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Subjects in this Topic:
hôrs:
1. Names
The common names are (1) סוּס, sÌ£uÌ„sÌ£, and (2) ἱÌππος, hıÌpposÌŒ. (3) The word פרש×, paÌ„raÌ„sh, “horseman,†occurs often, and in several cases is translated “horse†or “warhorse†(; ; the Revised Version, margin); also in 2 Sam 16, where the “horsemen†of English Versions of the Bible is בּעלי הפרש××™×, ba‛ăleÌ„ ha-paÌ„raÌ„shı̄m, “owners of horsesâ€; compare Arabic faÌ‚ris, “horseman,†and faras, “horseâ€. (4) The feminine form סוּסה, sÌ£uÌ„sÌ£aÌ„h, occurs in , and is rendered as follows: Septuagint ἡ ἱÌππος, heÌ„ hıÌppos; Vulgate (Jerome's Latin Bible, 390-405 ad) equitatum; the King James Version “company of horses,†the Revised Version (British and American) “steed.†It is not clear why English Versions of the Bible does not have “mare.†(5) The word ×בּרי×, 'abbirı̄m, “strong ones,†is used for horses in ; ; ; (the King James Version “bullsâ€). In the same word is translated “strong bulls†(of Bashan). (6) For רכש×, rekhesh (compare Arabic rakadÌ£, “to runâ€), in ; , ; , the Revised Version (British and American) has “swift steeds,†while the King James Version gives “dromedaries†in 1 Ki and “mules†in Est. (7) For כּרכּרות, kirkaÌ„roÌ„th (), the King James Version and the English Revised Version have “swift beastsâ€; the English Revised Version margin and the American Standard Revised Version “dromedariesâ€; Septuagint σκιαÌδια, skiaÌdia, perhaps “covered carriages.†In , we find the doubtful words (8) ×חש××ªÖ¼×¨× ×™×, 'ăhÌ£ashteraÌ„nı̄m, and (9) ×‘Ö¼× ×™ הרמּכי×, beneÌ„ haÌ„-rammaÌ„khı̄m, which have been variously translated. the King James Version has respectively “camels†and “young dromedaries,†the Revised Version (British and American) “used in the king's service†and “bred of the stud,†the Revised Version margin “mules†and “young dromedaries.†See CAMEL.
2. Origin
The Hebrew and Egyptian names for the horse are alike akin to the Assyrian. The Jews may have obtained horses from Egypt (), but the Canaanites before them had horses (), and in looking toward the Northeast for the origin of the horse, philologists are in agreement with zoologists who consider that the plains of Central Asia, and also of Europe, were the original home of the horse. At least one species of wild horse is still found in Central Asia.
3. Uses
The horses of the Bible are almost exclusively war-horses, or at least the property of kings and not of the common people. A doubtful reference to the use of horses in threshing grain is found in . Horses are among the property which the Egyptians gave to Joseph in exchange for grain (). In it is enjoined that the king “shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt, to the end that he may multiply horses.†This and other injunctions failed to prevent the Jews from borrowing from the neighboring civilizations their customs, idolatries, and vices. Solomon's horses are enumerated in 1 Ki 4, and the se‛ı̄rı̄m and tebhen of () are identical with the sha‛ı̂r (“barleyâ€) and tibn (“strawâ€) with which the arab feeds his horse today. In war, horses were ridden and were driven in chariots (; ; , etc.).
4. Figurative and Descriptive
The horse is referred to figuratively chiefly in Zechariah and Revelation. A chariot and horses of fire take Elijah up to heaven ( f). In ; ; and , the great strength of the horse is recalled as a reminder of the greater strength of God. In , the small bridle by which the horse can be managed is compared to the tongue (compare ). In -25 we have a magnificent description of a spirited war-horse.