act_28:16 was the Praetorian praefect. SEE CHRONOLOGY, p. 312, b.
(2.) ÷ָöַéï , ikatsin', which is occasionally rendered captain, applies sometimes to a military (Jos_10:24; Jdg_11:6; Jdg_11:11; Isa_22:3; Dan_11:18), sometimes to a civil command (e.g. Isa_1:10; Isa_3:6): its radical sense is division, and hence decision without reference to the means employed: the term illustrates the double office of the ùֹׁôֵè , shophet', or dictator ("judge"). SEE JUDGE.
(3.) ùָׁìַéùׁ , shalish' (Exo_14:7; Exo_15:4; 2Sa_23:8; 1Ki_9:22; 2Ki_9:25; 2Ki_10:25; 2Ki_15:25; 1Ch_11:11; 1Ch_12:18; 2Ch_8:9; "lord," 2Ki_7:2; 2Ki_7:17; 2Ki_7:19; Eze_23:23; "prince," Eze_23:15), prop. a third man, i.e. one of three, Gr. ôñéóôÜôçò , a higher order of soldiers, who fought from chariots, chariot-warriors (Exo_14:7; Exo_15:4; 1Ki_9:22; ἀíáâÜôáé , ðáñáâÜôáé , Homr. Iliad, 23:32; Eurip. Supplic. 679); employed also for the body-guard of kings (1Ki_9:22; 2Ki_10:25; 1Ch_11:11; 1Ch_12:18). The Sept. has rptararatm, i.e. according to Origen and Gregory of Nyssa (in the Catenae), "soldiers fighting from chariots," and so called because each chariot contained three soldiers, one of whom managed the horses, while the other two fought (comp. Ewald, Gesch. Isr. 2:81). For although on the Egyptian monuments usually but one, or at most two appear in the war-chariots, yet occasionally, as certainly in the Assyrian bas-reliefs, in addition to the driver and the warrior, an armor-bearer or umbrella-bearer is depicted as standing in the chariot, who might properly be termed ternarius, or a third man. SEE CHARIOT. It is true the Hebrew army did not originally consist of cavalry, although chariots were in use among the Canaanites, and the first occurrences of the term ùָׁìַéùׁ are in connection with the Egyptians; but at alater date a chariot-squadron was organized (1Ki_10:26; comp. 9:9; 5:6; 2Sa_8:4). Consequently, it is not strange that among the battalions of David and Solomon (2Sa_23:8) there should be named as a prominent hero the leader of these shalishim ( øàùׁ äִùָּׁìַùַׁé , or, rather, äִùָּׁìַùַׁéí ; comp. Gesenius, Lehrgeb. p. 525; Bötticher, Spec. p. 38 sq.; Ewald, Gramm. Hebrews 5 th ed. § 152, c. 177 a). Solomon's chariot-men ( ùָׁìַùָׁéå ) are mentioned (1Ki_9:22; 2Ch_8:9) as next to the priefects of his chariot-force ( ùָׂøֵé øַëְáּåֹ ). After the times of Solomon there certainly were chariot- combatants (essedarii) as royal officers in the northern kingdom, and in the reign of Jehu runners and charioteers ( åְäִùָּׁìַùַׁéí äָøָöַéí ) formed, as it were, the king's Praetorian cohort (2Ki_10:25); and the chief of these Praetorians (called by eminence äִùָּׁìַéùׁ or ùָׁìַùׁ äִîֶּìֶêְ ) was among the most noble of the regal attendants (q. d. adjutant-general). Accordingly, Joram had an officer of this title, "on whose hand the king leaned" (2Ki_7:2; 2Ki_7:17; 2Ki_7:19); Jehu's charioteer was Bidkar (2Ki_9:26); and Pekah held this eminent office under Pekahiah (2Ki_15:25). Others, however (after Drusius), hold that the ùָׁìַéùׁ was merely the third officer in rank after the king, or commanded a third part of the army (comp. the Roman tertiarii). So the Greek glossarists (ap. Drusius ad Ezech. and in Fragm. Vet. interpr. Gr. p. 145; Schleusner, Nov. Thesaur. s.v. ôñéóôÜôçò ; Dufresne, Glossar. s.v.; see Rosenmüller, Scholia ad Exo_14:7). SEE CHIEF OF THREE.
(4.) The " captain of the Temple" ( óôñáôçãὸò ôïῦ ἱåñïῦ ), mentioned by Luke (Act_4:1; Act_5:24) in connection, with the priests, was not a military officer, but superintended the guard of priests and Levites who kept watch by night in the Temple. The "captains" mentioned Luk_22:4, were probably his subalterns. The office appears to have existed from an early date the "priests that kept the door". (2Ki_12:9; 2Ki_25:18) are described by Josephus (Ant. 10:8, 5) as "the officers guarding the Temple" ( ôïὺò öõëÜóóïíôáò ôὸ ἱåñὸí ἡãåìüíáò ): a notice occurs in 2Ma_3:4, of a praefect of the Temple ( ðñïóôÜôçò ôïῦ ἱåñïῦ ); this officer is styled óôñáôçãüò or captain by Josephus (Ant. 20:6, 2; War, 6:5, 3); and in the Mishna (Middoth, 1, § 2) th àéù äø ä , "the captain of the mountain of the Temple;" his duty, as described in the place last quoted, was to visit the posts during the night, and see that the sentries were doing their duty (comp. 1Ch_9:11; 2Ch_31:13; 2Ch_35:8-9; Jer_20:1). SEE TEMPLE.
The rank or power of an Israelitish captain was designated by the number of men under his command, as captain of fifty, or captain of a thousand, SEE CENTURION; and the commander or chief of the whole army was called the captain of the host (q.v.). The divisions of the army were regulated in some measure by the division of families, as the heads of families were usually officers. Captains of hundreds, or larger companies, were probably what would be called in modern phrase staff-officers, and formed the councils of war. SEE WAR. Sometimes distinguished men who were not Hebrews were promoted to high stations in the army (Deu_1:15; 1Ch_13:1; 2Ch_25:5; 2Sa_23:39). SEE OFFICER.
God is called Captain ("Prince") of the Host ( äִöָּáָàùִׁø , Dan_8:11), not as equivalent to "Lord of Hosts," but because he is the head and protector of his people. So in the N.T. our Lord is called Captain of his people's salvation ( ἀñ÷çãὸò ôῆò óùôçñßáò áὐôῶí , Heb_2:10), because he is the beginner, source, and author of their salvation, the head of his Church, which he conducts, with and in himself, to blessedness (comp. Jos_5:14). SEE JEHOVAH.