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The English word has two generic meanings, each shading off into several specific meanings: (1) that which holds together, binds or encircles: a bond; (2) a company of men. The second sense may philologically and logically have been derived from the first, men being held together by social ties. Both meanings appear in Old Testament and New Testament representing various Hebrew and Greek words.
(1) A band (a) (×סוּר, 'eÌ„cÌ£uÌ„r): a flaxen rope (); a band of iron and brass (, ); metaphorically used of a false woman's hands (). (b) (חבל, hÌ£ebhel): “The bands of the wicked have robbed me†(the King James Version of ), where “bands†= “troops†by mistr; the Revised Version (British and American) “The cords of the wicked have wrapped me roundâ€; plural hÌ£obhlim = “bands†= the name of the prophet's symbolic staff representing the brotherhood between Judah and Israel (, ). (c) (עבת, ‛ăbhoÌ„th): “I drew them with cords of a man, with bands of love†(; compare ; ; ). (d) (שפה, saÌ„phaÌ„h): the edge of the round opening in the robe of the ephod with a band (the Revised Version (British and American) “bindingâ€) round about the hole of it (only in ). (e) (חרצבּות, hÌ£arcuÌŒbboÌ„th): bands (the Revised Version (British and American) “bondsâ€) of wickedness (); bands (= pains) in death (); the Revised Version, margin (“pangs,†Cheyne, “tormentsâ€). (f) (מוטה, moÌ„tÌ£aÌ„h): the cross bar of oxen's yoke, holding them together (; the King James Version; the Revised Version (British and American) “barsâ€). (g) (מוסר, moÌ„sÌ£eÌ„r): a fetter: “Who hath loosed the bonds of the swift ass?†(; ; ; ; ; ; all in the King James Version and the Revised Version (British and American)). The same Hebrew word (in ; ; ; ; ) is translated “bonds†in the King James Version, and in the English Revised Version of , and , but “bands†in the English Revised Version of ; ; ; the American Standard Revised Version has “bonds†throughout. See BOND. (h) (מוש×כות, moÌ„shekhoÌ„th): “Canst thou ... loose the bands of Orion?†(only in ). (i) (δεσμοÌÏ‚, desmoÌs, συÌνδεσμος, suÌndesmos): a fetter: that which binds together: of the chains of a lunatic or prisoner (; ; the King James Version), metaphorically of the mystic union of Christ and the church (). These words are often translated by “bond†in the King James Version and the Revised Version (British and American). (j) (ζευκτηÏιÌα, zeukteÌ„rıÌa): the rudder's bands (only in ).
(2) A company of men (a) (גּדוּד, gedhuÌ„dh): a band of soldiers (; , the King James Version; ; , ; ; ; , ; ). So the Revised Version (British and American) (except in , “troopâ€). (b) (ר×ש, roÌ„'sh): “head†= “divisionâ€: “The Chaldeans made three bands†(); the Revised Version (British and American) translates “heads.†(c) (חיל, hÌ£ayil): “a band of men†the Revised Version (British and American) the “host†(only in ). (d) (×גפי×, 'ăghappı̄m): “the wings of an army,†only in Ezekiel, armies of the King of Judah (; ); of Gomer and of Togarmah (); of Gog (the Revised Version (British and American) “hordesâ€) (, ; ). (e) (×ž×—× ×”, mahÌ£ăneh): “campâ€: only in , ; the Revised Version (British and American) “companies.†(f) (חצץ, hÌ£ocec): of locusts dividing into companies or swarms (). (g) (σπεῖÏα, speıÌra): usually a “cohort†(see the Revised Version, margin) of Roman soldiers; the tenth part of a legion, about 600 men: (; ; ; ; ). A smaller detachment of soldiers (, ; compare 2 Macc 8:23; Judith 1:4:11). (h) (ποιεῖν συστÏοφηÌν, poieıÌn sustropheÌ„Ìn): “to make a conspiracyâ€: “The Jews banded together†().
(3) The Augustan Band (σπεῖÏα ΣεβαστηÌ, speıÌra SebasteÌ„Ì) to which Julius, the Roman centurion who had charge of Paul as a prisoner on his voyage to Rome, belonged, was a cohort apparently stationed at Caesarea at the time (). Schürer (GJV, I3, 461 f) is of opinion that it was one of five cohorts mentioned by Josephus, recruited in Samaria and called Sebastenes from the Greek name of the city of Samaria (Sebaste). This particular cohort had in all likelihood for its full name Cohors Augusta Sebastenorum, Augusta being an honorific title of which examples are found in the case of auxiliary troops. Sir William Ramsay, following Mommsen (St. Paul the Traveler, 315, 348), thinks it denotes a body of legionary centurions, selected from legions serving abroad, who were employed by the emperor on confidential business between the provinces and Rome, the title Augustan being conferred upon them as a mark of favor and distinction. The grounds on which the views of Mommsen and Ramsay rest are questioned by Professor Zahn (Introduction to the New Testament, I, 551ff), and more evidence is needed to establish them. See ARMY, ROMAN.
(4) The Italian Band (σπεῖÏα ἰταλικηÌ, speıÌra ItalikeÌ„Ì) was a cohort composed of volunteer Roman citizens born in Italy and stationed at Caesarea at this time (). Schürer maintains that there could have been no Roman cohort there at this time, although he accepts the testimony of inscriptions to the presence of an Italian cohort at a later time. He accordingly rejects the story of Cornelius, holding that the author of the Acts has given in this narrative conditions belonging to a later time (GJV, I3, 462 f). In reply to Schürer, Blass asks why one of the five cohorts mentioned by Josephus may not have been composed of Roman citizens living at Caesarea or Sebaste, and bearing this name (Blass, Acta Apostolorum, 124). From a recently discovered inscription, Sir W. M. Ramsay has ascertained that there was an Italian cohort stationed in Syria in 69 ad, which heightens the probability of one actually being found in Caesarea at 41-44 ad, and he shows that even if his cohort was at the time on duty elsewhere a centurion like Cornelius might well have been at Caesarea at the time mentioned (Expositor, 5th series, IV, V, with Schürer's rejoinder). The subject of detached service in the provinces of the Roman Empire is admittedly obscure, but nothing emerges in this discussion to cast doubt upon the historical character of Luke's narrative. See ARMY, ROMAN.
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